razorbladetherapy
10-28-2004, 09:17 PM
Before you start landscaping, you must first develop a plan. The components of your plan could include deciduous trees and plants, coniferous trees and plants, earth berms, walls, fences, sheds, and garages. This section will help you create a landscape plan before you plant around your existing home or before you begin construction on a new house.
Use paper and different-colored pencils to begin designing your landscape. First, sketch a simple, scaled drawing of your yard. Locate its buildings, walks, driveways, and utilities (e.g., sewer, electric, and telephone lines). Note the location of all paved surfaces -- streets, driveways, patios, or sidewalks -- near your home. Then identify potential uses for different areas of your yard: vegetable gardens, flower beds, patios, and play areas.
Draw arrows to show sun angles and prevailing winds for both summer and winter. As you sketch, circle the areas of your yard needing shade or wind protection.
Indicate with arrows how you want views to be preserved or screened. Mark routes of noise pollution you wish to block. Also, highlight areas where landscaping height or width may be restricted, such as under utility lines or along sidewalks.
Notice yard areas that suffer from poor drainage and standing water. Some trees and shrubs will not grow well in poorly drained areas; others will. Note existing trees and shrubs. Plan for their replacement if they are old or sick and if they provide valued shade or windbreak.
Perhaps you want more defined property boundaries or less traffic noise. Consider a "living fence" of dense trees, bushes, or shrubs. Depending on its location and application, this hedge can be customized to be tall, short, wide, narrow, open, or dense. Privet is a species of shrub that grows in most parts of the United States and can serve as a living fence.
Areas of lawn not used as picnic or play areas can be converted to planting beds or xeriscaped areas. Xeriscaping is a landscaping technique that uses vegetation that is drought resistant and is able to survive on rainfall and groundwater once established. Converting a traditional lawn to alternative, water-conserving grasses or other forms of xeriscaping saves energy and reduces water consumption.
Perhaps you live in an urban area where yards are small and neighbors close. Your neighbor's yard may be the best place for trees to shade your south-facing windows. Your yard may be the best location for their windbreak. Bringing your neighbors into your plans could benefit everyone involved.
The more you identify your goals and familiarize yourself with your yard's features -- current and proposed -- the better your chances for success with your landscaping projects.
Use paper and different-colored pencils to begin designing your landscape. First, sketch a simple, scaled drawing of your yard. Locate its buildings, walks, driveways, and utilities (e.g., sewer, electric, and telephone lines). Note the location of all paved surfaces -- streets, driveways, patios, or sidewalks -- near your home. Then identify potential uses for different areas of your yard: vegetable gardens, flower beds, patios, and play areas.
Draw arrows to show sun angles and prevailing winds for both summer and winter. As you sketch, circle the areas of your yard needing shade or wind protection.
Indicate with arrows how you want views to be preserved or screened. Mark routes of noise pollution you wish to block. Also, highlight areas where landscaping height or width may be restricted, such as under utility lines or along sidewalks.
Notice yard areas that suffer from poor drainage and standing water. Some trees and shrubs will not grow well in poorly drained areas; others will. Note existing trees and shrubs. Plan for their replacement if they are old or sick and if they provide valued shade or windbreak.
Perhaps you want more defined property boundaries or less traffic noise. Consider a "living fence" of dense trees, bushes, or shrubs. Depending on its location and application, this hedge can be customized to be tall, short, wide, narrow, open, or dense. Privet is a species of shrub that grows in most parts of the United States and can serve as a living fence.
Areas of lawn not used as picnic or play areas can be converted to planting beds or xeriscaped areas. Xeriscaping is a landscaping technique that uses vegetation that is drought resistant and is able to survive on rainfall and groundwater once established. Converting a traditional lawn to alternative, water-conserving grasses or other forms of xeriscaping saves energy and reduces water consumption.
Perhaps you live in an urban area where yards are small and neighbors close. Your neighbor's yard may be the best place for trees to shade your south-facing windows. Your yard may be the best location for their windbreak. Bringing your neighbors into your plans could benefit everyone involved.
The more you identify your goals and familiarize yourself with your yard's features -- current and proposed -- the better your chances for success with your landscaping projects.