With the market in favor of so many new homeowners purchasing their dream home, there also comes new responsibility to not only take  care of their new purchase, but the piece of land that their home is upon. Not only do you want your home to stand out amongst your neighbors but you also want it to look welcoming, inviting and worth stopping and staring at. If you’ve never tried designing a landscape before, the options and choices to make can become a bit overwhelming. For example, some common questions can be what type of path do you want to have such as straight lines or curved? Do you want specific plants and if so where should you be placing them? How about accessories such as planters, bird paths or benches? Designing the space is just like you would be designing a room inside your home. There are a few tips below to help get you started.

1. Needs Vs Wants – Just as you made this big decision when it came to purchasing yoru dream home, you also create a list for what your lawn should look like. Do your kids need an area to run around play? Are you thinking about trying gardening to grow your own fruits and vegetables? How about some entertainment areas where you can gather loved ones? Take a look at the yard that you have and just think about what you could do with the space that you have. These can help determine your needs and wants as well if things won’t line up or fit correctly in your space. Thinking of your needs and wants also is determined by location and not only if you can fit it but where do you want it placed. Does your backyard get a lot of sun but the front does not? Make sure to put the gathering area that you are thinking about in a shaded location so the sun doesn’t beat down on everyone and make them uncomfortable.

2. Think Of A Focal Point: While you might be looking at your yard, also consider a focal point you can view in a 360 degree area. Do you want to put a fountain in the middle of the yard? Is there a space in your home you want to emphasize and can do so by adding small plants around that area? Let that design draw your attention to that specific item or location to share. 

3. Start Small: Part of designing and thinking about what is going to work in your yard is actually starting. I would start small and work from there. Begin by planting a small garden or a few flowers and see where that might lead you. Take your time and enjoy the process of planting your flowers and then seeing where that leads you a few days down the road. If you like it, begin by branching out and adding a small bench near by, potted plants or a string of lights. See how simple that was! 

Image: Onorato Landscaping, LLC 

4. Hire A Professional: If in any time of the process of figuring out what is going to work best for your property, there is no question that you’ll want to seek out the professionals to get the opinion and even a price point to help if you need it. Living in New Jersey, there are some excellent landscapers but one I admire is Onorato Landscaping, LLC . These professionals are second to none when it comes to creating some beautiful and friendly designs for your backyard or front yard. Not only are they creative, helpful and trusting but they also provide excellent lawn care in the Bergen County area. They are a full-service hardscaping, landscaping and lawn service company that delivers value to both their commercial and residential customers. Marc Onorato who is the founder has over 10+ years working for a premium garden center and develops services that are sure to impress everyone. 

As a reminder to all beginners, take your time and be patient. There are so many thins to keep track of such as your kids, pets and temporary ideas that you’ll want to try and get done. There are also a lot of things to consider such as tracking in mud, using mulch or any tips to help figure out what you want. You can always change your mind and be open to change if you don’t like where things are located.