Landscaping and garden design is a tough thing to get into. It takes many years of training and work experience before you can go into a job fully prepared; indeed, many promising amateurs and enthusiasts can get dishearted and even give up when problems arise.

The trick with landscaping planning is to plan ahead, learn from others’ mistakes, and ask for professional advice. That’s where Westwood Ground Maintenance comes in!

We’ve put together this list of mistakes and traps which most beginners struggle with. That way, you’ll know what to expect, and the chances of success are much greater than if you’re unaware of what can go wrong.

Let’s begin!

Tip 1: Plan for Vehicle Access

For anything but the very smallest of garden design and landscaping tasks, allowing for vehicle access is an absolute must. There’s nothing worse in this trade than having to destroy perfectly executed planting schemes and landscaping work because there’s no other way for a vehicle to access the site. Even relatively small jobs can necessitate the use of vehicles – to move utility cabling or pipes, to remove buried stumps, rocks or other materials, etc. Make sure that there’s a way for a vehicle to enter the site in the beginning stages, and close access only when all major landwork is done.

Tip 2: Don’t Overuse Curves

Curves look fantastic on paper, in your imagination, and on extremely large properties. That’s it. Unless you’re lucky enough to enjoy acres of land, keep the curves in your designs to a minimum – perhaps a single, gently waving design which doesn’t overpower your property’s space. Too deep or too many curves in your designs will make your outdoor spaces look cramped, small, and pretentious. Keep it classy!

Tip 3: Call the Experts

There’s no other way to say it; the pros are the pros because they have experience in landscaping planning. Your enthusiasm is a welcome and refreshing thing to see, but a pro will always be able to spot potential hazards and design problems your eyes cannot. It will save a great deal of heartbreak, work, and money to do the job right first time; the only way to do that is to at least get a professional landscape consultant to look over your plans and point out any potential problems. Trust us; you’ll be glad you did in the long run!

That’s all for this month, we look forward to seeing you again in December for our Christmas landscaping special!

Take care,

Westwood Ground Maintenance