Top Three Landscape Design Tips for a Beautiful, Functional Yard

1. Define Your Vision Before Starting

Consider style and function: entertaining areas, barbecues, play zones, fishponds, pools. List desired plants. Focus on the area you use most—it's the best starting point.

2. Weigh DIY vs. Professional Help

Independent designers cost hundreds; free plans exist online or at nurseries. However, for challenging sites (steep slopes), a pro's expertise prevents costly mistakes.

3. Match Landscape Style to Home and Lifestyle

A formal garden suits a symmetrical home, not a rural cottage. Consider maintenance: if you prefer the beach over pruning roses, choose low-maintenance plants.

Popular Landscape Styles

• Formal: Straight lines, geometric shapes, orderly plant arrangement, close pruning.
• Informal: Curved beds, random plant placement—ideal for cozy cottages.
• English Garden: Harmony between house architecture and garden.
• Formal/Informal: Brick walkway (formal) leading to a plant circle (informal), no formal borders.
• Oriental: Rocks, evergreens, water, diverse plants creating interesting angles—great for small yards.
• Woodland: Suits wooded, sloping backyards.