Winter Is a GREAT Time to Plan

It’s too cold to do much in a garden, but that means it’s a perfect time to plan your future Earth-saving yard.

Saving the planet is a fabulous goal, and very doable.  But, it’s your yard, and it’s hard not to want it to look good, too.  Fortunately great visual results can be achieved with a tiny bit of planning.  In fact, the visual results can be so stunning your neighbors will be pleased, too.

Let’s get started!

First, take a walk around your yard on a nice day.  From the street, side yard, all the way at the back of the yard, gaze around.

Note areas that are, in a word, boring, most especially, boring to birds and pollinators-all areas with limited vertical heights are inevitably boring.  Also take note of areas where nothing with deep roots, tall branches, etc. should be allowed, such as over buried lines or septic field.

Height variation, species variation, and a tiny splash of lawn create a lovely view - and Mother Nature is pleased.

Consider what areas would be improved by changing from boring lawn, etc., to a dynamic life-enhancing area.  For many, the back of the yard just limps into another yard, with no eye candy whatsoever.  Perhaps it’s a great place to create Earth beds!  Some trees, shrubs, and other plants will improve the view for both you and your neighbors, while cutting down on mowing and - blessedly - providing an area for small, but precious, creatures like birds, butterflies, and lightning bugs.

Other yards - way, way too many yards - the view from the street is staggeringly monotonous, with only a token tree and despairing shrubs hugging the house.  Happily, some well placed trees, shrubs, etc., will enhance the view from the street, distinguish it from the millions of other clones, and make Mother Nature sing with joy.  A little imagination and you’ll find your neighbors are delighted.  You may find they make an effort to pass your yard on their walks just to enjoy the view.

Here a front yard offers a refreshing view.  Note the interplay of shade and sun, one of the keys to landscape success, according to Frederick Olmsted, who designed New York’s famous Central Park. This home sold in less than a week at full price, despite its near invisibility from the street.  What sold it?  The yard.

Don’t spare sideyards, either.  Sideyards are surprisingly important to the overall look of the yard.  Consider a landscape painting.  It’s likely the focal point is near center, and draws your eyes back, but there is, with virtual certainty, interest on the sides of that view.  Sideyards enhance views, and, since they’re virtually never the spot you want a playset for the kids or a patio, simply fantastic for yard improvement.

Here a mixture of evergreens provides shelter for many birds in a side yard.

Now you know areas that could be improved.  That’s a great start!

You’ll find recommendations galore online to, at this point, get out graph paper or purchase some amazingly expensive and hard to use program to make a yard plan.  If you’re a professional landscaper, you need these to impress your customers.  If you’re not, joyfully, you can skip all that.  If you’ve got some paper and a pencil, perhaps a ruler if you just feel the need for straight, straight lines, you’ve got all you need to make an excellent yard plan.  And… even better… because it’s not so elaborate or expensive, you won’t be afraid to amend it as time goes on and your plantings grow and give you joy.  Some may skip the whole “put it on paper” project, too, and that’s fine, but putting it on paper does keep the goals firmly in mind as time goes on.

Here a front yard offers trees, shrubs, flowers and an open view from the street.

But… before you do that, consider your goals for your planet-friendly yard.  What small, even endangered, creatures do you want to help with your landscaping? Birds?  Pollinators?  Lightning bugs? Children?  All will be helped by your sensitive landscape, so, while you are planning what will look best to our human eyes, taking note of what they like will help enormously.  Fortunately, for the most part, they all like similar things, so feel free to plan with abandon.

Most artists take time with their creations, often changing them as they go and the original idea takes shape and takes off.  Give yourself that freedom!  Just as you might move furniture in a room, or change the pictures, or paint another color, consider your yard to be something that expresses your personality and helps our world - and the future of all living creatures upon it.

Future posts will contain “plans” for back yards, side yards, front yard beautification, and what works best with what.  Because it can be difficult to complete large projects all at once, the plans will show starter area, expanded areas, etc., so that you can always have nice Earth Beds and happy neighbors.  Best plants for these situations will be listed, although you can always pick others and have some fun!  It’s your yard!  Share it with joy.