Landscape Planning
Do-it-Yourself or Professional
Landscape Installation Site Analysis
Table of Contents
All Utility Lines should be located on the site. Gas, water
lines, telephone lines, satellite dish lines, buried piping, and auxiliary
electric lines are the main concern. If you call the One Call System
(1-800-242-1776), their people will paint the gas, water, electrical and
phone lines. Don't rely on guesses!
Make sure you know how all surface water will flow on your property.
It should flow away from your home, walks, patios and landscape beds. Use of a
transit works the best; however, a good ball of twine and a line level is easy
to use and less expensive. The goal is to have at least a 2% grade drop toward
your drainage area. Formula: 2" every 8' or ¼" per foot.
All down spouts from the home should be connected to Schedule 40
4" pipe, buried and directed toward the prepared drainage area. Yard drains should be used to drain problem wet spots.
The first decision that should be made is whether your existing soil is good
enough for planting shrubs and lawn. This can be accomplished by taking a soil
test and sending it for analysis. It is important to know the type of structure
underneath the existing soil (example: ledge, heavy rock, or poor
sub-soil). We
recommend 12" of good topsoil. You may be able to get away with 4" of
topsoil, if you have good sub-soil underneath. Depending upon this analysis you
may need to consider irrigation. * Remember, having the proper depth of good soil
is critical for the best growth results of your plants.
How are you going to get your landscape materials to the project site?
Most
times this is not a problem, but remember, if a substantial amount of topsoil or
gravel is necessary, this will be delivered in large tri-axle truck that you do
not want to go across your driveway. Think also about access for transport of
shredded bark, large plants and patio/walkway materials.
Project Analysis
Take Measurements of Site
Take measurements of the site defining permanent structures and walkway/patio
areas. Then write it down on paper. *Onionskin paper and an architect scale will help you do this properly.
- Small Children - Do you have small children or are you planning to have children? If so, you
will probably want a decent size lawn area or even a swing set. Future planning
is the key here!
- Pets - Plan accordingly for pet activity, particularly dogs! You may want to utilize
an invisible fence or other means of keeping pets out of the newly landscaped
areas.
- Lifestyle - Will you be utilizing a certain area for entertaining? How much time do you
want to spend maintaining your landscape? Using mass plantings of plants that
will eventually fill the landscape areas will cut down on weeding and pruning.
Many people landscape the front of their home extravagantly, but don't do
much in the back yard where they will be spending most of their time. Be aware
of views from the inside of the house. You will view your landscape from inside
the house more than you will outside.
You Need a Master Plan!
- What do you want your landscape to look like in 10 years, in 30 years?
- Future Items - Are you going to have a pool or a hot
tub? Are you going to have children or pets? Plan for the future!
- Do Landscaping in Stages - Once a master plan is established, you might avoid the worst thing
that can happen - removing landscaping done 5 years previously because you did
not have a master plan.
- Screening - Is there an obnoxious view or a privacy issue you need to screen?
See Rave's
Screening Plants & Trees
- Walkways & Patios
- Where do you need a walkway? Does it need to be formal or just
steppingstones? How wide should it be? A main front walk should be 4' wide and
flair to 6'-8' wide at the driveway and entrance to the house. Secondary
walkways should be 3' wide or wider. Steppingstones should be 2' or wider.
- Where would you like a patio? How large should it be? Do you want to have
patio furniture on the patio? If so, make sure the patio is large enough. Will you
need steps to get to the patio or from the patio to a walkway? Make sure the
steps are wide enough.
- What materials do you want to use for your
patio? Brick, flagstone,
concrete, block brick, etc.
Whatever material you pick,
make sure it goes with the house. Color of
material could make or break the whole landscape job. Choose wisely!!
See Rave's Walkways & Patios
-
Plant List
Make a list of plants you want to see in your landscape.
- Evergreens
Remember, Northeastern Pennsylvania has 6 months of cool to
cold weather. ix enough evergreen in your design so your landscape does
not look barren in this time
period. There are
other plants with visual
interest in this period such
as ornamental grass, dense
twiggy flowering shrubs, and
trees or plants with
interesting bark, berries or
unique structure. See Rave's
Evergreen Shrubs and
Evergreen
Trees
- Progression of Bloom
There are plants that bloom as early as late February and as late as early
November. If you have the space, there could be something in bloom at almost all
times from late February to early November.
- Do You Have a Deer Problem?
If so, there are plants that they will not bother as well as plants that can
be sprayed to prevent grazing. The second
worse thing you can do is to have landscaping installed and eaten to the ground.
See Rave's Deer Resistant
Plants
- Do You Have a Wet Area?
That cannot be solved or too costly to solve. There are plants that will
tolerate this. See Rave's Wet Tolerant Plants
& Trees
- Walls
Do you have grade issues and need a wall? What materials do you want the wall
made out of: fieldstone, block wall, concrete, brick or other? Think about which
materials will look best with your home, walkways, and patio. What color will
look the best? See Rave's Walls
-
Water
Gardens
Would you like a water garden? Would you like a waterfall or fountain in it? Do you want fish or water plants? You will need a source of electricity. What
kind of filter system do you want? See Rave's Water Gardens
-
Landscape Lighting
Will you ever want landscape lighting? If so, run conduit now.
It could be
installed later. Keep it subtle. Don't have so much light airplanes will attempt
to land there. Keep path lights minimal and try up-lighting specimen plants
and trees for reflective light
instead.
See
Rave's Landscape Lighting
How much do you want to spend? Remember to start with a master plan.
It can be
done in stages! Don't shortchange your project by cutting too many corners. Figure out a rough budget you are willing to spend over the life of the project
whether it is an instant gratification project or a 10 year project.
A lot to think about, right? We
can help!
Rave Landscaping can
handle the entire job or Rave Discount Plant Center has horticultural
design experts with over 100 Years Combined Experience to help with your
do-it-yourself project. Call Us at (570) 675-4537 |
