Landscaping is the first item that most visitors see when arriving to a property. Landscaping can provide both homes and commercial properties with a great first impression.
When a landscape is professionally installed, make sure it is a great modern design that is clean and well planned. The landscape design should encompass clean lines. It should also include flowers that bloom throughout the year, and woody plants that don’t get too big for the intended space.
When choosing a landscape design company, choose a landscape architect that listens to the the homeowner’s ideas. A good landscape design will incorporate the ideas of the homeowner with a professional design and installation.
Landscape Design: Where to Start?
The first step in starting a landscape design is measuring the area and accounting for the characteristics the space has. Important landscape elements to take account of include sun exposure, landscape drainage, closeness to a street or parking lot, and the accessibility of the area.
The location of the landscape will determine what landscape plants can be installed. Do not place sensitive plants next to streets or lots where snow is piled or salt from snowmelt operations can kill plants. Throughout Des Moines, we have seen landscapes where snow gets pushed to ends of parking lots. The snow removal equipment can push trees over or bury plants which ends up killing them. A good landscape designer will keep ideas such as this in mind when making the landscape drawings.
Communicate with the Landscape Designer
When doing a landscaping consultation, it is important that the homeowner conveys all the future plans and wish list items to the designer. This can help the designer accommodate future wish list items such as hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, and pools. When planning landscapes, these projects can be designed in phases to create a budget friendly landscape that is affordable.
Another reason to plan is to make sure all the appropriate landscape infrastructure is in place for future projects. A great example of this which we routinely do is to bury conduit while building landscapes. By burying conduit for future projects, the homeowner can avoid having to tear out landscaping in the future. Conduit can be used to run electrical wire for outdoor bars and outdoor kitchens.
Physical Drawings or Computer Software?
In Iowa landscapes, some companies will physically draw the landscape plans on paper. Other companies, such as TeBock’s Landscape uses landscape design software to generate the plans. This allows us to show the customer 3D renderings of what the landscape could look like. It also allows us to do a computerized walkthrough of the landscaping so the customer can visualize what the finished product might look like.
The first step in designing the landscape is determining what the focal point of the landscape is going to be. This is the piece of the landscape that the homeowner or designer want to stand out and be noticeable. This can be items such as a retaining wall, a water feature, a topiary, a limestone cube, or a specific portion of the house.
Once the landscape focal point is determined, you want to choose elements that will work together in the landscape rather than clash. For example, if you would like Iowa Buff Landscaping, you would not want to mix Eden stone in the landscape since the colors would not flow well together. A good landscape design should be one that is consistent and flows well.
In addition to the focal point, you want to create a landscape that has balance. Balance in the landscape is achieved by selecting plants that will compliment each other. One might want to have a tall focal point such as a tree topiary on the corner of the house and to balance the topiary you would want to select shrubs that don’t get as tall as the topiary but bloom at the same time.
What USDA Planting Zone is Des Moines in?
When selecting plants for landscaping in Des Moines, you will want to choose plants that are correct for our Iowa planting zone. Des Moines is in the USDA Zone 5a to 5b, depending on which side of the metro your project is located on. After the large plants (trees and shrubs) are selected, you will want to choose perennials for the area. A good landscape will have perennials that bloom in all three Iowa growing seasons, spring, summer and fall.
When working on Des Moines Iowa landscaping, you will want to choose the proper form for your landscape. Form is defined as how to landscape flows and lines and shapes that are used in the design. Modern landscapes are designed with straight lines and sharp corners. Informal landscapes are designed with curves and gentleness in mind. Informal landscapes tend to flow with the terrain of the yard and are soft.
When planning a landscape, best practice is to not combine multiple types of landscapes into one. Do not use sharp lines mixed with curves as that can create a messy, non-professional design.
Plan Your Landscape Design with the Future in Mind
Landscape design also goes beyond the present. You want to plan your landscape for the future as well. Items to keep in mind include landscape maintenance, landscape drainage, and how the landscape will look throughout the seasons.
When meeting for the landscaping consultation, it is critical to identify how the customer would like to maintain their landscaping. Some customers want a maintenance free landscape while others like to complete landscape maintenance yearly. For low maintenance landscapes, choose items such as river rock and shrubs and for higher maintenance landscapes choose mulch and mixture of both perennials and annuals.
When choosing the location of the landscaping, you will also want to assess the characteristics of the landscape drainage. If the area is constantly wet, choose perennials that can tolerate the wet soil such as bee balm and iris. If the area is prone to constant flooding, a French drain can be installed and the rain gutters from the house can be buried to reduce the volume of water in the landscape.
Outside-the-Box Landscape Design
A creative landscape designer will look out of the box for solutions to landscape drainage as well. An Ankeny landscaping project that we designed a few years ago consisted of a dry stream bed. The dry stream bed was composed of various types of rocks and boulders. The dry stream bed was designed to help channel the water through the customers back yard in a controlled fashion and when it rained, the water would flow through the rocks and wouldn’t erode the soil in the back yard.
A good landscape design should also account for what the landscaping will look like during various points in the season. Just because a landscape will look beautiful in the summer doesn’t mean it will look good in the winter. A great landscaper will design a landscape that looks good throughout the season.
To achieve a great year-round landscape, chose a variety of evergreens and plants that will have fruits in the winter. Pine trees stay green year-round and add a critical design element in the winter when most things are either white from snow or brown from being dormant. Other plants that add winter interest may have berries in them, such as a serviceberry or a holly. These shrubs have bright red berries in the winter which also add a unique color and provide a unique interest point when the landscape is lacking color.
What Will Your Landscape Design Look Like at Night?
Many people only think about what the landscape will look like during the day. They fail to account for what it could look like at night. When designing landscapes, also include landscape lighting in the design. Landscape lighting can be used to illuminate pathways and patios or can be used to accent trees and shrubs. A West Des Moines Landscaping project we installed used landscape lighting to illuminate a retaining wall and water fountain installed by TeBock’s Landscape. This provided a great landscape space for night-time entertainment the customer loved to showcase.
As can be seen from this article, there are a lot of factors that go into landscape design in Des Moines, IA. For large landscapes, leave the design to a professional landscaping company who can work on the project from concept to installation. For a free simple landscape design, contact TeBock’s Landscape so our knowledgeable landscape design team can transform you front yard landscape or your backyard landscape.
