Developing a Landscape Plan

Developing a Landscape Plan

To develop an attractive and useful home landscape, use a step-by-step approach. Put ideas and notes on paper along with rough sketches from which a more final and exact plan can be derived.
Steps to successful landscaping
Develop a list of existing and desired outdoor features.
Draw a base plan.
Outline major landscape areas.
Locate desired features in proper landscape areas.
Develop the final landscape plan.
Outdoor features
A list of outdoor features may include some of the following: patio, children's play area, cut flower garden, sports area, vegetable garden, tool shed, storage shed, etc. Try to list as many features as your family desires and space permits, even though all may not be included immediately. As time goes by, interests may change and new features may be added or old ones removed. Develop your list for the present and near future. Note on the list which features are adequate and how any existing features might be improved.
Principles for home landscaping
Drives and walks should be straight unless there is a good reason for having curves. When possible, situate the drive and walk together to avoid breaking up the front lawn area.
Use trees to frame the house and provide background. Don't block the front view of the house with them.
Locate play and utility areas where they don't detract from the home.
Don't overplant. Know the ultimate sizes of plants and allow for growth.
Use most plants in borders. The uninterrupted lawn gives a look of spaciousness and is easier to mow.
Balance the landscape. Do not have one area more heavily planted or more colorful than another.
Observe scale in planting. Large shrubs and trees may dwarf a small house.
Not everything in the landscape should have equal interest. Create a center of interest with specimen plants, pools or statuary.
Don't create a botanical collection, but bring a variety of texture into the landscape. Coarse textures are dominant and should be used sparingly.
Border plants may define property lines or provide privacy. They may be combined with fences, screens or other structures.
Use small shrubs near the door, tapering to larger shrubs at the corners.
Hiding the entire front base with shrubs is not necessary in many homes. Groundcovers may tie plantings together.
Plants with brightly colored leaves should be used very sparingly.
Select plants for year-round interest as well as suitability for the environment in which they will be planted.
Figure 1Measure property lines or boundary of area to be landscaped. Sketch roughly.
Figure 2Sight along one side of house to locate points for positioning house on plan. Any corner may be used where objects do not interfere with sighting. For example, locate corner of house relative to (left) a square corner of the lot, or (right) an angled corner.
Figure 3On the base plan, draw the lot, house and existing landscape features that will be retained.
Base plan
After listing existing and desired features, prepare a simple but complete base plan (Figures 1 and 2). Before completing the plan, you may want to make the plan to scale (Figure 3), but it is not a necessity at this point.
A base plan shows your property lines, house location, utilities (both above and below ground), all existing plant materials, walks, drives and topographic features such as rocks, streams, slopes or other characters of the grounds to be landscaped. Although exact scale is not necessary, try to obtain realistic proportions. Show dimensions for property lines, house outline and other permanent landmarks or structures (Figure 4). This will be the base of future drawing that will be done on tracing paper placed over this plan.
Figure 4On tracing paper placed over the base plan, sketch approximate location of major landscape areas.
Major landscape areas
On tracing paper placed over the base plan, outline the three major landscape areas: public, private and service (Figure 4).
Public areaThis is the area visible from thefront of the house and street. Landscaping in this area should be relatively simple and combine well with the rest of the neighborhood. It contains the walks, drive and front entrance.
Service areaThis area should be located where it is not seen from the front but still has easy access from the drive. It is usually found to the rear or side of the property. It contains such items as garbage cans, clothes lines, compost heap, tool shed, storage shed and sometimes less attractive garden projects such as a cut flower garden, or coldframes, hotbeds, or plant propagation area or greenhouse. This area is normally screened from the private area.
Private (living) areaThis is the most important area to develop as it provides an area for family activities and extends the living area from the house into the landscape. More landscape dollars and planning are normally needed to develop this area properly. It may contain a patio, deck area, swimming pool, garden pool, fountain, recreation or sports area, children's play area, shrub and flower borders, hedges, screens, vegetable garden or other attractive features for family interest and recreation.
Figure 5Lay a second sheet of tracing paper over the base plan and on it locate the desired landscape features. Try different arrangements and sizes of areas.
Locate desired features in proper landscape areas
First, sketch in roughly those items that were listed at the beginning (Figure 5) such as patio, gardens, pools, etc. This will give you an estimate of the space available in relation to the number of items wanted in the landscape. You may find there is not enough space for all the items listed, and some with low priority will have to be dropped.
Next, determine more accurately how many square feet will be required for each of these items and fit them more precisely. This is when the base plan made to scale will be more beneficial.
Figure 6Complete the landscape plan by selecting the most suitable features from the sketches
Develop the final landscape plan
Public areaThis area (See Figure 6) is designed to set off the house and make it more attractive and inviting to the visitor. Landscaping should blend the house into the surrounding area so it appears natural. To accomplish this, the strong vertical lines of the house are softened with plants.
Trees are used to frame the house, and bedded shrub plantings create a transition from open lawn areas to the house itself. In the public area, the doorway is the focal point. Plantings should lead a visitor's eye to the entrance. To create this effect, use the larger plants at the corners and graduate to smaller plants toward the door.
Trees are used to break the roof line and give the home a feeling of permanence.
Service areaBecause this area generally cannot be kept attractive, screenings are very important. Screens may be of fencing, plant materials to form hedges, or a combination of both. They may be located to block views from the living (private) area, public area or neighbors.
Living (private) areaThis area, generally located behind the house, needs to be functional, comfortable and attractive to invite use. To accomplish this, it must have a feeling of privacy and enclosure. Shrubbery or fencing of some type is often used for privacy screening. This area is used mainly during warm weather, so there should be some protection from the sun, either by trees or an overhead structure. To ensure maximum use, a portion should be of hard surface such as brick, concrete or stone.
Two features often provided in the living area are light and water. Lights, either electric or gas, are used to accent plant materials at night and provide light for evening use. Water can be used in small garden pools or fountains. To be most effective, a pump is needed to circulate the water. The sight and sound of moving water is most relaxing and enjoyable.
General considerationsWhen developing a landscape plan, there is no need to name specific plant materials until the general plan is complete. Simply label plants as trees, shrubs, groundcover or flowers as needed. Some indication of the desired size of plants will be helpful when the time comes to select plant types. Next, sit down with catalogs or at your nursery to select appropriate plants for the locations you have indicated on your plan. Although most people have some favorite plants, these should be avoided unless they fulfill the needs of a location in the plan. Complete the plan before starting to plant.

