Creating a lovely garden or transforming your yard into a beautiful outdoor retreat can be a rewarding experience. On top of that, it’ll increase your property value and give you more ways to enjoy your home. If you’re new to landscaping, though, a project of this magnitude can seem overwhelming. Many homeowners aren’t even sure where to begin.
Several factors enter the mix when you’re revamping an outdoor space. From figuring out what to plant and where to plant it to deciding where to place a patio and how big it should be, seemingly endless details go into the process. This guide to garden and yard planning, along with help from professional landscape and hardscape designers, can help make an undertaking like this a success.
Develop a Plan
Your first step in an outdoor remodeling project should be developing a plan. Think about how you want to use your outdoor space. Do you want a small garden with a pathway leading to and from your house? Are you looking for a quiet retreat to relax and unwind? Maybe you’d like to have an outdoor cooking and dining area or an all-include space for entertaining guests. Perhaps you’d like a combination of those. Determining your goals will help make planning easier and keep the project from getting away from you.
Think About Your Yard
From there, you need to think about your yard itself. How much sunlight does it get? What type of soil do you have? Do you have drainage issues in certain areas? These factors and many others will help determine how to make the best use of your outdoor space, which features can be included, and any measures that need to be taken before transforming your yard.
Go With the Flow
It’s also important to think about the flow of your yard and how the landscaping and hardscape features you add will factor into it. You may want to create different zones on your property, such as an area for a vegetable garden, various spaces for flower beds, an area for a patio or pergola, and an open space for your children or grandchildren to play in. Those are only a few examples. Each family’s needs, just like their yards, are unique. Remember that your plans need to not only follow the lay of the land but flow naturally and logically.
Choose Your Features
Once you get a feel for the layout and flow of your outdoor space, you’ll need to choose the right features to include in your transformation. When it comes to plants, you may want to start simple with species that are native to your area and easy to take care of, especially if you’re new to gardening. Hardscapes are the elements that will bring more usefulness to your outdoor space and help tailor it to your lifestyle. As such, choose those that dovetail with your plans for your property.
Bringing Your Outdoor Space to Life
Transforming your outdoor space will give you more ways to enjoy your property, improve its appearance, and boost its value. A project like this can quickly get out of hand, though. Keep the points mentioned here in mind to make matters simpler. Additionally, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional landscape and hardscape designer for help. They can aid in planning the perfect outdoor space, bringing it to life, and ensuring it brings you as much joy as possible.
