How to Plan Your Backyard Landscape: An Easy Guide

Your backyard is an extension of your home, offering opportunities for relaxation and recreation. Effective landscape planning transforms a mundane outdoor living space into a personalized oasis.

Initial Considerations for Backyard Landscape Designs

It all starts with a thorough initial assessment.

Defining Your Goals and Desires

What do you envision for your backyard? Your backyard landscaping ideas should serve your lifestyle and preferences. Consider the following:

• Functionality: Do you need a play area for children, a quiet reading nook, an outdoor dining space, or a garden for growing vegetables?
• Aesthetics: What style appeals to you? Do you prefer a modern, minimalist design, a lush cottage garden, a naturalistic woodland feel, or something else entirely?
• Maintenance level: How much time are you willing to dedicate to upkeep?
• Desired features: Consider specific elements such as a fire pit, water feature, gazebos and pergolas, outdoor lighting, deck, walkways, or an outdoor kitchen.

Assessing Your Current Backyard Space

Understanding your existing site conditions informs design decisions and helps identify potential challenges or opportunities for yourself or a professional landscaper you hire. Important details about your yard to consider include:

• Sunlight exposure
• Soil type
• Drainage patterns
• Existing features
• Utilities and local permits

Budgeting for Your Landscape Project

Establishing a realistic budget early on prevents financial strain and helps prioritize implementing only the most important elements of your design ideas.

• Estimate costs: Research average costs for materials (plants, pavers, lumber, soil amendments) and labor (if hiring professionals).
• Prioritize spending: If your budget is limited, identify which elements are non-negotiable and which can be added later or scaled back.
• Contingency fund: Always allocate an additional 10-15% of your total budget for unforeseen expenses.
• DIY vs professional: Decide which tasks you can realistically handle yourself to save on labor costs, and which require professional expertise. Be honest about your skills and available time.
• Material selection: Material choices significantly impact cost. Weigh upfront costs with ongoing maintenance costs to determine which works best for your budget.

Bringing Ideas to Life

With your goals defined and site assessed, you can now translate your vision into a tangible plan.

Sketching Your Dream Layout

Visualizing your ideas on paper, or by using a landscaping app, is a fundamental step in landscape design. When sketching your layout, consider adding the following:

• Base map: Start with a scaled drawing of your backyard. Include your house, property lines, existing structures, and any features you plan to keep.
• Functional zones: Divide your yard into distinct functional zones based on your desired activities (e.g., dining area, play zone, quiet retreat, garden beds).
• Traffic flow: Design pathways that connect these zones.
• Hardscaping elements: Indicate the placement and approximate size of patios, decks, fire pits, retaining walls, and other non-living elements.
• Planting areas: Outline the general shape and size of your garden beds and other greenery.
• Scale and proportion: Ensure all elements are in proportion to each other and to the overall size of your yard. A small backyard can be overwhelmed by a massive patio, for example.

Considering Key Landscape Elements

Each element in your landscape contributes to its overall function and aesthetic. Consider key elements of your outdoor space like:

• Hardscaping like patios, retaining walls, fences, and gates
• Greenery like trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals garden beds, and groundcover
• Water features like ponds, fountains, and swim spas
• Outdoor lighting

Knowing When to Hire a Landscape Designer

While DIY is rewarding, knowing when to hire a landscape designer can save you time, money, and frustration in the long run. It may be a good idea to consult with a professional if you:

• Lack experience: If you are unsure about plant selection, soil science, construction techniques, or design principles, a designer provides essential guidance.
• Want to optimize your budget: A good designer can help you make smart material choices and prioritize spending to get the most value for your budget. They can also prevent costly mistakes.
• Face time constraints: If you lack the time to research, plan, and manage the project yourself, a professional can oversee the entire process.
• Want to increase your property value: A professionally designed landscape can significantly enhance your home's curb appeal and resale value.
• Have permitting requirements: Some projects require permits. Poynter Landscape Architecture & Construction can help you navigate this process.

Selecting the Right Plants

Plant selection ensures the success and longevity of your landscape.

Understanding Your Climate Zone

The first step in plant selection is knowing your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, which indicates which plants are most likely to survive the winter temperatures in your region. Choosing plants suitable for your climate zone ensures their survival and reduces maintenance. St. Louis, Missouri, is in USDA Hardiness Zones 7a and 6b.

Choosing Plants for Function and Aesthetics

Once climate compatibility is established, focus on how greenery will create stunning focal points. Consider choosing native plants for less maintenance, adding a variety of species and sizes for texture, choosing a combination of evergreen and coniferous plants for year-round interest, and considering light requirements for each plant.

Preparing Your Site & Laying Essential Groundwork

Proper site preparation lays the physical foundation for your landscape, ensuring long-term success and minimizing future problems.

