10 THINGS THAT EVERY LANDSCAPE DESIGN NEEDS
cdavis • January 5, 2017
Whether you are looking for a formal or informal outdoor space — or a mix of both — you want your outdoor living area to be a place where you and your guests want to stay and relax.
Here are 10 basic things that your landscape design should include to give you an enjoyable outdoor space.
- Pathways – Not every path needs to be wide, but for those that will handle a bit of traffic, paths should be at least wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. If your landscape has different elevations, make sure steps are easy to use and if you have more than 10 steps, including a landing every 4 th or 5 th step that is as deep as the path is wide.
- Patios – If used for dining, make sure your patio is big enough to accommodate not only seating and dining, but mingling as well. Think about how many people you’ll be having over for dinner on a somewhat regular basis. Plan at least 4 square feet for each of those people. Leave 3 feet of breathing space around each piece of furniture on the patio so that people can easily move without bumping into things.
- Surfaces – Be careful about your choice for hardscape materials. Some may become slippery when wet. Make sure that the material you choose provides secure footing under all conditions. Hard surfaces should be slightly sloped to keep water from pooling.
- Height – If your design has any overhead structures, roofs, etc., make sure they are at least 7 feet above the ground. If things will be growing underneath, add an additional 5 to 18 inches. In time as the landscape matures, plants will begin to fill in and you’ll be glad you added that extra height.
- Think ahead – Most gardeners plant with an eye for what looks good now when setting out plants, forgetting how large that plant will be in 5 years. Plant permanent plants where they can be comfortable and then fill in that grow space with filler type plants that will be short lived or can be easily moved later.
- Ouch! – Keep tall plants and prickly plants well away from walkways and patio edges.
- Flowers – When selecting flowering plants that go through a natural cycle of budding, blooming, and fading, keep in mind what these plants will look like when not in bloom. Many plants are show piece plants in the fall with brilliant late season color from changing leaf color. Consider in the plan a few specimens that add in interesting flavor to the overall gray background in the winter.
- Lawn – Grass should almost always be considered as a pleasing balance to garden beds – there is nothing so inviting as an expanse of soft green you can walk across.
- Trees and shrubs – Shade and wind breaks add additional comfort to your landscaped room, providing living privacy screens. Even in the smallest landscape trees can be tastefully used.
- The future – Pre-planning for future expansion will save you both time and money. Make sure new plants won’t grow into big problems for you or your neighbors.
The most important qualities of a well planned landscape are comfort and usability. The preceding 10 tips should be considerations when working on any plan. EAQ (formerly E.A. Quinn) can help to take you through Design to Installation to Maintenance of your new outdoor living area. Contact us today for more information.
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