Landscaping Design Tips
Page 2 Issue 403

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Easily Design And Install Your Own Sprinkler System
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One of the first considerations of your new or refurbished landscaping design should be how you're going to get water to your new lawn, trees, bed areas, and etc.

However, irrigation and sprinkler systems is where I see most do it yourselfers make the most mistakes. It's not hard to design and install your own system but it is easy to make a few serious mistakes without a little guidance.

Now, this is also one step where you can s-a-v-e a lot of m-o-n-e-y. The systems that I install range anywhere from three to thirty t-h-o-u-s-a-n-d b-u-c-k-s.

The point of doing it yourself is to keep this chunk of change in your pocket. Right?

While I know my site lacks in this vital step of information, I have intended to get a step by step out by now. But I can't even seem to get this newsletter out on time.

I'm sorry to say that I still haven't gotten it done. But I am happy to say that I have FINALLY found a new resource that I can point you to. See:

Do It Yourself - DIY - Home Sprinkler Systems

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Pathways
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Where do I begin? This has to be the most common question I get. While there are many ways to design and start a landscape design, I would say that the easiest place to start would be to lay down any path or walkway areas that might be needed. And also access to get to areas you plan on createing.

Paths and walkways can accomplish many functions in your landscape or garden. Their main function, of course, is to create a designated space for people to walk on.

However, in design and as an aid to design, their function could be to guide your visitors to, through, or away from some other area in the garden. Also, they're a great way to break up a vast expanse of lawn, meadow, or bed area.

Imagine the difference of interest that a simple flagstone walkway through the lawn would make compared to just a large plain lawn. Simple!

But first, let's look at walkways in a necessary sense.

Walkways are needed to guide visitors or yourself to and from another area. Observe that almost every home has a walkway leading to the front door, which is, of course, where most folks want to invite guests to come. So landscaping and garden walkways, whether refined (brick, flagstone, etc.) or priative (gravel, mulch, etc.), are necessary to "guide" or "lead" visitors to, through, or away from an area.

So where are the necessary areas where you need other walkways? Maybe from the back door to the alley where you dump the trash. Or from the house to the pool area. Or from the pool area to the kids play area or the outdoor cooking area. You get the picture.

In a design sense.

Now that you have walkways laid out, you can simply design the rest around them. The same goes with driveways and parking areas as well.

You can plant beds on either or both sides of a walk or use it to create borders.

Maybe you plan to place a sitting area at the back of the garden. Of course you'll need a path for you and your guests to get there. But instead of plotting a straight path, why not create a winding tour through other interesting areas of the garden on the way there?

While I recommend screening or turning unsightly areas into interesting areas, sometimes it's just not possible to do so. So why not create a path leading and keeping folks away from these areas? Take them somewhere else in the garden.

Once you lay down walkways, you'll have a good starting frame work for the rest of the design. Now, simply design around it.

Keep in mind that there are a lot of other variables to design around that can help in laying out your hardscape. See:

Landscaping And Garden Planning

Return To Landscaping Tips 403 Page 1

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If you get stuck on your planting scheme, see Pre planned gardens - Plans for creative and economical ways to use pre planned garden designs in your landscaping project.

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That's all for this issue.

Steve Boulden
S&S Designed Landscaping,LLC

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