Instructions

1

Take photographs of your yard as it is now. Having the pictures in front of you is helpful while you plan your landscaping, and they provide a nice comparison when the job is all done.
2

Sit down with a pencil and a large piece of paper. Sketch a picture of your yard as it looks now. Draw in the things that you would like to do in your landscape such as the placement of flower gardens, bushes, fountains and other features you would like to add.
3

Keep your budget in mind when planning your landscaping. If money is a limiting factor decide what part of the yard is the most important to you and start there. Do more landscaping as funds become available.
4

Consider ground covers other than grass for some areas of the yard. Moss, Clover, Ferns and other flowering or non-flowering ground covers are nice additions to large yards, and cut down on the amount of time spent mowing.
5

Add rock gardens to fill in unused space in your landscape. Rock gardens can be filled with low-maintenance plants, and the rocks themselves provide an attractive accent to the landscape.
6

Plant perennials everywhere you can so you don't have to bother with putting annuals in every year. Most perennials spread over time, and then you can divide them to have new plants for other gardens.