Landscaping ideas > Info > Landscape design resources

Landscape design resources

When it comes to landscape design and all there is to learn about the subject, you may find yourself feeling slightly overwhelmed. However, that is what landscape design resources are for. Whether you are simply trying to plan a do it yourself project, or if you are a seasoned landscape designer. There is always something new to learn! However, you can often times find yourself searching, and searching, and searching the internet for the answers to your questions. All without obtaining a single answer. For this reason we have compiled some of the most helpful hints and resources from around the internet, allowing you to find everything you may need within a single page.

While there are a few methods of obtaining the resources you need, there are only a select few that are available to the public. One such resource is the internet, often times the all-knowing hub of questions and answers. However, the one true downfall to researching such a broad field on the internet is; simply that you will have to narrow down your search through smart keywords. Yes, it seems simple enough; but if you have no clue what you are looking for, you can find yourself spending hours on end trying to research soil and how to maintain it properly. (Especially since the soil consistency and maintenance will depend greatly on your geographical area.)

Another local resource you have at your beck and call is your local garden center! They are a know-it-all version of ask.com (where the search engine will determine what sites are best suited for you, all with one simple well-phrased question), with the personal touch that you may need. Your garden center associates (or nursery staff) will have all of the information on your exact location. However, if you are researching for a friend out of state. You might find that you are out of luck when it comes to this knowledge base.

Tip one: Remember that it is important to dig up some of the dirt on your local soil! This is the base of all landscape design. Without properly nutritious soil, it is a moot point to plant any life within your garden or yard.

One of our first landscape design resources for you, is the knowledge on soil. While it might sound to be something typical and moot. This is your foundation for any and all good landscape designs. Proper soil conditions is a must for any and all stages of landscape design development. This is usually the first step your landscape designer will take (testing your soil for the proper nutrients) which can and will effect the over-all landscape design process. Simply because they may very well find themselves replacing the soil with a top-soil, along with more extensive tilling to get the dirt where it needs to be. But, why is soil so important?

The answer to the last question is usually one of the most sought after answers in the landscape design resource hunt. However, many people will simply state that it’s the anchor in which your plants rest in. While this is true, it isn’t the whole story.

Chances are if you have taken any kind of basic biology in your lifetime, you know the process of photosynthesis, and the importance soil makes in that process. The soil in which you plant those beautiful flowers should ideally be full of minerals, air, water, and other organic matter that will aid in this common process that plants go through daily. However, not all soil will include all of these properties, thus making it important to aerate your soil through tilling. If you are missing the minerals and other essentials for your plants, they can be replaced by adding a layer of topsoil or even compost.

Want top of the line soil? The most popular soil (and most nutritious for your plants) is referred to as loam. It has an exceptional texture, which allows it to keep a hold of all of those vitals that your plants need. However, if you aren’t sure of the type of soil you have there are a few tests you can run at home to see. To check the texture of your soil, simply moisten it and take it into your fingers. While rubbing them together, you will find it either gritty or smooth. It is important that your soil be nice and moist. This will help to ensure proper air and water get to the roots of your plants.

Tip two: Take improving your soil into your own hand. With our next sought after resource, you will now know how to up the anti with your soil’s ability to feed your plants.

While many landscape design resources will refer you to your local green-house for soil replacement (Or very well ask that you purchase their plant food). Few will tell you how to go about improving your soil’s consistency and ability to provide what your plants need; all organically and within your budget! But why do you need to utilize organic matter? How will it help?

These are two very common questions when people are searching through landscape design resources. The organic matter as a whole is known to help increase soil’s capacity for holding water. Thus making it more efficient in watering your plants (thus making it possible to stop watering every day, because your soil is poor). It can also help to create the over-all pore space that any good soil needs. This pore space will help to aerate the soil, giving your plants everything they need for photosynthesis. However, on the flip side of the coin; organic matter can also help to plug any holes in looser soil. Thus making it possible for the soil to hold onto water.

As you can see, there are many reasons for you to utilize organic matter in your soil, but what exactly is considered organic matter? That’s another simple answer, to an overly asked and under answered question among the landscape design world (especially with do it yourself projects!).

The organic matter that is utilized for soil preparation can vary greatly. While one landscape designer may find the use of local manure helpful, you may not find yourself happy with the pro’s when smelling the local horse herd’s leftovers. Though manure is the most common organic matter used in gardening and landscape design, you can also utilize compost, peat moss, spent mushroom compost, peat humus, and sometimes even composted sawdust. All of which are quite simple to produce within your own back yard. No idea about composting? That’s fine! We have you covered! On this very same website we have gone into the must-know topics of composting, to help your landscape designers and average joe’s like us.

Tip three: Know the ecosystem! Whether you are a landscape designer or a normal person with a do it yourself project in mind. It is important to gain landscape design resources such as information on ecosystems, and how they work. Not only this, but how they play a role in your landscape design scheme.

To better your landscape design, you may opt to find some resources on your local ecosystem. While it isn’t always necessary to know, that knowledge can very well save you the heart-ache of inviting local critters into your yard; all while not knowingly sending out a beacon of ‘welcome home’. This of course means mosquitos among other pesky little critters that you might not be so fond of sharing your newly landscaped yard with.

Some of the other information you may find extremely helpful in your search for landscape design resources are quite simple and commonly known. It is always helpful to know and understand exactly what your home state’s weather can and will effect your overall landscape throughout the years.

Other companies in which you can contact for information on your local area’s weather relating to landscape design are: greenhouse workers, local farmers, nursery associates, as well as your local garden center staff. However, you may very well find that some of your closest friends have already taken an interest in a do it yourself weekend landscape design project. Thus making it possible to gather some personal resources from them as well.

There are several articles on this very website that have been compiled to aid you in the process of learning about landscape design. Thus creating a simple to use resource at your finger tips. Interested in becoming a landscape designer? No problem! We have an extensive article covering all there is to know about the schooling, licensor, and certifications you can expect to face while trying to become a landscape designer.

Unsure on how to compost? Want to learn more about energy saving landscaping? How about annuals versus perennials? Yet again, a resource easily found on this very website. While we aren’t covering all of the topics on landscape design in detail, almost all of your must-know information can be found here. Thus making it easier for you to find and navigate your way into the knowledge you seek! Happy landscaping!

Tip four: Bookmark any web pages that you might come across in your search for landscape design resources. While websites may change frequently, they won’t change as often as your top-searches in the popular search engines.