Why You Should Always Have Garden Furniture

Do you need garden furniture ?Youve put a lot of work into your garden, from planning to digging to weeding to all the little tasks that keep it looking beautiful. Sharing your garden with others is the next step, and doing that requires more than pretty rows of plants. You created a garden to enjoy, didnt you? Imagine your garden in use - garden benches and patio furniture to provide places for people to sit and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Choosing garden furniture can be the ultimate expression of your pride in the garden youve grown.
When choosing garden furniture, you should take into account the kind of use that your garden will get. Is your garden meant to be a relaxing haven for just you? A place where youll read and sip iced tea, away from the bustle of the modern, busy world? In that case, what better piece of garden furniture is there than a classic hammock, slung between trees or on its own stand? And of course, if you put up a garden hammock, youll need a small garden table close to hand to hold your iced tea and book when you pull your hat down over your eyes to snooze in the sun.
Perhaps you picture dining al fresco in your garden. In that case, youll be choosing patio furniture that includes patio or garden table and chairs. From beautiful white-painted French bistro sets to elegant glass and wood dining sets complete with parasol and side tables.
The garden furniture that you choose can set the tone for your outdoor space in the same way that your choice of sofa, chairs and tables defines the style of your living room. A stone garden bench with urns gives a completely different ambience than a pair of rustic, unpainted Adirondack chair with a small table between them. A pair of sun loungers (or chaise lounges) with comfortable cushions invites your guests (and you!) to relax and enjoy the lazy pleasure of the outdoors. Park benches with black cast iron accents can lend a touch of turn-of-the-century Parisian charm to a simple garden, or fit right into a smooth expanse of lawn.
When youre choosing garden furniture, youll find a wide variety of styles and materials. Molded plastic furniture is a popular choice, in colors that harmonize with the natural surroundings. Wood picnic tables with benches are a standard, and classic redwood tables, benches, chairs and loungers are still one of the most chosen types of garden furniture in the world.
Whatever your choice, just remember the reasons that you grew a garden to begin with - the pleasure and beauty of nature. Choose garden furniture that enhances both your gardens beauty and your enjoyment of nature.
At http://www.everythingforthegarden.co.uk.uk we have added the new Tensen range of furniture here are some of the best
Set Consists of Rectangle Table +6 Chairs In Balau(L Cm) (WCm) (HCm) (Weight)258.3 108.4 73.1 70.8 Balau is a very dense tightly grained wood that is heavily laden with rich tropical oils and resins. Balau’s texture is very fine and even. Our Yellow Balau looks very much like teak in color. Although, very similar in characteristics to Teak, we enjoy working with Balau for its durability, strength, seasoning and mechanical properties. For centuries Balau has been used for shipbuilding, heavy-duty outdoor furniture, and heavy construction, coveted for it’s excellent strength and weather resistant qualities. Over the years, teak has been more popular than Balau because of its availability. However, in recent years, teak has been over-harvested and the price has skyrocketed. As a result, teak is now plantation grown. Balau is also a responsibly managed species and although it’s mechanical properties are superior, Balau has not experienced the overpricing that teak has. Below you will find a property comparison between teak and balau. Price £547.55 including Vat and Delivery.

