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Planting Tips

Landscaping is an art form. It requires planning, knowledge, and hard work. It entails a whole lot more than going to the local nursery, picking a couple of plants that look nice, digging some holes, and calling it done. Before you start a landscape project, you need to answer some basic questions that will help you pick the right plant and put it in the right place.

First, you need to decide the basic layout and space available for the plants you are going to buy. Take a survey of your property and make a drawing of the shape of your property. Draw in the location of your house, driveway, sidewalks, and any other permanent structures. It is also a good idea to try to determine the slope of your property and note any areas that may be influenced by surrounding structures or plants. An example of this would be the amount of shade coming from the neighbor's trees. Sketch some ideas on the paper to get an idea where you may want to add new plants or to replace old ones. It is also a good idea to pencil in the location of the windows on your house. Determine the distance from the window to the ground level and write it underneath each window. This information will be useful when choosing foundation plants.

Second, you need to decide why you are planting what you are planting. Is it going to be a focal point of the entire landscape, or is it going to be used to fill-in an open space. Are you purchasing it for its beauty and looks, or will it be functional, such as a border or hedge, or both? Do some research by looking at landscape guides, garden magazines, or by visiting a local nursery or garden center. It is important to know the ultimate height and/or width of the plants you are considering. One common mistake that many do-it-yourselfers make is putting too many plants in too small of a place. Another common mistake is not taking in to consideration the height or width of the plant. If the window is 3 feet from the ground and the plant you purchase will grow to 10 feet, there will be a problem in a very short time. The same holds true when placing plants next to a door or window. If the plant will grow to a width of 8 feet and it is planted 2 feet from the front door, then it soon become difficult to find the door. It can be deceiving when you go to purchase a plant that is only 24 inches wide and try to envision it at its full size. It is important to keep this in mind or you may be redoing your landscape every 10 years or so.

The third consideration is the placement of the plants in relationship to the growing conditions of the planting site and the growing requirements of the plant itself. An example of this is putting shade loving plants in shady areas and sun-loving plants in sunny areas. Remember to consider the potential size of the surrounding plants. Finally, consider the aesthetic value and appeal of the plants you are choosing. You need to decide what looks good to you. You could hire a landscape architect to make many of the decisions for you and offer suggestions for plant selections. That process will cost extra money, but it may be worth it if you are at wit's end making decisions for the correct plants to choose.