How to Landscape Your Yard – Better Homes and Gardens

Follow our simple steps to learn how to landscape, then transform your outdoor living spaces. By Kelly Roberson

You don't need a degree in horticulture or even a green thumb to learn how to landscape your yard. What you do need is patience and a little bit of inspiration. Nationally known garden designer and author Jon Carloftis breaks it down for gardeners of every skill level.

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BHG: Evaluating a yard -- whether it has some landscape elements or none at all -- can seem overwhelming, particularly for the beginning gardener. How do you even begin to learn how to landscape your own spaces?

Carloftis: If you are just starting out and are not feeling secure with how to landscape, drive around different neighborhoods. See what houses and yards appeal to you and take photos if you can. That really is the best way to start.

BHG: There are so many styles of landscaping -- contemporary, traditional, cottage, to name a few. If you're learning how to landscape and want to pick your style, are there any common elements?

Carloftis: Yes. If you step back and look at the yards that appeal to you, they likely have a good mix of all the various plant types: evergreen and deciduous trees, perennials, annuals, vines, and shrubs with four-season interest. You don't want your house to look bare in the winter, but you'll also notice that the old rules on how to landscape -- only green out front and no flowers -- are out. Nowadays you can do whatever you want.

BHG: That might be what is overwhelming: You can do whatever you want. How should gardeners break down their outside spaces when they are figuring out how to landscape?

Carloftis: There are a couple of things to remember when starting to landscape. First, you need to create a focal point; everything else will work around it. Trees are a good place to start. Go to a nursery and look at specimen trees. You can create a focal point with shrubbery, too. At the same time, consider your neighbors and focus your efforts on your front yard. You don't want to be the one house that brings down the look of the neighborhood.

BHG: After a homeowner has created a focal point, what comes next on the landscape list?

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How to Landscape Your Yard - Better Homes and Gardens