Landscaping

Landscaping is an immensely popular art and practice involving improvement of the natural beauty of any given outdoor living environment. It is interesting to find that landscaping as an art dates back to thousands of years ago. This can be evidently witnessed in the ancient Roman homes built from 400 BC to 400 AD which had elaborate courtyards.

The magnificent city gardens found in France in the 1600s and 1700s also speak volumes of landscaping as a form of architecture. However landscaping as a profession began in the mid 1800s and Frederick Law Olmstead is credited as the first professional and father of American 'landscape architecture'.

It is important to remember that the right landscaping design would preserve the features existing as such in the landscape and try to maximize these elements to one's advantage. Done efficiently, landscaping idea can offer cost saving by improving the home energy efficiency by cutting down heating and cooling costs.

Landscaping idea

• Measure the outdoor land area that needs to be landscaped.
  
  
• The water inlet and outlet points and the irrigation facilities available for landscaping must be studied.
  
  
• Conduct a survey of the land and look into the features that already exist such as slope and elevation, soil characteristics and climatic.
  
  
• Landscape designing is the next logical step. This would include a study of the shape, style and theme that are of interest and appeal to its owner.
  
  
• Have sufficient arrangement and fulfill all necessary requirements primary for the various growing plants. For instance, adequate sunlight and appropriate mixture of shade and light are imperatives for plants to grow.
  
  
• Necessary water supply and fertility of the soil have to be considered.
  
  
• Think of water efficient practices while implementing landscaping. Plant in such an efficient manner that water can be recycled and reclaimed.
  
  
• Landscape lighting adds beauty and provides a safe and secure welcoming environment. It is not only affordable and effective but acts as a primary deterrent to residential crimes.
  
  
• A rock garden can replace those areas where grass will not grow. Rock gardens are less cumbersome to maintain.
  

Landscaping design

A landscape design should be aesthetically pleasing and functionally practical. Functionality however takes the upper hand as the landscape design needs to be safe, convenient and usable. Essential elements of science and art blend to create an aesthetically pleasing extension of indoor and outdoor premises. Color, line, form, texture and scale must be used in good proportion. Landscape design principle should also consider certain pertinent factors like unity, balance, transition, focalization, proportion, rhythm, repetition and above all simplicity. These principles interact to yield a coordinated landscape design.

Landscaping tips

• The beauty of the boundary wall could be enhanced by painting on the surface of the walls.
  
  
• Theme based designs such as sunsets, nature, waterfalls and the like could add excitement and contribute to creativity while landscaping.
  
  
• Some landscape architects choose to have stone sculptures that help define the space.
  
  
• A current trend in landscaping design is to have a pond flowing partially into the home building and thus connecting the exterior and interior space.
  
  
• Partially-open patios in the garden add beauty to the landscaping design. They serve as a wonderful place for get-togethers.
  
  
• A landscape rich with flowers and trees with fragrance is always a good option.
  
  
• Bushes help create privacy and also could become background for future flower beds. They guard as screens against snow and windy weathers. Evergreen plants can be selected as border plants. This way a perennial border could be created.
  
  
• For container gardening there are unlimited choices with a variety of color, shape, size and material of which they are made. Planters are available in wood, stone, ceramic, fiberglass, plastic, fiber, brass, and iron, built in or free standing, sculpted, inset, painted, new and used. Innovative containers are buckets, shoes, tires, wheelbarrows, wood stoves, trailers and similar others.
  

Backyard Landscaping

• Almost all backyard landscapes require wildflowers, shrubs and decorative landscaping materials. Fun colors for the tiles attract kids and the backyard could become a wild location for them to play.
  
  
• A tropical getaway backyard could be created with fruit trees and coordinating flowers around. Placing a hammock and perhaps a swing could add a pleasant touch to the backyard.
  
  
• A romantic backyard could be created with a privacy fence, a Jacuzzi or hot tub, sweet smelling candles and soft color exotic flowers.
  
  
• Ideas like solar lighting and waterfall flooring or a fountain can be considered for backyard landscaping.
  

Landscaping contractors

Landscaping contractors help to save money in the long run by putting them in touch with the best local landscape designers available. The landscape designers preview the projected landscape designs with the customer often using landscape software. A brilliant landscape architect can help raise the real estate value by illustrating ideas with interactive landscaping software.