It is hard for homeowners to formulate all of their landscape visions and desires into a neat and tidy landscape construction project. Fear not, the Salix Nurseries team has decades of experience with successful landscape designs. Here are our top tips to help you achieve your dream landscape.
The Right Amount of Design Continuity
In our article How to Match Your Landscaping to Your Home’s Architecture [insert hyperlink], we introduce the importance of linking your new landscape visually to your house, and we repeat that requirement here.
It doesn’t have to be a showroom, magazine-shoot perfect match, or it runs the risk of being monotonous. However, too little continuity will look disconnected and incongruent. Our creative, super-talented team will create a materials storyboard with you and will consider their placement in both the horizontal and vertical surfaces of your desired landscape. The materials can include a combination of contrasting and matching options. From this, the conceptual design is created.
Zone and Area Demarcation
Whilst a landscape is not comprised of different rooms, it still needs different zones and spaces. You could allocate an area for quiet breakfasts and another for big social events. Consider the various activities, the number of people involved and utilities that might be required.
Consider Four Seasons
A common rookie error is to plan your landscaping with only the summer season in mind. A successful landscape construction project addresses the needs and uses of a garden through all four seasons. If you are not outside, you will be viewing it, and it should be delightful. Carefully position the shade needs of summer, so they don’t obscure all the light in winter.
In addition, create points of interest and areas of discovery or surprise.
Delight All Your Senses
Our senses are a vital part of our quality of life and our life experience. Design for sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Play with:
- Colour,
- Size and proportions,
- Visual movement
- Textures, e.g. how will a material feel under your feet
- Flowing water (and a good white noise)
- Taste (berry bushes, fruit trees or herbs)
Consider what will get the attention of your eyes, ears, nose, fingers and taste buds.
Consider the Long Term Results
Avoid stuffing the garden with plants. While it might look a bit naked in the beginning, it will become a mess long-term if overplanted. This includes building quality pergolas or patios; otherwise, you might be tearing it down in five years to start again.
Ask your design team to give you an idea of what the landscape will look like in five years, ten years and twenty years.
If you want to translate your exciting ideas into a successful landscape construction project, contact our experienced team of creative landscapers.
