One of the most exciting parts of homeownership in Needham and Weston, MA, is planning a new landscape design. It is a chance to make your outdoor space the perfect environment to spend relaxing and fun times in for many years.
Know Your Goals
It can be good to start by nailing down exactly what you want to get out of your landscape. One helpful way to solidify your goals is to write down the things that you most enjoy about spending time outside when you’re vacationing or hanging around a friend’s landscape. You can think about some of your favorite backyard experiences, and see if you could incorporate similar features that will allow you to carry over those activities in your own landscape.
Eastern or Western Tradition?
The Eastern way of designing landscapes is more focused on creating a space that celebrates natural elements with curved, flowing borders, gravel or stone paths, water features, and decorative logs. The Western tradition is more about tamed nature, with an emphasis on symmetry, square corners, and straight lines (such as concrete paver walkways).
Perhaps you could unify your landscape design choices with one of these traditions, or working with your landscape designer, you may also find ways to incorporate both traditions to find the right balance for your taste. If you’re struggling to come up with a vision for your landscape, by studying these two styles and deciding which one you like best, you could land on a more clear theme for your landscape.
Getting to Know Your Existing Landscaping
Spending some time walking around and studying your landscape could help you make decisions on how it could be used to its greatest potential. Look for existing features that you can incorporate into your design such as: sunny spots vs. shady spots, soil types, and sloping or flat areas. The more you know about your property, the better you can make it shine.
Also consider any views that you would like to take advantage of. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic mountain in the distance. It can be something simple, like a cherry tree that looks amazing every spring in your neighbor’s yard. You can have your landscape designed to enhance or preserve that nice view.
How Will You Utilize Your Patio?
If you would like to have a patio constructed, location matters. For a patio that will be used as an outdoor dining area, you could have it situated fairly close to the backdoor and your kitchen to make carrying food and drinks outside easier, or you may find that an outdoor kitchen belongs in your landscape transformation. If you want to have the patio as a private space for reading or other solo activities, it can be farther away from the house so that it feels more like an escape.
Related: WHAT TYPE OF PATIO PAVER BELONGS IN AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN IN MEDFIELD, MA?
Who Will Be Using Your Landscape?
Planning for the people who will use your outdoor space will help you to make sure that it achieves maximum use — and that you won’t have trouble getting positive RSVPs for your outdoor entertainment events.
If you have children or plan to have them, you might want to create more open, grassy areas for playtime. For those who love to have garden parties with lots of friends, creating an outdoor bar might be something that will make your landscape more useful. If you love getting your hands into the soil and growing some amazing plants, put in multiple, raised garden beds so that you can have plenty of space to work.