| Does this sound familiar? You have been dreaming of | | | | get overwhelmed and panic because the yard isn't all |
| being a home owner and have just moved into your | | | | done within a planned long weekend or two week |
| house. You look outside at your backyard and | | | | vacation. So many beautiful sunny days of spring and |
| suddenly realize there are no trees, there is no lawn | | | | summer rapidly become war zones as artificial |
| and there is nothing but a lot of dirt. It's not the | | | | deadlines and expectations are not met, the financial |
| wonderful backyard you grew up with and you feel | | | | stress and of course physical stress of moving |
| pressured to have the same or better than what your | | | | materials and digging dirt further frays the nerves of |
| parents or grandparents had accomplished. For many | | | | what was once a happy family unit. By creating a long |
| this is the first hint that something called work is | | | | term plan, divided into smaller tasks the gardening and |
| involved. If it isn't handled properly, this can lead to | | | | landscaping experience becomes less stressful and |
| some serious long term relationship issues in your | | | | much more satisfying. |
| household. Here are some valuable tips to make your | | | | 5. Divide the plan into smaller projects |
| dirt pile into your personal retreat. | | | | Smaller projects mean smaller cash outlays and more |
| 1. Survey your turf | | | | doable projects. Since you have a long term plan, you |
| Walk around your lot as a family. Look at how the | | | | already know where things are going to go. Now you |
| road looks or the rest of the houses look from | | | | can divide the plan into smaller projects. You can say |
| different vantage points. This also means that if you | | | | as an example; a) plant the trees, b) put in the grass |
| can see these things, you also can be seen from | | | | on the front yard only, c) get the back patio done, and |
| those places back into your yard. Note which way the | | | | then d) build a fire pit. I suggested planting the trees first |
| wind usually blows around your house and yard. You | | | | because they benefit from a longer growing season |
| will get a sense of what is a sheltered or exposed | | | | and once you have fences up, it's harder to get a |
| part of your yard. Note where the sun rises and sets | | | | larger tree into your back yard. Grass installation was |
| in your yard. This gives you a sense of where you | | | | suggested next since it helps to keeps the weeds |
| have a lot of sun and where you have a lot of shade. | | | | away, the dust level around your house down and |
| Repeat this procedure several times, even over | | | | when children or pets are running in the mud, grass |
| several weeks if you need to. | | | | makes a good cleaning barrier. Putting in grass is a |
| 2. Visualize your activities | | | | rather big project so do it in smaller portions, especially |
| Once you have made these notes (mental or written) | | | | when installing sod by yourself. It is better to purchase |
| you now have a sense of what you can do with your | | | | smaller quantities since rolled up sod doesn't store well |
| space. Start to think where you intend to have the | | | | after 24 hours. When you do things as smaller |
| garden party, where the swing set will be, where you | | | | projects, it gives you the satisfaction that you |
| want to put your flower bed, vegetable garden, | | | | accomplished what you set out to do and you still |
| compost bin, pond, patio and or hot tub. Since you | | | | have some time and energy to be a family. |
| have already a sense of the effect of the elements in | | | | 6. There are no mistakes |
| your yard you now know where these activities can | | | | The greatest fear of many homeowners and |
| be located. Take time to experiment and discuss as a | | | | gardening newcomers is that they might do things |
| family, the possible options of how these objects and | | | | wrong. Gardening and landscaping is never about |
| activities interact. | | | | perfection. It is about trying new things, creativity, |
| 3. Do some research and compare notes | | | | experimentation, optimism and evolution. You are |
| Understand the growing conditions in your community. | | | | dealing with Nature. Your task is to make an area your |
| Do you have lots of rain? Are the temperatures | | | | special place. You can learn to work with plants, soil, |
| variable? How long is the growing season? What is | | | | drainage, watering and fertilizing basics but many things |
| the ground soil really like? See what people are doing | | | | are simply out of your control. You can't help it if there |
| in established neighborhoods. Go to the library, the | | | | is a hail storm or early winter frost. Sometimes the |
| garden center, or on a horticultural tour. Ask owners | | | | stone path you made shifts. You simply use it as a |
| about their yards, what they think turned out and if | | | | reason to be outside and in your yard. The first |
| they had to do it again what would they change. | | | | season can be the most daunting, but as the years go |
| 4. Create a long term plan | | | | by, the garden will take on a wonderful lived in quality. |
| Think of this as a two to three year plan. Generally, | | | | Stay focused and remember why you wanted a yard |
| people build a house with the idea that they are going | | | | in the first place. Be gentle with yourself and your |
| to stay there until their nestlings have left. The happy | | | | family and you all will be able to enjoy that yard before |
| fantasy ends because many times the homeowners | | | | you know it. |