4. INTEREST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

One of the most natural things to do when thinking about your landscape is to picture it in full bloom on a nice warm summer day – however, just as seasons change, so does the landscape!  When choosing a planting palette be sure to put thought into what it will look like at all stages of the year.  In places like Florida, dormancy is still an issue – though many residents expect Florida to be in constant bloom it depends greatly on what part of Florida you are in. Picking out plants that will stay evergreen and accenting them with ones that will go dormant will help create a consistent appreciation of the landscape.  In places like Colorado where there is a definitive snow season it can be a little easier to accomplish this task in my opinion.  Using evergreens that will take the shape of any snowfall can be a magnificent site.  

5. WATER USAGE‍

Rainfall (or the lack of), availability of irrigation, laws regarding rainwater harvesting and limits of budget should all influence how a landscape design comes together.  While the ideal situation is natural rainfall to nourish the landscape, that is not always the case.  There are many kinds of irrigation from site flooding, to drip irrigation, to spray heads and bubblers.  Depending on whether there is a city water system to tie into or the ability to drill a well can determine whether or not an irrigation system would be a good choice.  City water tends to be more expensive, while a well will likely assume more up-front costs, but save money in the long run.  In Colorado there are restrictions on the limits of rainwater allowed to be collected (essentially a two rain barrel max which cannot exceed 110 gallons).  Thought should also be given into the cost of monthly water usage bills if using irrigation, initial installation and ongoing maintenance.  If not going for a totally xeric and native landscape the ideal combination would be a mixture of natural rainfall coupled with an irrigation system that would not have to run daily.

6. LIGHTING

Lighting too often becomes one of the last things thought about when designing a project.  That is an absolute missed opportunity.  Lighting can make or break a project and its intended use.  Not only can a lack of lighting be a security issue it can be a potential injury waiting to happen.  Aside from the cautionary uses of lighting, if done properly it can transform a space into a beautiful nightscape.  There are many ways to light a landscape and methods on how to highlight certain features of a project or create an ambiance suitable to the project. Another thing to remember is the fixtures themselves (when using path lighting or more artistic lighting fixtures) can become an interesting part of the overall look of the site during the day and then come alive once the sun starts going down.  KICHLER lighting has a great page on landscape lighting techniques which can be found at: https://www.kichler.com/tips-guides/landscape-lighting-guide/landscape-lighting-techniques/  

7. COLOR, TEXTURE, BLOOM TIMES

Just like all design forms color and texture are paramount in creating a solid piece of work.  The added layer in landscape design is the ability of the scene to change from season to season on its own accord.  Things to keep in mind are how things will look next to each other at all times of the year.  For those who prefer landscapes which are monotone the right choice of textures need to be matched in order to alleviate visual boredom.  Choosing shades of green, large and small leaf foliage and the use of ornamental grasses can become an intriguing choice.  On the other hand, for those who like more color researching when and how long things bloom will help create a vibrant look for all seasons.  Placing alternating species near each other will allow for something to be blooming most of the year.