24by7Article.com | How To Get Ideas For Landscape Design

It’s a good idea to have a basic idea of what you want before you contact a Bloomfield Hills landscape designer. Your yard is an extension of your home and you want it add function and value to your property. To get a good idea of how you want your landscaping to look you should start by studying existing designs to see how the different elements are used. Study landscapes that are appealing to you and take note of the types of plants that are used and how the hardscaping relates to the house. It’s okay to borrow ideas from other designers. Your neighbors are a good place to start. Take a drive around your community to see what types of landscaping others have.

While you are considering ideas for you landscaping job you can visit professional gardens and landscapes or a display at your local nursery. You may want to avoid large national chain nurseries because their plants are not grown locally and selection may not suit your area. There are also landscaping magazines. If you are using magazines study the details and take notes on how all the elements are used. Keep in mind what you like about the design and ask yourself if it will work in your space? Picture you property in your mind with the different elements in it.

The next step is to go out on your property and just look around. Imagine how the different landscaping elements might look. Pay close attention to the shape of your house and your yard. If you have a rectangular yard then rectangular shapes may look best in the landscaping. In your mind divide your yard into separate uses creating outdoor “rooms”. Logical arrangement of the “rooms” creates a visually appealing and functional landscape.

Once you have created your rooms it is time to consider possible ways to divide them. Color and texture can be used to differentiate the spaces. Each area can be visually unique and distinct. Decide which areas are more important than others and they can be given a greater emphasis of visual weight.

Do you have enough room on your property to fit everything that you desire? Remember it is important to balance open spaces with garden and hardscape elements. Do you have a pool? Or maybe you want to have a pool someday. Really think about how the space is going to be used in the present and the future. Take everything into consideration. Will you be sunbathing? Do you need patio space for cooking, dining and entertaining?