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Everyone knows that getting the right decorative effect the inside of a house is important, but what about outside? Your back yard should be an integral part of your home. Patchy lawns, withering blossoms and straggly weeds are not the way to go!
Two of the most important things to think about are the weather conditions in your area and the available options in your yard. You'll have a hard time keeping a cactus alive in a cool climate and soft, damp earth. Alternately, trying to grow delicate flowers and herbs in hot sun and sandy soil is not going to work, either.
The points to consider before investing in landscaping are:
o Does your garden offer a lot of shade or does it receive the full effect of the afternoon sun?
o Do you want an easy-to-maintain garden or are you looking forward to putting on the gardening gloves every weekend?
o What style of house do you have? Is it modern or quaint? Big or small? You do not want your house to overshadow your garden nor do you want your garden to overshadow your house.
o Who will be using the garden most often? Delicate flowers can add great beauty, but not if they're constantly being crushed by the pitter-patter of not-so-tiny feet and paws.
o Will your garden be used as a personal refuge or are you planning on becoming a regular party host?
o What kind of lifestyle do you lead? Your garden should reflect your personality or you are not going to feel completely comfortable in it.
There are a number of landscaping styles to choose from, either to follow through with the end result or as a base for your own design. Try looking on the internet or reading some books to find information on the various designs available to help you choose the look that's right for you.
A formal landscape is one with symmetry, geometry and straight lines. Plants are trimmed, bushhes are pruned and there are no dead flowers in sight. If you're up for a good, old-fashioned gardening workout, this could be the style for you. If you only want to pull a weed now and then or occasionally pick a few flowers, this will not fit your personal style at all.
An informal landscape is filled with bedding plants and curves. If one side of an informal garden is not a mirror image of the opposite side, then you're off to a good start. Small children, pets and even childlike adults are not likely to do noticeable damage to an informal landscape.
An English-style garden contains shrubs and perennial flowers, used to advantage for showing off your home. These gardens offer plenty of opportunity for good placement of birdbaths, ponds, trellises and arbors. These gardens need a bit of work; although some rounded edges and overflowing sides will only add to the overall effect.
A woodland landscape can be put in place and left, in great part, to nature. Wildflowers scattered along the edges, wild bushes and trailing vines all add to the woodland scene. If you want to put your landscape in place and be done with it, this is the perfect option for you.
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Source by Jerry Marchbank
