Sometimes you get the itch. The itch to do something new, fun and full of ambiance, yet you’re not quite sure what it is you want to do. Then the light bulb goes off, you instantly know what you want; new landscaping. There’s no better triumph then figuring out the first step, what you want to do. The question is, now what? Now it’s time to step back and consider a few things before moving on to your next step, the landscape design. The next step is the design itself so here are a few things to consider when planning your landscape.

Who will be using your yard

The first thing to consider is who will be using your yard. Is it you, your children, grandchildren, your pets or is it a common area to be shared amongst friends and family for entertainment. These are a few of the questions you should be asking when considering a design as the way you would design for your dog isn’t the way you’d design for your grand kids. Nor is a design for your grand kids the way you would design for entertaining friends.  Having a basic idea of who this yard will be for primarily, will be a great starting point. From there you can section off your yard or design it for a specific audience.

What’s the weather like in your parts

Knowing the temperature all year long will help decide what to plant, where to plant and how to utilize it to fit best with your areas climate! Anything you can do to help your natural surroundings will only benefit your yard in the long one. Knowing the weather can help dictate every aspect of your design from placement to plant or veggie type and beyond.

What’s the purpose of your backyard

So you’ve narrowed down who will be using your yard but what will they be using it for? Is it a designated playground, entertainment center or will it be an outdoor kitchen, veggie garden or someplace you can relax with your book. Finding the purpose for your backyard will help dictate the landscape and design of it.

Know your yard, make it work for you

Just like you should know your weather, you should also know what’s already in your yard, how it’s angled and what kind of microclimate it is likely to create due to shade and sun exposures. When you look at your yard – knowing whether it will provide full sun, partial shade, shade or deep shade can help select plants and materials that will survive better.

Pay attention to detail

When picking out what will go in your garden – from pavers to vegetables to patio covers it’s a good idea to pay attention to detail. What plants/vegetables work well together, what plants/vegetables kill each other etc. etc. Plants, hardscapes, outdoor kitchens and other yard accessories all have their own need for what is aesthetically appealing for the landscape. Different textures, different plants and vegetables as well as different colors and scents are just a few of the things to consider when it comes to your landscape design. Thinking about all the details and how they will flow together is a great way to get your project started.

Protect your resources

Protect what’s already in your yard and workable. Before investing in new dirt, plants or other resources, check out what other aspects of your yard are already workable. Also picking out hardscape materials that environmentally friendly to your area will help protect what you’ve already got in the ground and what you will be putting into the ground.

Utilize your resources

Do you already have pavers, flagstones, water features, a patio cover or something else that is already in your backyard but just needs a little TLC in surrounding areas? It’s a great idea to work with what you’ve got when you can! It’s great to utilize your surrounding yard and area and expand on it with new landscape design. From plants to walkways, look at what you’ve got and see if you can use it to your advantage.

Who will be maintaining your yard

One of our last things to consider when planning your landscape design is who will be maintain your yard? Knowing who will be maintaining it and how much effort it is going to take should be one of the defining factors of your decisions when it comes to your landscape. Yards, big and small, take a lot of work so it’s important to understand just how much work it’s going to take.

These are our 8 things to consider when planning your next landscape design. Do you have any other things to consider that have worked for you? Leave a comment! If you are in need of help with your landscape design, do not hesitate to give us a call or comment with where we can reach you.

Blue Oak Landscaping is Northern California’s premier landscaping company servicing Butte County and surrounding North State areas such as Chico, Oroville, Paradise, Corning, Red Bluff, Redding, Orland,  Marysville or Sacramento. We’re able to deliver the highest quality #landscaping products and services through the combined experience of its employees. We own and operate the newest equipment that allows our seasoned #landscapers to do extraordinary projects. Blue Oak installs #plants, #trees, #lawns and #irrigation, but our passion lies in our ability to install #hardscaping (paved areas like #walkways or #pavers) and other sought after landscape elements

Ready to get some work done? Please call us today at (530) 518-7248 or email ben@blueoaklandscaping.com