DIY Landscaping: How To Landscape

If you want to be Mr. or Mrs. Do It All, no one is stopping you. But keep in mind that you shouldn’t attempt to start a new project entirely on your own without proper advice that can save you time and money.

So what is landscape design? To be sure, "landscape" and "design" are common, everyday words, not terms that would send you scurrying to a dictionary. But asking ourselves as DIY landscapers exactly what landscape design entails for us is a useful exercise. By exploring all of its ins and outs, we may discover an aspect of this diverse field that we've been overlooking all this time. Let's begin answering the question with a basic definition that considers aesthetics and energy conservation.

Do it yourself landscaping is the art of modifying or arranging the features of the grounds around your home to make your property more practical or aesthetically pleasing. You may have your own distinct tastes, but there are still useful guidelines that will help you achieve maximum aesthetic impact on your landscape.

What To Begin?
Start with hardscaping and then move on to softscaping. Hardscape is the masonry or woodwork that goes in to your landscape. Think about stone walls, tile pathways, brick patios or wooden decks. If you have any such projects, you should complete them first.

Since hardscaping is usually the most difficult part of the project, getting it done right will help make all your softscaping projects just that much easier. Your hardscaping will basically be what supports the rest of your landscape look and will include all the heavier work. It is best to leave the little, easy tasks, like planting flowerbeds, until the very end since these will just hinder your work when you are doing your hardscaping.

Once you've finished any hardscaping work you plan on doing, think about softscaping. Softscaping, such as a water garden, can give your landscape design the perfect focal point. If an arbor was part of your hardscaping plan, you can use roses as softscape to grow along the arbor and provide shade for your garden.

Remember that a strong hardscape can make designing your softscape fun and easy! Lastly, have fun with outdoor fixtures and decor like lighting and fountains!

For more help with DIY landscaping, head over to our Landscaping forumand talk to other DIYers!