How to Create a DIY Landscape Plan, According to Award-winning Landscape Architects

Creating a DIY landscape plan is one of the best ways to bring structure and purpose to an outdoor project. Whether the goal is a simple garden refresh or a full yard transformation, a clear plan helps homeowners like you make more informed decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and create spaces that look good and function well in the long term.

What is a Landscape Plan?

A landscape plan is a scaled drawing or layout that shows how an outdoor space will be organized. This plan outlines where plants, hardscape features (e.g., walkways, patios, and lighting), and other elements will go before any work begins. A good landscape plan considers how you will use the space, how it will look throughout the year, and how all elements work together. This planning process helps turn ideas into a clear, actionable design.

You can use them for your own reference for DIY projects or share them with hired landscape contractors to better illustrate your wishes for your outdoor space.

The Elements of a Good Landscape Design Plan

A strong landscape design plan includes several key elements:

• Property boundaries and existing structures
• Hardscape features like patios, walkways, and retaining walls
• Softscape elements like trees, shrubs, and planting beds
• Sun exposure and drainage considerations
• Utilities and access points
• Lighting and irrigation placement

When these elements are mapped out together, the design feels intentional instead of pieced together over time.

Benefits of a Landscape Plan

Creating a landscape plan offers several benefits:

• Helps establish a clear budget and priorities
• Reduces costly changes during installation
• Improves long-term functionality and flow
• Ensures plant choices fit the site conditions
• Makes it easier to phase projects over time

How to Create a Landscape Plan in 11 Easy Steps

Step #1: Set a Budget

Always start with a realistic budget that includes some sort of buffer for unexpected costs.

Step #2: Map Your Area

Measure and sketch a basic outline of your yard, including the house, driveways, fences, trees, and more.

Step #3: Define Your Goals

Think about how you want to use the space. Do you want areas for entertaining, relaxing, gardening, or something else? Clear goals help shape the layout and prevent overcrowding the yard with features that do not serve a purpose.

Step #4: Get Inspired

Look for landscaping ideas that match your personal style and the architecture of your home. Online galleries, neighborhood walks, and design templates can help you spark landscape design ideas. Focus on styles, materials, and layouts you are drawn to rather than copying a design exactly.

Step #5: Create Zones

Divide the yard into zones based on use, such as dining areas, lounge spaces, garden beds, and pathways. Zoning helps large yards feel organized and small yards feel more functional.

Step #6: Plan Your Hardscape Elements

Hardscape features provide structure and guide movement through the space. Plan patios, walkways, steps, retaining walls, and other built features first.

These elements often require permits or professional installation, so it is critical that you carefully consider where you will place them.

Step #7: Plan Your Softscape Elements

Once you have decided on your hardscape elements, layer in plants. Start with tree placement before moving on to shrubs, annuals, perennials, and groundcovers. Think about mature plant size, spacing, and how plants will look throughout the seasons. The exact species does not matter at this point; simply brainstorm potential placement.

Step #8: Add Details

Details like landscape lighting, irrigation systems, drainage solutions, and decorative features should be included in the plan. These elements improve usability and help avoid future disruptions once installation begins.

Step #9: Create a Plant List

Build a plant list that includes plant names, quantities, sizes, and spacing requirements. This list helps keep costs under control and ensures consistent plant selection during installation.

Step #10: Set Up a Planting Plan

A planting plan shows the exact location of each plant. This step helps prevent overcrowding and ensures plants have enough room to grow. Group plants together based on how much sunlight and water they need.

Step #11: Finalize Everything

Review the entire plan and make adjustments before starting any work. Confirm measurements, materials, and plant choices. A finalized plan serves as a roadmap for installation, whether the project happens all at once or in phases.

Top 5 Tips for Designing Your Own Landscaping Plan

Tip #1: Factor In Maintenance

Choose plants and materials that match the amount of maintenance you are willing to handle. Low-maintenance landscapes still require care, but thoughtful planning can reduce the time and effort required.

Tip #2: Consider Climate and Soil Type

Plant selection should always reflect local climate and soil conditions, as plants that thrive naturally in your area tend to be healthier and easier to maintain.

Tip #3: Don't Forget Utilities

Power lines, gas lines, sewage pipes, and more can all be not just headaches but potential safety hazards when not accounted for. Always check local regulations and have professionals mark the locations of your utility lines.

Tip #4: Use Seasonality to Your Advantage

A well-designed landscape looks good year-round. Mix plants that offer spring blooms, summer color, fall interest, and winter structure to keep the yard visually appealing year-round.

Tip #5: Know When to Ask for Help

Some projects benefit from professional insight, especially when grading, drainage, structural elements, or long-term planning are involved. Poynter Landscape Architecture & Construction works with homeowners to refine ideas, solve design challenges, and create landscape plans that bring lasting value to a property.

Landscape Plan FAQs

Is there a free program for landscape plans?

There are plenty of free and low-cost landscape design tools available online that can help with basic layouts and early concept planning. Landscape design software like SketchUp Free allows users to create simple, easy-to-read layouts. Other tools like iScape also offer free versions that let homeowners place plants, walkways, and more over photos of their yard.

These programs work best for visualizing ideas and testing layouts, but they have limitations when it comes to grading, drainage, plant spacing, and construction details. For more complex projects, a professionally developed landscape plan provides clarity that free tools often cannot.

How do I incorporate native plants into my landscape plan?

To incorporate native plants into your plan:

1. Research plants native to your region. In Missouri, popular native plants for flower beds include purple coneflower, common milkweed, and aromatic aster.
2. Group plants together based on their needs, such as what type of soil they prefer, how much water they need, and how much sunlight they can tolerate.

How do I choose the right plants for my landscape plan?

To choose the right plant species for your landscaping projects:

• Consider mature plant size, not just seedling or sapling size.
• Consider sun exposure and soil conditions, as different types of plants thrive in different conditions, and the species you're interested in may not be suited to your soil without serious amendments.
• Don't forget about maintenance; poorly cared-for plants can make your yard look unkept.
• Use different types of plants, such as a combination of perennial flowers, ornamental grasses, and sturdy trees, to create visual interest and texture.
• Consider using native plants to attract pollinators to your yard and reduce the time you spend on plant care.

How do I landscape my front yard on a budget?

Some of the best ways our team has found to landscape on a budget include:

• Focusing on a clean layout
• Choosing only a few strong focal points
• Selecting plants that provide multi-season interest
• Phasing the project over time
• Asking for professional help when necessary

If you want expert guidance on a landscape plan, contacting Poynter Landscape Architecture & Construction is a smart place to start.