Landscaping a new home is fun, exciting, and an excellent way to showcase your personal style and creativity, but it can be a daunting task when you’re just getting started.
Follow these 7 steps to help ease the home landscaping process.
1) Make a wishlist. Compile a wishlist of items you’d like to include in your landscaping, and then separate those items into “must haves” and “want to haves” – this will help you prioritize later on in the project. If you’re feeling stuck, sites like Better Homes and Gardens, HGTV, and Pinterest are practically exploding with home landscaping ideas. Bear in mind which projects you can reasonably do yourself, though, especially if hiring a landscaper isn’t in the budget. Speaking of which…
2) Establish – and stick to – a project budget. Landscaping is a big project, but it doesn’t have to deplete your savings. Once you figure out what you’re able to comfortably spend on your landscaping, be sure to stay within that budget when you’re designing your master landscaping plan. If you find yourself going over budget, consider paring down your ideas and prioritizing your “must haves” over “want to haves.” You can always add more later!
3) Study your yard. Study your yard before you create your master plan. Notice which areas receive lots of sun and which are more shaded. Pay attention to wind patterns, too; if wind always seems to come from one side of your yard, it might not be the best place to put a grill or fire pit.
4) Consider your lifestyle. When you’re making your landscaping plan, ask yourself how you plan to use your yard. If you envision large backyard parties with bonfires and cornhole games, then creating an oasis with multiple flowerbeds and a large garden might not be in your best interest.
5) Research your plants. If you’re planting flowers, do your research! The stunning flowers you saw on Pinterest might perfectly fit your vision, but if they can’t grow in your region, you’re out of luck. Know how much sunlight your flowers need before you begin digging so you don’t accidentally plant a shade-tolerant flower in an area where it’s bathed in sunlight. Learn the establishment phase for your plants, too – new plantings often have different watering requirements than established plants!
6) Have a game plan. If you’re doing your landscaping yourself, know which items need to be installed first – like hardscaping – and then create a plan that allows you to gradually install your landscaping without pulling out your hair. Your yard doesn’t have to be done in a weekend! Start small, take it slowly, and enjoy the process.
7) Be open to change. Your landscaping is a living, breathing thing (literally, but also figuratively). Landscaping trends come and go, and even if your design has a classic and timeless look, your personal tastes may vary from year to year. Allow yourself the flexibility to change from year to year with plants that are more temporary in nature, like beds of annuals or small shrubs that can be easily moved.
What are your new home landscaping tips? Share them in the comments below!
