The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES™) is a new national effort to create voluntary guidelines and benchmarks that promote sustainable land design and construction practices. Jointly sponsored by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the U. S. Botanic Garden; SITES™ provides a ranking system that awards points for comprehensive […]
Category: Home Landscape Design
Eight simple tips to create an easy-care yard
Although there is no such thing as a no-maintenance landscape, here are a few suggestions to minimize excessive landscape care. 1. Reduce the total amount of unused lawn area. Beautiful lawns are expensive and high-maintenance. In addition to the mowing, rolling, watering, fertilizing, liming, thatching, and pesticide, fungicide, and herbicide applying that are used to […]
Establish priorities for implementation
After you have completed your use areas and planting areas to your satisfaction, it is wise to make a list of priorities to accomplish the plan. Decide on the areas that need to be developed first, and tackle them one at a time as your budget and time allow. Here are a few suggestions to […]
Checklist
Does your landscape plan include: 1. Trees that allow summer shade and winter sun? 2. Evergreen trees that provide protection from winter winds? (Locate these trees on the north and west sides of the residence.) 3. Dense evergreen trees or shrubs to screen undesirable views? 4. Tree placement that allows a clear view of the […]
Copying your planting plan
Store your original plan in a safe location, and make copies of your plan for outdoor use. You can make a copy of your planting plan overlay and base map together on a copying machine because light will pass through tracing paper. Place a book or magazine on top of the plan and flatten it […]
Labeling the plants on the plan
If you have room on your plan, you may want to draw a line to each plant that indicates its common name, quantity, and the container size or height. This saves time spent searching for symbols in a plant key. You may also want to include the Latin name of the plant. However, there is […]
Spacing plants
The mature size of a plant is very important to consider when creating your plan. If plants mature at 5 feet wide, it is not advisable to locate them 3 feet apart (also called 3 feet "center to center" or "on center") just so they will look nice and full after planting! When locating several […]
Formal or informal
Beds that are symmetrical or have angles are perceived as formal, while asymmetrical or curvilinear beds have an informal appearance. Even numbers of plants generally have a formal appearance, and odd numbers of plants tend to be informal. However, the same number of plants can appear either informal or formal, depending on their arrangement. See […]
Foundation plantings
Resist crowding your residence with too many plants. Closely spaced plants may be attractive right after planting, but poor air circulation will lead to disease and pest problems. You want a long lifespan for your landscaping, not to have to replace it every few years! Know the mature sizes of plants to be used in […]
Landscape Themes
Landscape beds can be composed of a collection of plants with a specific theme, such as an herb garden, a wildflower garden, a rose bed, or a perennial bed. Those who enjoy flower arranging may wish to create a "cutting bed," where perennials and annuals are grown solely for their blooms. If you like to […]