Do it yourself

People who like to Do It Yourself on home landscaping projects may want to think about the following tips and suggestions to help make their projects more satisfying and successful.

Tip #1 - Use plants that are approved for your zone, to help insure the best possible response from those plants.

Tip #2 - Take into account the size of the plants, how quickly they will grow, and how far they will spread. Many do-it-yourselfers forget to consider what the plants will look like in a few months or even a few years. With a little planning, you can make sure to place plants in such a way that the landscaping scheme will continue to look good down the road.

Tip #3 - Be sure to check the sun and shade requirements for all the plants that you place into your yard, and make sure your do-it-yourself plan allows for plants that will get the right levels of sunlight and shade for their needs. Shade plants placed in a too sunny location will wilt and burn in the sun, just as sun-loving plants will grow slowly and may fail to flower if not giving enough sunlight.

Tip #4 - Plan for the maintenance required for the plants you choose. Some landscape designs are made to be as low maintenance as possible, using plenty of mulch to slow weed growth, and incorporating plants that are not so needy, and don't require trimming or a lot of care. When you do-it-yourself, think about how much time you want to put into the garden after the landscaping is done, and plan accordingly.<

Tip #5 - Make focal points in your landscaping. Where do you want the eye to fall? Do you want to incorporate a trellis or gazebo to draw attention? Or do you want to use a grouping of plants, trees and shrubs for this? A pleasing design will draw the eye to attractive areas of the yard. This is sometimes a forgotten piece of the plan when people choose to do it yourself, as opposed to hiring a professional for help.

Tip #6 - Plan for pathways leading to and around your property, that are wide enough for two people to walk together. This is a simple change for a many older homes that can make a huge different. Slender walk ways are not friendly as they don't allow visitors to walk together to and from the house. A little wider path can make a huge difference in the appearance of your landscape and in the friendliness factor for your guests.