The first step in designing a landscape for your yard is to decide what areas you want. This is similar to how you decide what rooms in your home will be used for specific purposes.
This will help to decide the design elements that will be used in your landscape (figure 4-). Important factors include color, contrast, lines, and other design elements.
Front Yard
The front yard is the first area visitors see when they enter your home, and it can have a big impact on how your house is perceived. It’s also a great place to make a statement about your personality and style. Here are some ways to make your front yard welcoming and functional. This will help you sell your house faster and increase curb appeal.
The landscape plan will guide the placement of plants and structures, and it will determine what elements work best in different locations. It will also help you decide on the size and shape of your yard, as well as the materials that will be used to build it.
You will need to consider where you live and how much sun it receives. Also, think about the climates in your area. This will help you choose the right plants for your area and create a long-lasting, healthy yard.
Your plan will also help you decide the dimensions and shapes of the patio, walkways and stairs, as well as other features that will be found in your front yard. You’ll use these shapes to delineate the space, as well as locate focal points such as a plant or boulder.
If the house is square in shape, you might draw diagonal lines to define your yard. Similarly, if you have a lot of windows on one side of the house, you’ll want to create a window-lined patio.
Consider whether you want to include a water feature. You can choose a simple pond or an elaborate design with multiple waterfalls and pools.
A water feature in your front yard can make a great investment, especially if it is near a busy road. It will increase curb appeal, as well as improve your home’s safety and privacy.
A water feature can be a significant investment. Look for drought-tolerant, native, or climate-adapted trees that require minimal maintenance and need little trimming.
Back Yard
The back yard is the quintessential outdoor living space. The backyard serves many purposes, including entertaining friends and family. However, it can also be used to grow plants, cook, or just relax after a hard day. When landscaping your yard, it is wise to have a clear idea of what you want.
The backyard of your dreams doesn’t have to be huge, but it does need to be well planned and cleverly designed. A skilled landscape designer will make use of the space you have by using natural features like trees, plants, water to create an attractive and functional space that meets your needs.
In addition to the above mentioned aforementioned gizmo, there are several other things that stand out as the best of the bunch. For instance, the most interesting and most cost effective way to improve the quality of your backyard is to consider adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that’s akin to a guest suite but with the added bonus of being outdoors. A thorough inspection of your property, together with an understanding of your family and finances, is the best way to determine if an ADU would be a good fit.
Side Yard
Side yards are an important part of any landscape and can be used in many ways. It can be a useful place to hide functional elements that you don’t want to see in your front or backyard or as a storage area for tools, children’s toys or extra patio furniture.
Use classic design principles to create a space that’s both attractive and functional. These include repetition, unity, proportion and unity.
Proportion means arranging elements so that they look similar in size and weight. A ranch-style rambler might need a small garden shed, or foundation shrubs, while a traditional Tudor-style home might need tall columnar foundation shrubs.
In addition, proportion can help you avoid overcrowding a narrow side yard. This can be accomplished by using only a few plant varieties that do not spread too far and keeping the amount of ground cover to a minimum.
For example, a low garden bed filled with lilies and daffodils is an effective way to create a lush cottage garden in a narrow space. A tall fence or hedge can also soften property boundaries and provide privacy for a shady side yard.
A trellis can be used as a decorative tool to draw attention up and create drama in a backyard. This can be done by using a trellis made from a variety of materials, including wisteria, climbing roses and flowering vines.
Even small backyards can be transformed into private Japanese Zen Gardens. These gardens include a few design elements: gravel or sand areas, rakes; boulders, comfortable seating; a fountain; soft lighting; and monochromatic gardening.
A perfect balance of these elements can transform your small backyard into an oasis of peace and tranquility where you can unwind after long days at work.
Although side yards can be difficult to design, DIYers can create beautiful and functional outdoor spaces with a little knowledge and an eye for the unique challenges they present. The most important consideration in creating a great side yard is to keep the design principles of proportion, unity and repetition in mind.
Public Area
A well executed greenspace can be a fun and exciting place to be. It is a worthy goal to bring a healthy dose a nature-enriched air to urbanites. Increasingly, this is done through the judicious use of paving, landscaping, and even greening up some of the more mundane areas such as parking lots and trash cans. A well-executed greenspace can be a learning experience. The best green spaces can be found in a few places. The requisite planning and preparation are the keys to a successful greenspace. The main challenge is to select and evaluate the right kinds of plants to achieve the best results. In the hands of the uninitiated, this can prove to be a challenging task.