Lars Larson Flowers

The first thing that guests notice when they pay a visit to your home is not the immaculate interior, or the perfectly matched drapes, rug and furniture. It is your yard. Making your yard look good is the perfect way to start a home renovation, or simply as a good hobby to pass the time. There are several things that one must keep in mind when performing a do-it-yourself landscaping.

Consider the space in your yard. No one wants to over or under-use the space in his or her yard. You want to be able to use every space available to create a cohesive and pleasing design, but not so much that it becomes crowded and overbearing. If you have a smaller yard, more economical decorations, such as flowers and small stone statues can be the best way to go. If you have the space, and a budget, large stone sculptures, topiaries and water fountains are perfect eye catchers.

Think of having a focal point. One of the best ways to create cohesiveness in the design of your yard is through centering on a focal point. This will allow all the other elements in your yard to move around it. A great focal point is one that is large enough to catch attention, but not enough to be gaudy or tacky. Consider putting a small water feature, such as a fountain or a birdbath, or maybe a favorite statue or sculpture.

Consider your landscaping. Most yards are perfectly flat, and while this provides a very orderly and linear sense, you may want to think about spicing up your yard a little. Add a bit of depth and texture to it by creating elevated flower beds, or perhaps putting different types of foliage to create a whirlwind of color, shape and texture to catch any passer-by's eyes.

Remember 365! That is the number of days in a year, and the number of days that you have to take care of your garden. Spring and summer are easy because your garden will practically decorate itself for you, especially if you have a lot of annual plants there. For autumn and winter, consider plating a few perennial plants as well, so that your garden does not become suddenly completely bare. Also, while planning the landscaping of your garden, try to image as to how you are going to decorate your garden for occasions, such as Christmas and Halloween, so that you will have an idea where to place the more permanent fixtures.

"Branch" out to other types of plants. Flowers and trees are beautiful, but there are times when you want to get out of the box and use something else to decorate your garden with. Why not try flowering, climbing vines around your fences or tree trunks? Or consider planting drought-resistant plants, such as cacti and bamboo to give your garden a more exotic look.

Landscaping is easy if you have the patience for it, and a little creativity to make the garden of your dreams a reality!

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