Your yard is an extension of your home. The gardens and lawn should compliment the style of your home and if carefully planned and thought out, will add immensely to the property value of your home. If you are landscaping your yard for the first time, you may want to enlist in the help of a landscape architect, at least to come up with a professional master plan if you will be doing the soil preparation and gardening yourself. Your master plan will get you on the path to that picture perfect landscape and your local nursery can advise you of the best plant and shrub selections for your planting zone.

Smart-Scaping

One of the first and most important elements to consider before you start the planning is your lifestyle. If your family leads a very busy life and you cannot afford professional lawn care, it is best not to go with high maintenance plans such as formal manicured landscapes. You will want to pare down your yard chores to a minimum. It would not be wise to choose fussy plants or those with high maintenance needs. Plan your garden according to the attention you are able to give to it so that you and your friends and neighbors are provided with visual pleasure all year long.

The Planning

One of the most essential elements needed for a healthy landscape is good soil preparation. The soil needs to be healthy, porous and nutrient rich. February is the ideal time to start. You want to incorporate 5 to 6 inch layers of organic mulch over the areas you wish to plant. Mulch improves drainage, conserves moisture, suppresses weeds and promotes healthy plants. Gravel also makes excellent mulch since it does not need replacing and is a good source for water drainage while at the same time preserving moisture. If you do not like the look of gravel, cover it with a layer of mulch. Once the organic mulch is laid down, add an organic fertilizer, which is preferable to synthetic ones since nutrients are released into the soil slower. When using fertilizers, try to stay away from synthetic chemical ones, to provide a safer environment for children and pets. The following link will provide additional tips for building healthy soil. http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-2-7-7,00.html

Choosing Plants

Now that your soil is prepared and nourished, you want to be sure that the plants you choose are appropriate to your climate conditions. If you want year round appeal in your landscape, you want to limit your plant palette to proven performers that will remain green all year long. Try to resist the temptation to run to the nursery and impulse buy. You want to choose your plants wisely and try to remember that new plantings will expand and grow so use your imagination when picturing the finished look.

Your landscaping should have balance and uniformity. You should not cluster big bold plants in one location as it takes away from the other plants by attracting more attention. Plant flowering plants and shrubs in groups of two or three throughout the yard to also provide balance. Do not drown out a smaller garden with big bold plants, which are more appropriate for larger yards. Instead, plant smaller trees and shrubs.

The Finishing Touches

Now that your yard is beginning to look picture perfect, you may find you are not getting enough pleasure from it by day and may want to linger in it during the evenings or show it off during outdoor cook offs. You can find easy to install energy efficient low voltage lighting kits at your local garden store to dress it up for evening. Avoid harsh lighting. Soft, indirect light adds a lovely appeal.

It is most important to monitor your garden regularly, checking for weeds or disease and faithfully tending to their needs. Watering should be applied deeply and thoroughly and only when the soil becomes dry should you re-water. Try to group plants like flowers or vegetables that need more frequent watering together.

If you follow these tips to successful landscaping you should find you have the yard you have aspired to, one that will provide healthy plants in an aesthetic setting that compliments your home and the neighborhood beyond your expectations