If you have decided that
your home needs landscaping, you should start collecting ideas.
You can do this by walking through your neighborhood and
looking at the landscape of other homes. Make a note of what
appeals to you.
Look at the trees and how they are arranged in the
yard.
Are there flowers around the trees? Does this
appeal to you?
Are there bushes or shrubs under the windows or
along the fence line?
Is there a pathway to the front door? What material
is used for the walkway?
Ask your neighbor about their backyard. If
their front yard is landscaped, they may have landscaped the
back. Or, maybe you have been invited to a barbecue at their
home which was held in the backyard. Make a note of how the
yard was landscaped.
If you like the idea of flowers in a circle
around your trees, find out which flowers grow in shaded areas.
Some people like to have bushes or shrubs in their landscape
design. Remember that these have to be pruned at certain times
of the year so they do not become overgrown and shapely.
If you are a serious gardener, you will already
be aware of the climate in your area and know what types
of plants, flowers, trees, and bushes will grow during the
various seasons. When you landscape your yard, you want
its beauty to shine no matter the season.
While collecting ideas and making notes, you
may want to look through magazines and books to get ideas.
Another way of collecting ideas for landscaping your property
is to search the Internet. Many of the home improvement shows
have web sites and they feature landscaped yards. You can also
spend some time watching a home improvement show on television
which features landscaping. You will see some of the problems
encountered in various types of yards. One of them may be
similar to your own. This will also help you to decide if you
need to ask the advice of a professional landscape
architect.
You want the outside of your home to look
unified and balanced. Unity and symmetry add to the beauty of
your property. The best way to achieve unity and symmetry is to
use similar types of plants and trees around the entire
property. You can achieve harmony by having your plants and
trees the same height. To make your property look good year
round, you will need to add other landscaping elements.
Elements such as landscaping stones and rocks or wood chips can
add decorative elements that will survive the seasons. You can
also add statues or displays.
It is best to have a theme in mind when you
start to design the overall landscape of your property. If you
love hummingbirds or butterflies, you can incorporate plants
and flowers that will attract them to your yard. This will keep
your ideas in balance and help you to achieve the harmony you
are looking for.