How To Landscape By Thinking Outside The Bed

These are some tips on landscaping for beginners from someone who has been through the process herself and gained experience on the way. There are some basic rules such as setting a realistic budget, making a proper plan and being aware of how the sun, wind and rain affect your piece of land. These tips are contained in an article by Leslie which I found on the Seasoned Homemaker website.

I have some thoughts on How to Landscape and where to begin. When I watch landscaping shows on HGTV I am always amazed at how easy it looks. You get a few friends together, dig up the grass, lay down some pavers, add a pergola or water feature. Voila! A ho-um yard becomes spectacular. The next thing you know, you?re off to the home improvement store buying supplies to create your own landscape sensation.

Well, before you burn through your life savings, I want to share How to Landscape with a few Landscaping Lessons for Beginners thrown in for good measure. So, let?s get started creating the most beautiful yard on the block.

Set a Realistic Budget

I have helped design landscapes for a few friends and when I ask about their budget I always get the glassy stare. Most people will give me a figure that is in the $200-$500 range. I usually tell them to let me know when they have something in the $800 ? $1000 range. The reason ~ plants, mulch, rental equipment, hardscape material, etc. These things aren?t cheap and they add up fast. For instance a 15? x 15? bed will require about 15-20 bags of mulch. In the Austin area this will run you approximately $3-$4 per bag. When you do the math it is easy to see that your $200 isn?t going to buy you many plants.

List Your Wants and Needs

Now that you have a budget, begin by making a list of things you want and need in your landscape. Think long and hard about how you will use the area? Do you have children that want a playscape or trampoline? Do you have a large dog that needs space to run around? Do you want to have a covered seating area? Are you dreaming of a large vegetable garden? Are there plans for one day adding a pool, outdoor kitchen, or fire pit? Don?t forget the paths. List all of these things.