Landscape design 101: What's in a basic garden plan?

July 16, 1:44 PMBackyard Living ExaminerJane Gates

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Landscape design 101: What's in a basic garden plan (Design by Jane Gates)

If you want to create a really well designed and successful landscape the best thing you can do for yourself is to create a garden plan. There is no more powerful tool to save labor, money and avoid disappointment than working out your garden design on paper or on the computer before you shop or break ground – even before hiring a landscape contractor.  In fact, with a plan you will get much better landscape installation bids since all contractors will be bidding on the same thing.  Here is a quick course on landscape 101: What's in a basic plan. This information should come in helpful whether you are designing your plan by yourself, or calling in a professional designer.

First: Measure out the main property lines and all the major prominent features on your property. Then sketch them out on measured paper, grid paper or lay the essentials out on a computer software program.

Next, sketch in the major pieces of hardscape. That means you will want to place out all the permanent features like patios, walkways, structures like swimming pools, storage or walls. Make your drawings flow so one area segues comfortably to the next.

On your landscape plan draw in drainage, utility lines and irrigation systems so that provisions for their construction are set up right at the beginning. If you aren’t sure if you will need a gas line for a barbecue, for example, you should stub the basics in anyway. Even if you don’t use it, it will still cost less than having to tear up your whole landscape later to lay the pipe.

Major trees are the next thing to be added to your landscape plan.

Follow up with planter areas and specking out which plants will go where.

If you start with the biggest and most essential parts of the landscape in your plan and work down to the details, your plan should serve you well for your installation, even if you decide to build your landscape a little at a time over the years. Your landscape plans will change and evolve over time as well as during the actual installation so don’t worry about creating a perfect design. Plans are rarely perfect. But if you draw out your plan ahead of time you can identify any mistakes or potential problems where the cost will entail changing a few lines rather than expensive labor and material costs. Following these simple steps you should be able to pass your own course on Landscape design 101: What's in a basic garden plan.