7 Tips for Planning Your Landscape
AFTER SHOT
BEFORE SHOT
Hello, curb appeal! It’s the English-inspired cottage that I’ve been dreaming of for the past three years! There’s not much that beats seeing your original vision for a space come to life. I keep going back over the before and after images and giddily thinking, “YES!”.
When we bought our home, I dubbed our front yard as “hosta takeover”. I’m no hosta hater (in fact, we planted a few of our own), but it was what one might say, “alotta hosta”. After painting the house in the spring, we were ready for the next step.
Three words to describe my design plan for the exterior would be: 1) whimsical, 2) uniform, and 3) architectural. I worked closely with my dad (a farm boy, Purdue soil & crop sciences major, and general landscaping master) to design & implement a plan that would exemplify these three characteristics. I was inspired by a combination of plants that were organic in form (billowing, trailing, soft edges) and plants that held their structure and provided visual stability.
And where do I begin on the trellis? (Cue Nat King Cole’s L-O-V-E!) It is the architectural element that was missing from the house. It adds warmth, depth, and will provide another source of color & texture once we plant a flowering vine next spring.
Now that the project is complete, here are 7 tips that helped me as I planned the design, navigated the garden nursery, and put everything together.
7 Tips for Planning your Landscape:
Three Words- Apply three words to how you want the exterior of your home to feel. What do you want the first impression to be? Let these words be your guideposts in making selections.
Age of Home // Indigenous Plants - Consider plants that fit the period of your home and are native to your area (you can totally break free from this, but I find that this can be a good starting point if you are overwhelmed by the amount of plant choices that are available).
Start small - It’s easy to plant too much too soon and overcrowd your space. Start with a minimal design, knowing that the plants will grow in height and width. Find a good balance between positive and negative space. You can always add more plants or leave room for planting annuals.
Balance of Color - Consider the colors of each of your plants and how they will change throughout the year. Will they remain evergreen? Are there too many flowering plants and not enough contrast? Additionally, consider the color of your home’s exterior and select colors that will complement it.
Sun Exposure - Pay attention to where the sun hits your yard throughout the day. Allow this to determine the types of plants you are getting and their placement. While it may feel like a confinement to your decision-making, I find that parameters make the decision process much more manageable!
Additional textures - Other natural elements such as flagstone, wood, water features, brick, etc. can be amazing additions to your landscape. They give dimension, separation and an extra layer of texture.
Plant for Picking - Select plants with blooms that excite you and are easily picked to create a beautiful bouquet!
Below is a complete list of the plants that I used for our home: