When you begin to work on the landscaping design idea for your property, think about what plants you like, the functions you want to accommodate and what problems your site has.
Project Steps
What You’ll Need
- 1. Notepad or paper, at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches
- 2. Pencil and eraser
- 3. Ruler
- 4. Compass
- 5. Tape measure, at least 50 ft
- 6. Wooden stakes and string
- 7. Mallet to drive stakes
- 8. Protractor or steel carpenter’s square
- 9. Graph paper, 11 x 14 or larger, 1/4 inch grid
- 10. masking tape
- 11. tracing paper, available in rolls
Draw a Rough Map
On a large notepad, sketch out your yard, including buildings, large trees and shrubs, property lines, fences, utility lines, paved areas, patios, pools, and other permanent features. Don’t worry about accuracy yet. Using a compass, find the direction of north and mark it on the map.
Measure Permanent Objects
Measure the features, such as house and pool dimensions, tree drip lines, spreads of shrubs, and lengths of fences. Add the measurements to the rough map. Also measure and locate windows and doors, as well as outside faucets, lights, and electrical receptacles.
Establish Accurate Locations
Using stakes and string, mark a straight line along a property boundary, starting at one corner. Keeping the tape measure at a 90? angle from the boundary, measure the distance from the boundary to the nearest corners of the house, trees, and other objects on your map. Measure from other boundaries, too, to confirm accuracy.
Transfer Measurements to Graph Paper
With a ruler and pencil, transfer your measurements accurately to graph paper. Use 1 inch to represent 4 feet for small yards, 1 inch to 20 feet for larger sites.
Make Trace-Paper Overlays
Tape the base map to a table or board. Lay sheets of tracing paper over it and make additional maps, each with a different theme, such as sun and shade patterns, slopes, views, gardens, and traffic patterns. Each map becomes a layer that adds detail to the base map but remains separate for clarity.
Article provided by the National Gardening Association
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