How to landscape your garden without the bankbreak

| Thursday, April 14, 2011
By Jim McIntyre


Nothing beats the great outdoors, and if you can relax at home and feel like its right there then life is grand. Let's see how to turn that dream into a reality

A backyard renovation requires major planning and to try and do it in one go would be almost impossible, especially if you are doing it yourself on the whole.

The easiest way to get around this hurdle is to break your backyard into sections, and simply treat each section like an entire garden. Work on each of these 'gardens' each year and over the course of a few years it will all be done.

Even though you are only landscaping sections at a time you still need an overall plan. Sketch out where everything is going to go and take this into account as you work on the finer details of your backyard.

Now is the best time to consider the plants that are going to make up the garden. Take into account your overall design and try to incorporate the trees and shrubs into this plan. Make sure you show which way is north in your plan.

Another often overlooked aspect is tools. The most important and essential tool of all is the Makita lxt cordless drill, and even though it's not a garden tool as such, you are going to need it to help build pergolas, fences, retaining walls and anything else.

Using Plants as fences is a great way of enhancing the look and feel of your garden.

Although a fence is the most common thing to use, you might want to consider planting a row of hawthorn, juniper, arborvitae, or a combination of these bushes to create privacy and shading.

Planning ahead with your garden bed is a smart move.

Choosing the right flowers and small shrubs is essential and the things to consider include when they bloom, if they bloom at all, what colours they are and how tall they potentially grow.

You do not want to choke the plants or make the garden look overcrowded so use 3 or 5 plants for each kind of flower and allow sufficient space at the rear of the bed for access. Also consider how big they will eventually grow.

How to make an Island Bed

It is planted in the middle of the yard and can really make the garden look incredible. It can vary in shape and size according to your imagination and available space. Scale the plants from tallest in the center to shortest at the edges.

Preconfigured gardens. Something to consider

I understand all of this Latin mumbo jumbo can be daunting for first time gardeners, it was for me. If you would like a ready made solution, Direct Gardening offers a wide selection of preplanned gardens designed to take all the guess work out of plant selection and placement.

Water Feature

The water feature adds a touch of class to the garden and it is also a very tranquil place to sit with the soothing sound of running water.

Vegetation and types of fauna

Before you buy any vegetation, visit a real garden center for advice on drainage and soil preparation. Also, bring a copy of your plan; a soil sample and an extra credit card just in case you can't wait years to make your backyard landscaping ideas come true.




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