Yard Re-do #1

We've lived here for seven years--almost. It's a great house, with a (now) great yard.
See my cute Mother's Day pots?

We did that-and the new mulch--and this!

Point being--if I can do this, so can you! I must first say my knowledge is, at least in part, due to my awesome friends at the Jordan Valley Home and Garden Club. They inspire me each time I see them, and they are awesome. Thanks Cynthia, Emily, Roxine! Thanks to the many other teachers who have helped me grow (pun intended :)) this year!

Our yard wasn't always so great. And some day, there will be weeds again. I'm here to help you break down the HUGE task of re-landscaping (it's a scary word, so replace it with something like re-do or fix if that helps) your yard so you will LOVE it as much as I love mine.

1. Begin with the end in mind. What do you want your yard to look like? What flowers, bushes, trees or art do you want? No ideas--no problem! Drive around the neighborhoods and take pictures; check out landscape design websites; visit local nurseries or the Conservation Garden Park in West Jordan. You will get lots of ideas.

2. Once you know what you want, decide what you don't want. Take out the "Three D's"--anything dead, decayed or dumb (as in you don't like the plant at all and/or you don't like where it's placed in your current yard). If you like a plant, but just don't like where it is, you may be able to transplant it if it's a perennial.

3. Now you should be at the point of your re-design that A) You know what you want and B) You know what you don't want. The next step is making a PLOT MAP of the yard. This is a simple sketch of your yard including it's measurements. Use graph paper if you want to be precise. Otherwise just measure how big your planting spaces are and include what living things you are keeping in the sketch.

Don't go out and buy anything just yet, this the first step in getting your yard the way you want it!