Do It Yourself Landscaping

by Rebecca G.
(Atlanta, GA)

Do it yourself landscaping involves the beautification of a garden or yard by the owner of the property as opposed to through the hiring of a professional company. There are a number of approaches that can be used in this regard. For example, some do it yourself landscaping practitioners choose to concentrate on planting new shrubs, flowers and the like, whereas other home owners focus on shaping the land and creating unique outdoor features such as lakes and fountains.

Before you begin your do it yourself landscaping effort, there would be a lot of different elements that need to be considered. Perhaps the best approach would be to sketch out on a piece of paper that type of design that you would like. Always consider the relationship between different features such as the driveway and flowerbeds, trees and lawn.

You will need to be certain that you have the correct tools and implements necessary for the landscaping work to be done with ease. This includes a spade, shovel, wheelbarrow and other items.

For your do it yourself landscaping project, always keep in mind the way the garden will look at different times of the year. The climate and conditions will vary throughout the seasons. Never choose plants and flowers for one season only as the rest of the year the garden can look bare and empty of life. Choose a selection of plants that can thrive at different times of the year, this will involve some amount of research.

If you are considering evergreens for a do it yourself landscaping makeover, then do not overlook the impact these will have on neighbouring properties. Trees such as pine can grow very fast and cause surrounding buildings to be shaded.

If you are to incorporate flower beds into the design then do not overlook the importance of layering. Shorter plants should be at the front and taller plants at the back. Choose perennial flowers as well as annuals to ensure there is color throughout the year.

Most professionals would split landscaping up into two separate areas, there is softscaping and hardscaping. The former deals with natural elements that already exist whereas the latter would involve adding extra elements to the landscape such as a deck or water feature.

It can be useful to check a number of avenues for ideas that can be incorporated into your do it yourself landscaping project. You may discover concepts that you would not have otherwise considered. Being a do it yourself landscaping homeowner can be a great experience, it is an interesting way to express your creativity.