Landscape design should not be an afterthought.
I am not gonna lie……I have been a disaster when it comes to gardening and landscaping in the past. I’d like to think I have learned from my mistakes but I still occasionally fall into the old habit of starting a project without starting with a plan.
I would never do this inside my home but somehow with the exterior I tend to just wing it. I have pulled up more plants after planting them in one place, to move them to another, than I care to admit. And we all know that plants don’t like to be moved too often, so as you would surmise my “kill rate” with plants is pretty high. I also have paid to have a patio put in, only to realize it may inhibit my future building plans. And let’s not even talk about the fence!
I should be a cautionary tale because what I’ve spent on landscape mistakes could probably fund a small country for a year. If you have a large piece of property and you do not have a green thumb you may want to invest some money with a landscape designer. If that seems like too much commitment for you, a good gardner can usually steer you in the right direction. There is also another alternative.
Just like so many other services, you can now get landscape plans online. I have never personally used these services but I have heard from others that it really helped them get started and saved them money in the long run.
They will not only plan where foliage and hardscape should go but also tell you what plantings will thrive in your particular climate as well as in your individual yard. They provide you with ideas and choices that you may not have thought about and they can give you a timeline for planting.
Below are a few photos of what we have around our yard. I am doing my best with the loose plan that’s in my head and maybe when I’m done I’ll give an update. Until then, before you set foot in the nursery, figure out what your longterm plan for your yard is and what you want to accomplish. A plan will probably save you some money and surely some frustration.





