This may seem obvious, but be sure to plan. A famous footballer once said: “If you don’t prepare, prepare to fail”, and he was right. Everyone who wants a landscaped garden wants to get started right away, but take your time to get the design right on paper first. Think twice about everything. Then, and only then, do the real work begin.
Planning your project requires:
– Study your site carefully.
– try to visualize how everything will fit in with the existing structures (house, garages, etc.)
– measure the property with reasonable accuracy
– draw a scale plan of the proposed landscape (1 cm: 1 m is quite an acceptable scale, depending on the size of the property) Tip: use lined graph paper.
– Use computerized garden design software to draw your plans. See the links below.
Things to keep in mind:
– Tree branches and roots move outward over time, so leave room for them to expand. Branches and trees that grow too tall can become a big problem if they are not taken into account early in the process.
– Also with regard to trees, their roots can creep into the foundations of houses, the foundations of walls, etc. Be careful where you plant. Also, ask yourself if they are likely to topple over in high winds and cause damage… if they do fall, will they hit the house or garage?
– Lighting functions (unless solar powered) will require power. Remember to allow for the routing of these cables early in the project.
– Fountains also require power. So make sure you run the cables underground at the same time you run the water hoses (if necessary).
– Decks often require a solid foundation. Also, depending on the height above the ground, they may require handrails. Make sure you know what local codes require when it comes to safe deck installation.
– Some structures may require planning permission. Check with your local planning department. This can be a headache after the build, if you don’t check it beforehand.
– Sunlight (position) throughout the day is also something to consider. You cannot bask in a garden that is drenched in shade all day. And tall trees around a relatively small garden will ensure that your lawn and plants don’t get the sun. Privacy is nice, but there are better ways to achieve this than planting giant sequoias around your property (sarcasm).
– Take into account the HEIGHT of objects when planning. Not just your footprint. A plan is a top view, but also consider elevation views from all four sides, so that the heights of objects relative to each other are not overlooked.
Archie CAD
google sketch up