Overview

The area around your home is an important part of your living environment. An attractive and functional landscape should be an extension of your home and can add to the enjoyment of your time outdoors. Landscaping can also increase property value, invite wildlife into your yard, and conserve energy.

Successful landscaping does not just happen. It requires careful planning and some knowledge of landscape design. Consider your home’s architectural features, your neighborhood landscape’s character, the effects you want to create, and how you want to use your outdoor living space. It may take several years of planting and construction to achieve your goals, but the first step is planning and designing your end result.

Today, more people want their home landscape to meet functional and social needs. Partly as a result of the environmental movement, which fostered a greater appreciation for nature, we tend to be more interested in using a sustainable approach when designing landscapes.

This article series will guide you step-by-step through planning and designing a landscape appropriate for you and your home. It was written with only slightly landscaped homes or those with no landscaping in mind. We emphasize “conventional” landscape design, which usually includes flowers, shrubs, trees, lawn areas, and structures arranged in various patterns.