The “Do It Yourself” gardener is often constrained by financial considerations. Consequently, in order to get the most out of your money, you should plan the place for your garden well in advance of the time of planting. First, compile a list of the items that are absolutely necessary for you to have (perhaps a fence to keep your dog in the yard). The next step is to make a list of the items that you desire, such as a water fountain, a birdbath, and bird feeders. Last but not least, scratch out any luxury items that are out of your price range, such as a large koi pond with a bridge. Determine what you are able to spend, and then go forward from there.
Walk around the inside of your home. Which parts of the land get a lot of sun? Where can I find some places with some shade? Which trees, fences, and other obstructions, if any, would need to be removed? After you have taken a close look at your own home, you should next drive about in a few other communities. Take photographs of any attractive yards that you come across. However, you shouldn’t expect your yard to appear like the perfectly groomed haven that was achieved after 25 years (and the work of four full-time gardeners).
In order to avoid feeling overwhelmed, you should first identify priority areas, such as the area surrounding the front entrance, the foundation of the home, or along a pathway, and then break the duties associated with each priority region into more manageable chunks. Create a basic map of the region, and then consider the many ways in which you may put it to use. Do you want a flowerbed that is fragrant and beautiful to run down the path leading up to the house? First ensure that the hardscaping, which is the route, is in place, and then plant flowers according to the design, keeping in mind which ones need sun and which ones need shade. Keep in mind that if you plant petunias before the concrete pathway is finished, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to pour and scree the sidewalk without walking on the flowers.
Last but not least, educate yourself on the times you should tackle a project alone and the times you should bring in an expert. It’s possible that you believe renting a skid steer and operating it yourself would help you save money. On the other hand, if you lack expertise, the task may take you three times as long as you anticipated and result in you spending more money on equipment rental than you would have if you had hired a professional. When it comes to making modifications to your house, even relatively minor ones like landscaping, you need to be aware of your limitations.
Front Yard Landscaping
Your home’s entryway should be warm and welcoming with the help of a front yard garden. Therefore, not only the front door but also the whole front yard of your property has the potential to be transformed into an impressive entrance to your house. Flowers planted on each side of a pathway may entice guests to remain and take in the scenery of your yard, regardless of whether the pathway is long and straight or curving.
Raise your garden bed to the level of your deck or porch. You may place flowers in containers on the stairs, as well as plant vines that will climb the latticework. When you want to create a connection between the home and the garden, hang window boxes along railings and beneath windows. You could even run supports over a garage door and grow climbers like wisteria or honeysuckle there.
Backyard Landscaping
In contrast to the front yard, the backyard often has dedicated spaces for activities such as cooking, eating, swimming, or just relaxing in a more private setting. Because backyards are often more private than front yards, the landscaping in the backyard is typically less formal than that of the front yard. A garden for growing food might be part of the scenery in a backyard, or edible plants can be interspersed among flower beds. Plants like purple basil and lemon thyme, for instance, are excellent choices for creating borders around flower beds. In addition, there is not the slightest restriction preventing you from planting tomatoes amid your rosebushes; the regulation simply does not exist.
The decoration of a shed, garage, or other outbuildings as part of a backyard’s landscaping may be an option. You can make any shed or other unattractive structure seem more appealing by decorating it with plants, paint, window boxes, and hanging baskets loaded with flowers. If you are unable to make the structure more aesthetically pleasing, you might try to conceal it by growing wisteria or evergreens behind it.
Regardless of where you reside, well-kept neighborhoods, gardening periodicals, and catalogs, as well as the Internet, are all excellent places to look for ideas for your yard (a Google image search will bring you a wealth of ideas). All you need is a little bit of hard work, some patience, and some inspiration.
