In a career that now spans more than half a century here in the Metroplex I’ve had the blessing of working with some of the finest landscape architects and garden designers this area ever produced. Their art form is no less impressive than those of classical musicians, gifted writers or renowned artists.
Watching them work I’ve noted some of their critical shortcuts to fine landscaping. I’ll share some of the important ones with you.
Steps to successful landscaping
Any good journey begins with a plan. What is the destination? Make a list of what you expect your landscape to accomplish. Keep the points short and specific. They might include beautification, recreation, relaxation, entertainment, space for children’s gardens, a greenhouse — it’s your list, so come up with your own ideas.
Next, prioritize the things on that list. What is most important to you? What will wait until the kids are in college? Begin to think how one area (for example, a raised sandbox for the young children) can transition later into an herb or cutflower garden.
Setting all this thinking into motion will be time extremely well spent. It will help you dream of your final product. That will let you keep your eyes open for “just the right plants” or “that perfect piece of garden art.” That’s half the fun of garden design, and you don’t have to rush it.
Draw your property to scale. This isn’t as difficult as some people might think. But it’s critical if you’re going to be able to relate actual sizes of mature plants to one another and to the hardscapes around them.
Use ruled graph paper and a well-sharpened No. 2 pencil. Sketch in the house, drive, patio and walks and any other permanent structures. Include trees and large shrubs you intend to save.
At that point, make several photocopies of your drawing and set the original drawing aside. Use the copies as your “scratch pads” as you noodle your thoughts. That way you won’t have to start over from scratch when you decide you don’t like a look you’ve created. Eventually, one will strike you just right and you’ll be off to the races.
Determine the three major “use” areas of your landscape. The “public” area will be the front yard — the space the public sees as they drive by your house. It’s probably not where you’ll do a lot of family recreational things, but it’s where you make your first impression on those who come to visit.
The “private” area of your landscape is the backyard. It’s where you have the pool, patio, children’s play set, and other relaxation and recreational space set aside.
The “service” or “work” area in you landscape is where you store your tools, hide the compost, grow the vegetables, and do other less attractive functions of the landscape. We all have spaces like this, and we must make concerted efforts to keep them out of sight as we design.
Specifics of keeping a landscape simple
There are a few basic guidelines that can keep the wheels right on the trails. See what you think …
▪ Use plants that grow to the mature heights and widths that you need without constant shearing.
▪ Be certain those plants are adapted to your soils and your climate. You don’t want to create a nightmare by planting something that requires constant babying.
▪ Choose a limited number of species of plants — five to seven types of shrubs visible from any one location. Remember that “simplicity” is your goal. You’re not trying to create a botanic garden.
▪ Plant in clusters and groupings in odd numbers for most natural look.
▪ Avoid long, straight rows and avoid square or “poodled” shearing.
▪ Lay beds out in long, sweeping curves. Do not repeat lines of the house.
▪ Keep bed widths proportionate to size of house, but generally five to seven feet deep, then wider at corners and near the entryway.
▪ Frame your house by planting taller plants to sides and tapering down to shorter plants as you approach the entryway. You’ll be creating a visual funnel.
▪ Do not align your shade trees with any specific architectural feature. For example, don’t plant them in the center of the yard, in line with neighbors’ trees, or straight out from the corner of the house. Let them look random. Remember: you’re seeking the loose, informal look.
▪ Use color strategically. Small “pockets” of color can have just as much impact as large beds, and they’re often much less work to maintain. Position them alongside entryways, and plant in large decorative pots filled with a great potting soil mix and color plants that will look good for months.
These principles apply to any landscape, whether it’s a new house or a remodel for what you have already. Spring is a great time to put this all into play, but landscape planners are already getting swamped. If you plan to call for professional design help, you’d better hop to it as soon as you can.
And one final suggestion: nursery stock always seems to play out by the end of spring. There are a lot more Texans doing a lot more landscaping than ever before. Trucks are going to start arriving in area nurseries every day now. The sooner you plant, the better choices you’ll have and the better established the plants will be by the time hot summer rolls into town.
source: star-telegram
