Laying Out Your Landscape Part Two

Part Two in a Series

Once you have your landscape design on paper, now it's time to transfer it to the actual location where you will be planting your plants. You will need a couple of tools in order to accomplish this. First it's handy to have a long tape measure. For example a 50 foot or 100 foot tape measure is a lot easier to use an 8 foot or 16 foot one. You will be able to easier layout your landscape with a longer tape measure. You might also need some wooden stakes, some string, an old garden hose, and some marker paint.

If your landscape design calls for a regularly repeating pattern, or a very rigid formal grid structure, you'll want to use stakes and string. Start by finding a fixed point on your design and take all your measurements from that one point. Check your measurements frequently as you start laying out your stakes in your yard. Run string or twine from one stake to another to help lay out your design.

If your landscape design is more free-form, with curves and random areas, you'll use an old garden hose. Again, you want to find a fixed reference point from which to start your plan. Using the garden hose, layout your shape. The garden hose will allow for very smooth and gentle arts and arches and curves as you lay out your design.

In both cases, once you have your design transferred to the ground using either stakes and string or garden hose, you'll want to make it permanent by using marker paint. Marker paint is simply spray paint where the nozzle is upside down from a normal can of spray paint. You hold it upside down and spray on the ground. Use the paint to trace over your string lines, or the garden hose.

Now that you have your entire design layed out and painted on the ground it's time to start adding some plants. Remember, a good design uses a layered effect. You will want to place taller plants in the back, and smaller, shorter plants in the front. This gives depth and interest to your landscape design. Take your plant material, in their nursery containers, and begin laying them out in your design. Once you have most of your material in place, take a step back and look at your handiwork. Now walk through your yard, and take a look at how things appear. Now is the time to change things. Once things are planted, it is very difficult to make changes. But now, your plants are still in the containers, you can very easily move things around and change your visual effect.

Preferably, if you have time, leave your temporary landscape in place for a day or two and take a look at it throughout the day. Your design will look different at different times during the day. For example, in the morning, the light is coming from a different angle, than in the evening. So you want to be sure that your landscape design looks good at all times during the day.

In our next article, we'll take a look, and the actual planting process, how to prepare the soil, and how to make sure your pants have a good start at a long healthy life.

Dean Novosat is an avid gardener and landscaper. He has transformed many boring yards into beautiful landscapes. He has several websites including http://www.the-garden-doctor.com and http://www.dr-landscape.com.

---

Turn Your Patio Into A Voluminous Vegetable Garden

My first apartment was a second-story condo in an urban... Read More

Professional Lawn Watering Techniques - Wireless Sensors for Lawns in Drought Areas

The technnology secrets will help home owners maintain lawns in... Read More

22 Fun Things To Do With Your Dozen Rose Gift

Your dozen rose gift doesn't only have to decorate your... Read More

Fuchsia procumbens

Fuchsia (named after Leonhard Fuchs, a 16th century German botanist)... Read More

Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers

Some of the best gifts you can give to a... Read More

How to Make Your Own Rooting Hormone

When starting a new plant from a leaf or stem... Read More

Feng Shui in the Garden

"The Ancient Art of Placement" called Feng Shui (pronounced phung... Read More

How to Grow Apples

The first thing you need to grow apples is a... Read More

Cat Repellent or How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden

Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from... Read More

Poly Tarps: More Than Meets The Eye

To many people, "tarp" conjures an image of a crumpled... Read More

The Ultimate Magic Garden

Spring is the season to start planting seeds for the... Read More

Do You Know About A Bamboo Orchid

Bamboo Orchid PlantWhen you think of bamboo you really think... Read More

Backyard Ponds

Backyard ponds are a great source of fun and enjoyment.... Read More

With So Many Choices For Patio Furniture, Finding The Perfect Set To Complement Your Yard Is Easy

There is nothing more relaxing than kicking back with a... Read More

Make The Most From Your Vegetable Garden

All your hard work has paid off, and now you... Read More

Organic Roses in the Flower Garden

Many people believe growing their flowers and vegetables organically is... Read More

Dream Yard

Do you ever dream about what your yard could look... Read More

How to Grow Cooking Herbs

Grow your own cooking herbs to add fresh zest and... Read More

How to Build a Shed

The easiest way to build a shed in the backyard... Read More

How to Rid that Lawn of Thatch!

You know that brown patchy debris in a lawn that... Read More

Build A Simple Planter Box

Love flowers, but don't have the space -- or the... Read More

The Rich History of Wild Roses

Wild roses, of the genus Rosa, are those naturally... Read More

How to Buy a Porch Swing

The Porch Swing is enjoying a surge in popularity thanks... Read More

How and When to Plant Roses

When spring comes and the ground is thawed, it is... Read More

Planting Bare Root Roses

Before planting, the plants must be prepared. The following suggestions... Read More