It’s only natural for us to consider the DIY route for any job we undertake around our properties. After all, if we can save money, why wouldn’t we try? The problem is, not all jobs will go off without a hitch, including what might seem simple, like landscape design.

If you’ve been thinking about getting stuck into a DIY landscaping project on your own, think about whether you have the necessary expertise to handle the task. Otherwise, you may face some of these problems below.

Planting in the Wrong Place

You might know where you want your plants to go, but that doesn’t mean where you’re planting them is where they are going to thrive. You might have purchased a sun-loving shrub but then grew it in a shady area that sees no sun.

One way to waste a significant amount of time and money is failing to do your homework on plants. Each plant type has its own unique needs, and your backyard may not always be able to fulfil them.

Not Considering Your Lifestyle

Surprisingly, your lifestyle should feature heavily in your landscape design before you get started. Think about what you will be using the space for and how much time you have to dedicate to its maintenance.

For example, you might like a garden full of exotic plant varieties, but do you have the time to dedicate to pruning, mulching, weeding, and general care? Sometimes, limestone blocks and grasses are a better option, even if you had your heart set on something more elegant.

The tasks of Landscape Architects can take into account many factors. A landscaping job can be a DIY project or you can bring in the professionals such as a landscape architect. Prime consideration should be given to the time and money factors so a budget is of paramount importance. Other factors to consider are the climate, the soil and the regulations.

Planning is what design is all about. You can use computer software, maps, diagrams, drawings, and photographs. Once you have an idea of what it is you want to achieve, the big picture, then you can make a list of materials required, the desired and suitable plants and the tools you will need.

Water

Issues with irrigation and drainage need to be addressed. You may need a professional landscaping contractor to install an irrigation system. The layout of pipes, sprinklers and timer connected to an electrical system should be part of the overall landscaping plan.

If the landscape plan includes a swimming pool, waterfalls, fountains or a fish pond, then it might be a good idea to be calling in the expert landscaping service to put all this together.

According to landscape designers, back in the days, landscape design used to be done by drawing a detailed sketch indicating the specific location of each and every shrub, tree, flower bed, and what have you. Today, many would agree that there exists no such hard and fast rule with anyone buying plants to take home spontaneously doing landscape design.

However, this doesn’t mean that anything goes when it comes to landscape design. This can be borne out from negative consequences arising from the lack of coherent design and poorly placed plants, which may end up requiring frequent pruning, expensive pest control, and even expensive removals before they reach the end of their life spans.

Here are a few important tips on landscape design that can help beginners create lawns that standout while avoiding future problems.