Website Owner Claims Garden Decor Can Offset Daily Negative News Events

Making or purchasing decor for your garden will help counterbalance the many negative events in the daily news. Not only this, but garden accents will help gardeners create meaning, wonder, and inspiration in their lives as they decorate their gardens in a way that is in concert with their deepest thoughts, feelings, and aspirations.
Charles White of ” (http://www.everythingforthegarden.co.uk), claims that one way to counterbalance the negative events going on in the world such as the war in Iraq, high gas prices, and terrorism is to make or purchase decor for your garden. According to his article entitled "The Importance of Garden Decor," Soinski states that “Garden decor, along with things related to gardens, provides a return to nature, a sense of spirituality, and a return to the earth as people journey on their quest for significance and ultimate meaning.” Soinski goes on to say that “gardens and their ornaments are symbols of enchantment, of mystery, of meaning, and of ultimate being.” Accordingly, “Gardens and garden accents provide the power to transform one’s mood and one's life.” At the same time, it should be noted that “Garden accessories encourage people to transform their lives and enrich their surroundings.” Beyond this, moreover, “Garden ornaments help people take an active stance in their lives by enabling them to decorate their gardens and create their own niche in the world.” Another way of looking at this is to see that “Garden decorations provide people with the opportunity to select meaningful objects that speak to their senses, to their experiences, and to their lives.” All of these actions and activities, asserts Soinski, can help offset the many negative news events that bombard us daily.www.everythingforthegarden.co.uk is a website that sells home, yard, patio, office, and garden decor. Founded in 2004, this website features the following decorations: water fountains, vases, lanterns, sculptures, wall plaques, birdfeeders, Party Fridge, planters, and windchimes.In his article entitled "The Importance of Garden Decor," Soinski asserts the following: “Websites that sell garden decor can be viewed as invitations for people to experiment and let their imaginations run free so that they can, with conscious effort or with playfulness, select the accents that they like-—decor that speaks to their dreams and to their soul.” Soinski invites people to look at the different products that are sold on his website and “select garden accessories that help elicit childhood fantasies.” He asks them to go to his website and “examine the different garden accents and choose ornaments that speak to your inner self.” Finally, he wants people to go to his website and “Review the different garden products and decide on decorations that motivate you to tap into your playfulness or into your artistic bent as you contemplate how you will decorate your garden.”Soinski asserts that purchasing or making decor for your garden will help counterbalance the many negative events in the daily news and help gardeners create meaning, wonder, and inspiration in their lives as they decorate their gardens in a way that is in concert with their deepest thoughts, feelings, and aspirations. Water Fountains and Garden Decor (http://www.everythingforthegarden.co.uk) is an online retailer of home, yard, patio, office, and in the Yahoo Directory for the terms “garden furniture” and “water fountains.” Founded in 2004, Every Thing For The Garden features water fountains, vases, candle holders, country decor, plant shelves, lanterns, sculptures, French decor, wall plaques, plant stands, birdfeeders, nautical decor, lighthouses, candle lamps, planters, Garden furniture, decor, and windchimes.