When you create a plan for your landscaping you will end up with a landscape the serves a purpose, looks more beautiful, and it will save you money in the long run because you won’t be redoing your backyard landscape plantings in a few years or wishing you had a bigger patio. When you have a plan from the beginning it will give you the best long-term results.
A good first step in planning your landscaping is for you to think about what you like about it. Make a list of everything you like about your landscape so you can make sure to include them in your new landscape plan. Here are some examples for you. I like how my neighbors can’t see me when I am sitting on my deck. Check. I like how I can see birds through my kitchen window. Check. I would like to keep my vegetable garden. Check. I like the how my maple tree shades my patio in the afternoon. Check. I think you get the idea.
Then, think about what you don’t like or what you want changed and write those down. Does your front yard leave something to be desired when you compare it to your neighbors? Are you sick of seeing all the kid’s toys in your neighbor’s backyard? Are the bushes in your front yard taking over to the point they brush against your guests as they walk to your front door? To help you out and give you some other ideas, I have a list of some of the more common problems that you may want your landscaping plan to address.
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Not Enough Privacy
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Need to Improve Curb Appeal
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Safety
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Not Enough Room When You Entertain
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Not Enough Shade
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Overgrown Plants
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Water Drainage Issues
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Areas You Use at Night Aren’t Lit
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Too Noisy
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No Place for a Vegetable Garden
Determine your landscape budget before you contact a professional landscaper to get the work done for you. The landscaping budget needs to be determined early on so you don’t waste your time getting a landscape plan that is completely over the top or underwhelming compared to what you wanted. It will also make your initial consultation more productive and not waste your time. Keep in mind that most jobs can be done in pieces so the cost can be spread out over time.
If you go through this process, when you meet with a landscaper, your conversations with your landscaper designer will be more productive because you are prepared.