Category: Home Landscape Design

The Sustainable Sites Initiative™

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]