Now is the time to look at Landscaping your new yard or renovate your existing landscape. By the time spring fever rolls in shopping in a garden center can be like shopping in a grocery store on an empty stomach. Impulse buying enters as sensibility leaves when you don’t have a plan for what you want your landscape to truly look like.

Map 1. Base Landscape Plan
Map out your existing landscape to give you an idea of what you have already. What you like and dislike. How you would like to change it a little or start all over. Start with the dimensions of your boundaries, drawing them on a piece of graph paper at a scale 1 inch = 10 feet works well. Use a hard lead pencil (No. 4) to erase mistakes easily. Once you have your yard boundaries on paper, and then place the dimensions of the house which is referred to as the foot print of the house. Next draw in the hardscape such as sidewalks, driveways, permanent patios, garages or sheds, etc. What is left is considered the ‘Landscapable’ area including the lawn, vegetable garden, trees, shrubs, and flower beds. These are areas that can be changed easily through a change in vegetation or use of the area. If the map is not too cluttered, identify the location of above ground and below ground utilities. If you aren’t sure where they’re located, call 1-800-795-0555 or your local specific utility and they can help locate these utilities. Once you have your existing landscape all mapped out, you will want to make several copies to map out various designs you may want to consider.


Map 2. Climatic Lay of the Landscape
A climatic layout shows sun exposure, topography or low and high areas, changes in soil types and exposure to wind. A copy of the map should include the shade and sunshine that you experience in the morning mid-afternoon and evening. This will help determine the need for more trees or type of plants that will grow well in the existing shade or full sun. On this same map, include low and high areas or inclines on a hilly lot. If you have low areas, they can be a problem in wet conditions or a potential for a mini-wetland. Check to see where existing plants and grass are growing well or poorly. Take two soil samples for testing, one where the specific plant or grass is doing well and another one where the plant is doing poorly. When the test is completed and a report is sent back, compare the information on each site to help determine needed soil amendments, fertilizers, organic matter, etc. Generally our winds come from the south in summer and north and west in winter. This may hold true to a farmyard in the open, but not for a city lot in the middle of town or down in a river valley.
Wind exposure is modified by windbreaks such as trees, shrubs and structures. Wind plays a major role in determining what we call micro-climate. Large areas of Kentucky blue grass lawn with open exposure to the wind and sun will have a high loss of moisture from the plants and soil. A new development that is protected from wind and partially shaded will have a much lower evaporation rate and healthier appearance. Wind protection creates a protective zone on the leeward side of trees, shrubs or structures. The modified conditions are referred to as microclimate.

Map 3. Usage areas
The next step is to draw in special use areas on one of your extra copies. Compare the practical uses with the visionary uses. These areas maybe called public viewing areas exposed from the street side, or private areas that are screened from public views and semi-private areas like side yards that may be in partially public view and private. Recreational areas can be active areas for playing yard games or passive for casual walks, viewing flower beds, etc. Service areas include parking areas, garbage storage, access to garden shed or lawn tractors. Special areas may include framing a special view of a lake, park, or neighbor’s yard. Other special areas require screening such as unsightly wood piles, junk or outside storage areas in neighboring property.



Map 4. Desired Changes Landscape
You are now ready to look at your landscape in a different and complete view. On one of the extra base plan copies make comments on what you like about your existing landscape and what you don’t. Are there trees or shrubs you feel are out of place? A vegetable garden will require lots of sunlight and moisture. Tie in the tree and shrub plantings together with flower beds. Create a flowing effect throughout your plantings. Do you want to change the design of your hardscape: sidewalks, patio, garden sheds, etc? Maybe you want to put in a walking path or add a new patio.

After all these things are mapped, you will notice that there are several things that don’t need to be changed. There will be things that need to be changed. Then you will notice things you like to change but either the desired plant material will not match the site, or hardscape will be too expensive. It is at this point you set your limits for installment and work as you can afford it and as it fits into your schedule. There is more enjoyment in landscaping when deadlines are flexible and less dollar stress.

Email this page to a friend: