House and Garden Design Ideas

The design and implementation of a plan for a beautiful yard and garden can set your home apart. It can also have other important advantages, including increasing the value of your home, reducing the cost of creating and increasing satisfaction while reducing the time required to keep it beautiful and personal.

There are many ways to create a design plan for a yard and garden including hiring a custom designer, purchasing and using design software, or by doing your own research through the many magazines and do-it-yourself books. The goal is to upgrade a yard or garden from poor or average to good or excellent. It has been researched and proven that the monetary return can be anywhere from 7 to 14% when a home is sold. It may be the attraction that sets your home above the competition when you decide to sell your home.

There are many ideas to consider when creating a yard and garden design. The most obvious is cost and time. You will also need to consider the size of the area, your personal style and environment you live in. It has been common practice to have a lawn mainly of grass and a garden of green plants. Alternatives can include choosing to use natural elements, planning for maintenance efficiency, adding a variety of height and size, and choosing décor to highlight the natural plantings of your yard and garden. In this economy, another option is to consider ways to add a vegetable garden to the décor of your yard and garden, either by area planting or container gardening.

A well designed yard and garden should include color. When choosing plants for your design, remember to give serious consideration to their life span and their space requirements. You need to evaluate the amount of sun, shade and water your areas provide and what plants work well in those environments. You also need to consider the variety of color and color compliments. Ask a garden specialist or a university extension agent if you need help.

Gardens can also provide décor to attract birds. Many people are bird enthusiasts, but even those of us who know little about birds can enjoy their playful antics and enthusiasm for life. There is a wide variety of garden décor items that entice our feathered friends to make your yard and garden home-such as bird feeders, bird houses and bird baths. These are not the only garden décor items that add to the eye appeal of a garden. You should also consider figurines, statues, trellises, stepping stones, lights, and planters. Each should be chosen according to your style and design.

With your special touch, your yard and garden will be an extension of your home where you and your family will enjoy time together. If done correctly, your yard and garden design planning will reduce having to re-plan and replant at a later time. It will add to the curb appeal of your home and provide a place of comfort and joy.

A lot goes into moving into a new home. It can be an exciting, exhaustive, and sometimes scary process for not only the new first timer, or for the well-seasoned owner who's moved more than a few times in their lives. The amount of energy, money, and time spent moving and eventually establishing yourself into your home and your community are well worth the effort- and that includes how you change and establish your outdoor landscape and garden areas.

The property the house sits on deserves the same attention as the house itself, and for many, a lot of pride is taken into making their landscapes and gardens not only their own, but also well-kept and attractive. But starting from nothing or something unattractive, overgrown, or simply something that doesn't work can be a daunting task.

Here are some basic landscape and garden design tips for the new homeowner and even some execution ideas for the sake of organization.

Please note: Before you begin any changes in your landscape, make sure you're aware of existing HOA bylaws or covenants in your neighborhood.