Do it yourself landscaping

Re-modeling is the “in” thing to do these days. Take a look at what you have and reassess it so you can make improvements to your life and your lifestyle. And what holds true for houses, surprisingly enough holds true for the established garden.

As landscape matures, things change. Trees get taller and cast deeper shade, bushes outgrow their original compactness and places in the garden. People's lifestyles change, and that area given over to a sandbox or a swing set may no longer be needed. Or you may have purchased an older home with mature plantings that no longer work, or at least they don't satisfy you. The time comes in almost every landscape plan when re-modeling is the way to go.

Depending on what you see, it may be time to go back to the proverbial drawing board. You can plan your changes yourself or call on professional help. Even if you call on a professional, do have some plan in mind as to what you want your garden to ultimately look like. Take one area at a time and think about how you want that to look, and then move on to the next area. If your garden doesn't naturally break into "areas," think about creating them by adding plantings, terraces, screens or seating areas. Try to envision the garden as a series of outdoor rooms, each one with a specific use. Formulate a ‘wish list’ as you do this -- do you want an area devoted to outdoor grilling and entertaining? A firepit for cool evenings? Privacy from neighbors? A playset for the kids? Once you know how you want to use your yard, plans will fall into place.

The biggest advantage of working from a plan is that a planned garden doesn't have to happen all at once. If you develop an overall plan, you can work on one or two areas at a time, and save work on other areas for later in the year or even until the next season or two. You may choose to spread out the remodeling project over a period of years.

In evaluating your existing garden, you may find that some plants don't perform as well as they used to. It could be that they need more light if trees have grown and extended shade to areas that once were sunny. Consider moving these to another area of the garden and finding new shade tolerant plants to replace them.

One of the biggest changes that can creep up silently on a garden is the growth of trees and shrubs. They not only grow taller and larger, but they can dramatically influence what can or can't grow under or around them. Trees can be trimmed professionally to thin out branches and allow more light to filter through to the ground. In extreme cases, such as too many trees planted too close together (or that somehow just grew there), removal of some of the trees in addition to trimming may be the answer. Professional advice and service from tree experts is highly recommended for trimming and removal.

Overgrown shrubs can also be trimmed back or removed entirely if no longer desirable. As much as it hurts emotionally and as much as it can be visually unattractive for a while, a severe trimming (almost to the ground)can often rejuvenate old and woody shrubs. Fall is often a good time to do severe trimming, because (in Northern areas, at least) the shrub may be "shutting down" for the winter, and will send up new shoots in the spring. Once they begin growing again you can control future shaping.

Almost every home has a problem area. Often it is the north side of the house, or a walkway along one side of the house, or an area behind the garage or a shed. Frequently, a simple cleanup is the first order of business. For example, once cleaned up, a dirt pathway can be spruced up with mulch or a layer of gravel and the addition of stepping stones. A north wall that never gets any sun can be brightened with containers of shade plants grouped or lined along the way. Once you identify your problem areas, you can easily strategize how you will improve them.

As with indoor rooms, all gardens need a focal point. A small garden needs only one, and larger gardens may need several. A focal point draws the eye to a special feature or planting and helps give the rest of the garden a more orderly look. Focal points can be as simple as one spectacular plant or planting among the others, or a feature such as a gazing globe, a water pond or a piece of sculpture or statuary. In larger gardens focal points can be created for different areas. On a patio, for example, a grouping of different sized pots can serve as a focal point, with one large pot being the center of attention. Tall plants grouped in a mass and surrounded by shorter plants can create a focal point in a garden bed, as can a contrast in color or plant type.

Ornamental features such as large rocks, a pedestal, a statue or a gazing ball are natural focal points. A quick and easy feature to add to a bed is a bird bath or a bird feeder. An arbor trellis planted with climbing plants such as morning glories or thunbergia can be an eye catching focal point or an entire garden.

Re-modeling doesn't always have to be a major undertaking. Once you have a plan in place, small adjustments every year or two will keep you from having to start from scratch.