Have a Plan!

A landscape plan is a great way to go as the decisions are made ahead of time and it eliminates the "I should have put that over there" and "now where should this go!" issues.  Also, you will not have the overcrowding problems caused by not taking the planting's mature size into account.

Plan your own garden design by drawing the actual size and shapes of the yard.  This can be simplified by using your Real Property Report and especially if you get a copy of it at a 1:100 scale.  As long as it was drafted using a metric scale you can use a regular metric ruler, 1cm equals 1m.  Using some tracing paper you can then draw out the size and shapes of the beds, lawn, patio and any other areas, and get an overall idea of how it all fits together. 

When choosing plants for the beds, always plan for the mature size of the plant.  It may look a bit sparse for a couple of years but the beauty of your happy and healthy plants is worth the wait!  You can always use temporary fill ins with container plantings or annuals.  Also, keep the soil health in mind by adding compost and/or topping with mulch annually.

Take care to consider the conditions your plants require.  Plant the sun-loving plants together with other sun-loving plants, and shade lovers with other shade lovers. 

Before purchasing new plants, have a spot picked out for them where they will thrive and will fit in and complement the surrounding plantings.

Alternatively, find and hire a landscape designer to help create your garden with (and for) you. If you have any questions, or would like more information or a quote, please contact ChinookScape Landscape Design.