10 Tips For Great Garden Landscape Design

Published: 10/20/18

Gorgeous garden landscape design is not only about glamour, growing your own food, and using your green thumb.

Gardens are also good for your own health and wellbeing. They can lower depression, anxiety, and obesity.

From flourishing flowers to fresh veggies, your garden is an extension of your home. It should combine beauty with bounty to create a stunning landscape.

10 Garden Landscape Design Tips

Design with a purpose in mind

The first step in how to design garden landscape is to determine the main goals of your garden.

Is it for growing your own food? Creating a relaxing outdoor living space? Or a peaceful sanctuary to attract birds, complete with birdhouses and feeders?

Garden design not only boosts the value of your home but it enhances the style, character, charm of it. So you'll want to determine the design and purpose of your garden. Consider if it will only consist of gorgeous flower beds or if it will also grow trees, food, and herbs.

From there you can decide size, layout, and budget. At this stage, you can decide to build your garden yourself or with the help of a professional.

Take note of the topography

Where you live has a huge impact on the type of garden you can grow. Before selecting plants and flowers, you'll want to do some topography research.

Look at the area you have designated as your garden space. Take note of its sun exposure, shade, and soil composition. The climate and moisture levels are also important.

If the temperature is dry, you want to incorporate drought-tolerant plants. Also, consider plants that are native to your area. It helps to select plants that can thrive in the conditions of your backyard.

Other garden landscape design tips include preparing for seasonal changes. Create a fall landscaping maintenance checklist to stay on top of things.

Create a focal point

A focal point helps anchor your garden. It also gets used to create boundaries as you build around this focal point. Boxwood or a small fence also helps set boundaries.

This can be a fenced trellis with climbing ivy, a statue, or a fountain. Or use a pergola, arbor, or even a prized flower or plant that catches the eye.

Planting in a curved garden bed is also eye-catching. Larger gardens can have more than one focal point.

Allow for room to grow

Growth is essential for a garden, as it needs both vertical and horizontal room to grow. This includes trees, which need extra space to mature.

Begin with your foundation and lay down bigger plants before smaller ones. Then you can add in your filler plants.

Ivy or rose vines add height to your garden. Or use climbing wisteria or hanging plants for vertical depth.

Make it easy to expand your garden later on. Start small with flowers then consider adding an herb or vegetable garden. Over 33% of homes now grow their own food.

Plan out your pathways

Paths and walkways are a must for large landscape designing. They make it easy to maneuver around plant beds.

Choose a secure material for pavers. One that won't come loose or get slippery from rain. Pathway dimensions can also change.

Lush parts of your garden will need narrower pathways. They should still be large enough to allow a single person to walk through. A good rule of thumb is three to five feet in width.

Incorporate steps to help with changes in elevation. They should feel comfortable and get placed on a gradual incline.

Small landings can also help break up long stairways. Landings should always be used for stairways that switch in a different direction.

Find a spot to sit

Your garden can provide a quiet place for reading, writing or jotting down creative thoughts. This can be a simple bistro table, bench, or a sitting area with comfy chairs.

It can get placed in a comfort zone off the beaten path. Or this can be a larger area for entertaining al fresco.

Be sure there is a well-defined path to lead to your sitting area. One that can handle heavy foot traffic when entertaining. This will keep your garden from getting damaged.

Think outside the garden bed

A good garden design doesn't have to follow a set of strict rules.

You don't always have to keep plants from creeping into pathways. Doing the opposite creates an air of mystery and encourages people to explore beyond the obscured path.

You don't have to stick to straight lines. Your garden beds and paths can curve or go uphill. It's okay to blur boundaries, rather than a set definition of where your garden starts and stops.

Homes with pets and children should consider a small outdoor area for them to have access to. This helps keep the balance between flora and fauna. Here are some dog-friendly landscaping ideas for your garden.

Go beyond the view

To frame your garden views, think beyond the ground level and look at what lies ahead. Think of proximity from your garden to your own home. Try trimming back plants to create new views.

Consider a lookout point in areas of higher elevation. You can capture the view of a pond, lush forest, or a peek at your own backyard patio.

Even your neighbor's backyard can provide a picturesque view. Use their landscaping to enhance the view from your own garden.

Mix it up to create a garden landscape design masterpiece

Important garden design tips will tell you to steer clear of cookie cutter designs. Go for something unique and full of variety. This helps create a contrast to be anything but boring

Use different plants and flowers in varying heights. Don't be afraid to blend different styles, such as modern with a touch of whimsy. Or go traditional with a few vintage elements.

A well-designed garden can increase your property value by 20%. All the more reason to make it a masterpiece.

Leave space for a potting station

A designated area for your potting needs will make your gardening more efficient. This can be as simple as an old wooden bench. Or something more elaborate with its own building.

Find space to hang gardening tools and gloves. Organize the area to keep bags of soil tidy. Provide plenty of room for pots, via shelving or storage crates.

Your potting station should provide easy access to your garden. You can also keep your compost next to the shed. An outdoor sink makes it easy to water plants and wash soiled hands.

Garden Landscape Design, From Simple To Extravagant

Your garden landscape design can be as big and bountiful as you can imagine. Yet remember, the bigger the garden the greater the time commitment.

Some people enjoy doing their own gardening and landscape maintenance. While others are happy to design the garden then let a professional take over. Either way, a garden can add great impact to your wellbeing and home design.

Learn more about how residential landscaping can transform your home's outdoor living spaces.

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