Is your outdoor space in desperate need of a makeover? You’re probably desperate to get the project started. Unfortunately, landscape design projects are not something you can jump straight into. There are a number of things to consider before you start knocking down walls, uprooting trees, and more.

While exciting, a landscaping project can also be overwhelming. Therefore, it’s crucial to start and landscaping design process thoroughly. From the placement of plants to water features, accessories, and more, there are various things you need to consider.

To make sure your landscape project goes according to plan and turns out beautifully, here are some simple steps you must consider.

Make a List of Your Landscape Needs and Wants

First things first, you need to establish your needs and wants. You can’t start a project if you don’t know what you’re working towards. Some things to consider include:

Do you need a patio for outdoor gatherings?
Do you have kids that need an outdoor play area?
Are you planning on growing a vegetable garden?
Are there specific types of plants you’re interested in growing?

To make sure you don’t feel overwhelmed, you should try to keep this list as short as possible. Considering your budget, personal taste, and your ideal final result can help with this. You could also draw a rough sketch incorporating this list to determine how practical and possible it is.

Understand Your Location

Taking the time to understand your site is essential. The soil type, topography, and local climate are issues to take into consideration. Soil types will be discussed below. In your planned design, all drainage issues should be addressed and topography should be taken into consideration as well. To ensure a well-designed system, you need water to be redirected away from your house and into other parts of the yard.

Next, let’s consider climate conditions. First and foremost, you need to consider temperature. You need to ensure your plant choices can survive the average highest and lowest temperatures in your specific region. It’s also crucial to study the sun and wind patterns in your area. This is particularly useful when determining whether to construct patios, fire pits, etc. Unfortunately, this is where many people go wrong. Not only should you consider the overall sun and wind patterns, but you should also consider these trends at different times of the day.

Plan the Plants

To figure out the ideal use of the location and the climatic conditions for plant growth, it’s essential to do a comprehensive inventory and site analysis.

The nutrients and moisture your plants absorb depend on the type of soil you have. Plants that are adapted to the current soil are usually the best choice. Even though soil can be changed, doing so is usually expensive and inefficient. Your current plants may help you determine the type of soil you currently have.

Use plants with similar growing requirements in areas where plants grow well, taking note of the soil conditions. When selecting new plants, pay close attention to any locations where the plants are not doing well and make necessary adjustments.

Determine the Focal Point of the Area

A focal point, or set of focal points, is a feature of any well-designed garden and is a simple idea to implement. This could be anything from a beautiful tree to a group of bushes or a sculpture. Overall, this is anything you want to capture people’s attention.

Spend Time in Your Landscape Space

It’s difficult to come to the perfect design plan if you’re unfamiliar with your space. Make sure to spend enough time in your current yard or garden to get a proper feel for it.

Once you spend sufficient time in the existing space, you’ll be able to determine where you feel things are missing, what you don’t like, what section you spend most of your time in, and more. In the long run, this will help you make better decisions for your yard, even when it comes to choosing furniture and accessories for the space.

Prioritize Pacing and Scale

Many people try to avoid pacing and scaling since it’s one of the most complex areas when it comes to landscape design. However, if you want a cohesive and pulled-together outdoor space and garden design, this is essential. Ultimately, you need to find a balance between the old and new design elements. You need to ensure the size variations, colors, pathways, tall plants, flowerbeds, and more all work together. By focusing on these elements, you’ll be able to ensure that visual weight is evenly distributed in the space.

Make a Landscape Plan

Now, it’s time to put pen to paper and create a formal design. This master plan must incorporate every area of the space, from the natural resources to the hardscape features. A physical plan will help you see whether the geometric shapes you chose work together, whether there is sufficient space for the plant varieties you’re interested in, and whether the overall look is what you’re after.

You can use landscape design software to streamline the process and make it more accurate. Most of the time, these software applications also give you a 3D design, which is highly beneficial. We recommend getting 3D renderings to give you an indication of exactly what you can expect your outdoor space to look like.

Start Small

We completely understand that you want your project done as soon as possible. While it’s possible to get major transformations done in a few days, you need to take time to enjoy the process and develop the plan properly.

Working with a garden is different. You need to pay attention to every minor detail, from flower beds to the impact of the direction in which the wind blows. This will ensure you get high-quality results.

It’s also vital to understand that if you’re not working with a large team of designers with extensive equipment, your project will take longer to complete.

Be Willing to Make Changes

You have to be open to experimentation. It’s okay to find that something you once thought would look stunning is no longer working for you. Keep in mind that your landscape design ideas are a guideline. There’s nothing wrong with having to stray from them slightly, which applies to removing and adding things.

However, if there’s something you’re completely committed to that’s not working out, speak to your experienced landscape designer regarding how you can make it work. They’ll be able to make adjustments to ensure your vision still comes to life.

Hire a Professional Landscape Designer for Your Next Project

When taking on a project of this magnitude, it’s vital to be patient. Remember, there’s a lot going on! That’s why you need to hire a professional landscaping team to handle the job. The contractors at George Kroeker Landscaping in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, are dedicated to helping you bring your vision to life.

We’ll incorporate the best landscape design trends along with your specific requirements to ensure you get the outdoor space of your dreams.

How to Start your Landscape Design Project