It is very difficult for an enthusiast to create an excellent garden design, and you will find that the process is much more difficult than you imagined. However, if you follow the procedures outlined below, you will stand a good chance of creating a garden that will meet all your needs aesthetically and practically.
Discover what you already own.
Many people who live in a new house will say, "There is nothing around the house except some land”. Indeed, the largest part may consist of only some bare earth, but there is much more to see. Even an empty block of land has the following aspects: landscape view, levels, drainage, soil type, wind control, fencing, sun and shade, water availability. Each of these characteristics will influence your choic when choosing a property.
The other important task is self-assessment:
What skills do you have to partially or completely build the garden yourself?
- How much time you want to spend on landscape gardening?
- Which garden style do you like?
- What function you want to give the garden?
- The current or future family situation?
- Do you own a dog or other pets?
- Do you like to mow the lawn?
- Would you like to see tub plants?
- Do you want vegetables or fruit from your own garden?
- What budget do you want to spend for the construction?
These preferences will help determine the kind of landscape design that will perfectly meet all your needs.
Making plans
- First, you must measure your property accurately for the landscape design.
- Measure the landscape side and front borders. Measure the width of the driveway.
- Measure the size of the house and the distances from the house to the boundaries. You will need these measurements to draw an accurate scale plan.
- Make landscape design and multiple copies of the base drawing.
Make a site analysis on one of the drawings.
Show all buildings (which are shown to scale). Show where all the water pipes, gas pipes, rainwater drains, electricity, gas, telephone and cable lines run. Indicate any level differences. Draw the existing trees. Don't forget about the trees that are next door but that still provide shade in your garden. Draw the other vegetation, using smaller circles.
You should also add things you can't actually see.
Place a clear arrow pointing north on the drawing. This will affect where the plants are put and where the shade will fall. Show which tracks people tend to walk, these are called wish lines. It is interesting to include them in road design.
Make lists.
First, make a list of all the necessary things that should definitely be drawn in the garden. This will vary from household to household. It could include: garden shed, mailbox, compost heap, and place for the garbage cans, dog kennel, shed.
Second, make a wish list of all the things you would like to have in the garden. This list for the landscape design could potentially include: swimming pool, lawn, and swing, seating area, basketball hoop, barbeque area, garden pond and pergola.
Third, list the garden types you like the most e.g. formal gardens with clipped hedges; lots of lawn and bordered with beautiful flower borders; unstructured "wild" gardens, an urban garden, a heather garden, a rock garden, an English cottage garden, a Japanese garden.
Classify each type according to how much work is involved in its maintenance; how expensive it is to build and maintain and how suitable it is for your lifestyle.
Compromises become inevitable.
Fourth, look around your home and neighborhood for shapes and colors that can be used in garden design. The masonry of your house may have circular motifs that can be repeated in the garden. The colors of the bricks can serve as inspiration when choosing the colors of concrete pavers and other paved surfaces.