Clearing and Grading the Area

This step involves clearing away unwanted rocks, vegetation, and other debris; moving soil to establish the preferred contours of your landscape, and fine-tuning the grading to achieve your desired backyard slope.

Execution and Installation

This step is where everything begins to finally take shape and you see your vision become a reality.

Phased Approach to Project Completion

Break your project into manageable phases:

• Prioritize big-ticket items: Start with major hardscaping elements (patios, decks, etc.) and large structural plantings (trees, shrubs, etc.).
• Work from the inside out: In most cases, start near the house and work your way outwards to avoid disturbing newly finished areas.
• Seasonal considerations: Plan planting phases around optimal planting times for your region (e.g., spring or fall for many plants) to minimize transplant shock.
• Resource management: Phasing allows you to spread out costs and labor over time, which can be beneficial for DIYers or those with budget constraints.

Consider DIY vs Professional Installation

Deciding who performs the work is a significant decision influencing budget, timeline, and quality.

DIY Installation at a Glance

• Pros: Cost savings on labor, personal satisfaction, complete control over the process.
• Cons: Requires significant time, physical effort, specific tools, and knowledge of construction techniques. Mistakes can be costly and time-consuming to correct.
• Best for: Smaller projects, tasks requiring basic skills (e.g., planting, spreading mulch, simple path laying), or if you have ample experience.

Professional Installation at a Glance

• Pros: Expertise ensures quality workmanship, efficiency, access to specialized tools and equipment, often faster completion, and can offer warranties.
• Cons: Higher upfront cost.
• Best for: Large-scale projects, complex hardscaping, significant earthmoving, intricate irrigation systems, or if you lack the time, skills, or physical capacity for DIY.

Maintaining Your New Landscape for Long-Term Enjoyment

Installation is just the beginning. Ongoing care ensures your landscape remains beautiful and functional for years to come.

Establishing a Regular Maintenance Schedule with Poynter Landscape Architecture & Construction

A consistent maintenance routine is the backbone of a beautiful and healthy landscape.

Daily/Weekly Tasks

• Watering (as needed, based on weather and plant type)
• Deadheading spent blooms to encourage new flowers
• Spot weeding
• Inspecting plants for pests or diseases
• Mowing

Monthly Tasks

• Pruning light growth for shape and health
• Fertilizing (as needed)
• Edging garden beds
• Cleaning hardscaping

Seasonal Tasks

• Spring: Clean up winter debris, prune dormant shrubs and trees, fertilize, plant annuals and new perennials, apply pre-emergent for weeds
• Summer: Regular watering, pest control, continued deadheading, light pruning
• Fall: Rake leaves, cut back perennials, plant spring bulbs, winterize irrigation, apply winter mulch
• Winter: Protect tender plants, inspect for damage, plan for the next season

Annual/Biennial Tasks

• Top-dressing beds with compost
• Major pruning of trees and shrubs
• Checking and adjusting irrigation system
• Power washing hardscaping

Consider partnering with a professional landscape maintenance service, such as Poynter Landscape Architecture & Construction, for larger properties or complex designs. We can provide expert care, from seasonal cleanups to specialized tree and shrub care, ensuring your investment remains pristine and healthy, allowing you to fully enjoy your outdoor space without the burden of extensive upkeep. We also offer expert advice on plant health and long-term design evolution.

FAQs

What questions should I ask a landscape designer?

When interviewing a landscape designer, ask the following questions to ensure a good fit for your project:

1. What is your design philosophy, and how do you approach each project?
2. Can I see your portfolio, particularly projects similar to mine in scope or style?
3. What are your qualifications, experience, and certifications?
4. How do you involve clients in the design process?
5. What is your fee structure, and what services are included in that fee?
6. How long does the design process typically take, from initial consultation to final plan delivery?
7. Do you work with a specific list of contractors, or can I choose my own? How do you manage the construction phase?
8. How do you select plants, and do you prioritize native, drought-tolerant, or low-maintenance options?
9. What is your approach to budgeting, and how do you help clients stay within their financial parameters?
10. Can you provide references from previous clients?

What are some budget-friendly tips for designing a backyard landscape?

Budget-friendly tips for how to design landscaping in your backyard include the following:

• Sketch a simple layout and focus on essentials first.
• Use native, drought-tolerant plants and perennials to reduce water and replacement costs.
• Divide existing plants or swap with neighbors.
• Choose inexpensive materials like gravel, mulch, or concrete pavers for paths and patios.
• Reduce lawn areas to cut maintenance costs.
• Add low-cost features like solar lights or DIY garden décor.
• Hire professional landscapers to assist you when designing a landscape for your backyard.