While employing a landscape architect is bound to be a profitable investment, it might just turn out to be an enormously expensive one too. Besides, there is nothing better than adding a personal touch to every corner of your house. With plenty of information available on the Internet and in books, designing a landscape garden on your own is not an inhumanely difficult task. Here are some ways in which you can do this.

See what you already have/don’t have
Review your resources before you start making changes. Consider the present layout of your house before deciding on the design of the garden. Go through magazines to get a clear idea about what you want. Think about the minute details like the plants that you want to add, how colorful should the collection of flowers be, whether you want to incorporate a pathway in your garden etc. The clearer you are about these details, the quicker can you chalk out the basic architectural layout of your garden.

Chalk out your plan
A basic degree in architecture is not required to undertake this task. By using diagrams and basic shapes, you can create a rudimentary sketch of how you want your garden to look. You’re drawing should include what is already there, with the intended modifications incorporated into the sketch. Print out copies of this layout so that you can review the sketch from different dimensions, thereby engaging with the full potentiality of the plot of land. 3D modeling applications like Google Sketchup can be downloaded for free to have detailed technical sketches and layouts of the intended look of your garden.

Move from the biggest to the smallest
With the basic spacial layout figured out, you have a clear picture of how you want your garden to look. But when it comes to placing the different features piece-by-piece, start from the bigger ones like fountains, gazebos and large-sized furniture as they occupy more space and require careful placement too. While positioning them in the sketch, you can also move their position rather than delineating specific areas to them. Once the bigger items are placed, it is easier to tweak the space available to accommodate smaller items.

Plants
Plants are undoubtedly the most important component of any garden. Not only do they impart a green look to the garden but are equally important for providing shade and act as dividers. Visit a nursery to decide on the correct type of plants hat will meet all your requirements. Choose plants that meet your specific weather, light and soil requirements.