This is a lot to consider when you start to think about landscaping, or re-landscaping your yard, and it can be a little scary after seeing how many different books and magazines there are to investigate before you start. However, it is important not to let fear of the project hold you back. You need to start somewhere, and hopefully this little piece of advice will help you get a quick start.
You definitely do want to read a lot and look at pictures before you begin a project, but remember; this is your backyard and you are free to do with it what you want.
The main thing to be concerned with when planting different plants is to make certain of their growing requirements. Do they require a lot of sunlight, a mix of sun and shade, or mostly shade? Other than that, let’s get started.
The biggest and most dramatic feature you can add to your backyard is a pond. Put in a waterfall and enjoy the relaxing sounds of water while you sip lemonade and read a good book. Ponds are great for pest control too! Put in a few fish and they will eat mosquito larva.
If a pond is in your plans, do this first. It will be the focal point and you can begin your plantings later.
A pond is not hard to build. Plan your layout and get some white spray paint or chalk and layout your design. You can use one of the plastic pre-shaped pond kits if you like, but you can never really get the natural look that you can with a liner.
The hardest part will be digging. The tedious part may be laying out the liner to try to remove most of the wrinkles. The fun part will be filling the pond with water and, later, stocking the pond with fish.
Put in some water lilies and, if that’s the only thing you get done the first year, who cares?! This will be dramatic and will definitely bring you lots of relaxation as well as pride. Plant it near where you spend most of your time. Don’t hide it away at the back of your yard.
When the pond is finished, pick areas around your yard and plan the location of your plants. Notice the sunshine at different times of the day. That’s what will determine the location of your plants in each area.
Unless you have a lot of time and money, you probably won’t be able to plant your entire backyard in one season. Start with one area and till it up. Plant a few plants and space them out somewhat. This will give you a chance to mix in some plants next year. You can see what the plants look like and decide if you need more color or more of the same plants. Next year, you can experiment again and add or subtract plantings as needed.
One more important point, and this may seem basic, but some people get so excited when they are planting that they forget the basics, so I’ll remind you now. Plant short plants in front and taller plants in the back. See, so simple. . . You can plant a few sections at a time and add more each year. You’ll be amazed what you can accomplish in four or five years without breaking the bank.
You’ll soon have the perfect backyard haven, hopefully complete with a garden pond. Can you tell that I love those ponds?
