Right Plant, Right Place
Good landscape design hinges on one basic concept—the right plant in the right place. It is tempting to run to the garden center the moment the gardening bug hits in the spring, but taking the time for planning and site evaluation will save time, money and frustration later.
Plan for your yard use
Take the time to map out your yard based on who uses it and how you use it. Do you have pets and/or children? Do you entertain in your backyard? Grow vegetables? Play soccer? Make a list of all of the things you use your yard for, or want to use your yard for. Think about how areas could serve more than one purpose.
Get to know your site
Soil types, temperature ranges and rainfall patterns differ dramatically from region to region in California. It’s important to remember that a plant that thrives in a friend’s yard on the coast may freeze in your yard just a few miles inland. Different conditions often exist even in the same yard. The front yard may be high and dry, while the backyard may be poorly drained and soggy.
How much sun does your yard get? Are there shady spots? Where does the sun rise and set? These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself when doing a site analysis. A landscape professional spends a great deal of time on a site plan before beginning a design to make sure the design is suited to the space it is in.
Many of the maintenance needs of a garden are determined by the design. A good design will flourish over many years and require cleanup and pruning only once or twice a year. After the first two years, you will rarely need to water your yard while still having flowers, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Part 2 will include a checklist to help you attain a beautiful, low-maintenance garden!
[…] Last month I talked about the importance of knowing your yard or landscape site really well and making choices to get the best use out of the space you have. In landscape design, we hear the term Right Plant, Right Place a lot. You can spend an awful lot of time, money and water on a design that will never look the way you envision if the plants you pick are not the right choice for your climate, or even that particular spot in your yard. […]