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Landscape design for the beginner
by Linda Strader
Landscape design is complex, and that is a good reason why formal training is essential. However, if you have a good eye for design, you may do just fine with your Tucson yard. There are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to do it yourself, however, which at times may seem counter-intuitive.
First, unless you are going for a botanical garden theme, stick with a limited plant palette. One or two tree species and 3 to 5 shrub species are plenty.
Second, plant in groups. And preferably in odd numbered groups. Don’t speckle your yard with dots of different species of plants.
Third, if you decide to include boulders in your design, make sure to bury them by HALF. Yes, that sounds like a lot, but you want them to look like they belong there, not like they dropped from the sky. Boulders should also be placed in groups; either with plants or other rocks of varying size.
Not all plants HAVE to have a function in your garden, but they do play a role. They might provide summer shade; either on the ground which cools the air around your house, or against the side of your house, which is important for keeping your summer cooling costs down. Plants can also provide screening from your neighbors yard or of a view that is not too pleasant (such as pool equipment or your AC unit). They can increase the drama of a view, by framing the outer edges. They might provide food for you and wildlife to enjoy, or just a spectacular seasonal flower show outside your patio door.
Plants can deter unwanted guests, for example planting cacti under windows has been proven to reduce the chances of a break-in.
There are many more uses of plants not covered here, but they do so much more for us than just ‘be there’. Keep in mind that the need to be in nature is part of being human, and ‘nature’ may just be some potted plants on your patio or a beautifully landscaped back yard. Either way, the benefits abound.
This entry was posted on Sunday, November 7th, 2010 at 5:29 am and is filed under Desert Landscaping. Tags for this post: landscape design basics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Landscape design is complex, and that is a good reason why formal training is essential. However, if you have a good eye for design, you may do just fine with your Tucson yard. There are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to do it yourself, however, which at times may seem counter-intuitive.
First, unless you are going for a botanical garden theme, stick with a limited plant palette. One or two tree species and 3 to 5 shrub species are plenty.
Second, plant in groups. And preferably in odd numbered groups. Don’t speckle your yard with dots of different species of plants.
Third, if you decide to include boulders in your design, make sure to bury them by HALF. Yes, that sounds like a lot, but you want them to look like they belong there, not like they dropped from the sky. Boulders should also be placed in groups; either with plants or other rocks of varying size.
Not all plants HAVE to have a function in your garden, but they do play a role. They might provide summer shade; either on the ground which cools the air around your house, or against the side of your house, which is important for keeping your summer cooling costs down. Plants can also provide screening from your neighbors yard or of a view that is not too pleasant (such as pool equipment or your AC unit). They can increase the drama of a view, by framing the outer edges. They might provide food for you and wildlife to enjoy, or just a spectacular seasonal flower show outside your patio door.
Plants can deter unwanted guests, for example planting cacti under windows has been proven to reduce the chances of a break-in.
There are many more uses of plants not covered here, but they do so much more for us than just ‘be there’. Keep in mind that the need to be in nature is part of being human, and ‘nature’ may just be some potted plants on your patio or a beautifully landscaped back yard. Either way, the benefits abound.
This entry was posted on Sunday, November 7th, 2010 at 5:29 am and is filed under Desert Landscaping. Tags for this post: landscape design basics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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