Having usable outdoor space on your property is a great privilege, but all space isn’t created equal. There’s a huge difference between having a fully furnished and well-cared-for green area and one full of mess and rubble, and fixing up the latter into something usable can be a big challenge. Then, there’s everything in between: even if your outdoor area is mostly usable, it’s likely you’ll still have to put in some work to get it to where you want it to be.
Whether you’re moving into a new home or are simply looking to give the place a makeover, DIY landscaping is going to require careful planning and thorough organization, and in this article, you’ll learn how to get started. Here are the most important steps to set you on your way!
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Initial Planning and Assessment
To start off with, you’ll need to spend some time assessing what you’re working with, and then off the back of that, formulate a rough plan to progress forward.
Take some pictures from a variety of angles, and do some measurements to assess the general dimensions of the space. You should also make a note of the larger landmarks, such as any trees, large flower beds, drainage points, and so on.
After this, you can start to put together a rough bird’s-eye view diagram (either by sketching one yourself or using something like Google SketchUp) and have a good think about whether you want to radically change the space or keep the current shape. Then, make a hierarchy of what needs changing from most important to least.
Determining the Green Health of Your Space
Before going any further, it’s essential to check the green health of your space – how ready your outdoor areas are for receiving new plants and encouraging wildlife.
First, check your soil’s pH level: the ideal level is between 6.0 and 7.0. Some plants favour slightly higher or slightly lower, but having your soil within this range across the entire space gives you the best chance of supporting your new plants with the nutrient profile they need. Now is also a good time to till your soil to get it ready for planting and lay some new turf (or plant new grass seed) if required.
You’ll need to pay attention to these aspects whether you’re ripping up the entire area or just doing some touch-up – a great foundation is essential before you plant anything or lay down big changes.
On Supplies and Materials
The supplies required for a landscaping project can vary considerably depending on what’s involved. Once you’ve settled on a general plan for your landscaping project, you’ll want to make some categorised lists of everything you’re going to need; break the items down into three distinct sections: tools, materials, and greenery.
From there, you should locate a well-stocked landscaping supplies store. Pay them a visit for an idea of what everything is going to cost and to gain an understanding of whether or not some things need to be compromised on. If there are certain aspects your budget doesn’t allow for, remove the least important elements from your hierarchy from earlier – this will ensure you can still achieve your overall goal even if you can’t make it work in full.
To make an aesthetically appealing space, you should try to have everything match as best as possible: think carefully about how fresh paving slabs will go with new fencing, for example. Now’s also a good time to consider any outdoor furniture you’d like, which, of course, should also be chosen to match other garden hardware.
Choosing Your Plants
Then there’s your plants. First and foremost, you need to choose plants that are native to your climate, which will ensure they only need minimal watering and maintenance. Once that’s settled, choose whichever flowers, shrubs, and trees take your fancy, but placement is key: be mindful to place your plants with enough sunlight exposure, and consider how the changing seasons will effect your planting.
Don’t forget to make use of vertical space, either – you can come up with some really interesting layouts by using climbers and embracing walls and other vertical elements, so get creative and see what you can think up!
You should now have a good idea of the main elements that go into planning a DIY landscaping project. Of course, you’ll also need to ensure you have the relevant skills to carry out your designs, each of which can be learned online if you get stuck (there are many great YouTube channels covering the topic, for example). Have fun redefining your outdoor living space!
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post.
