6 Key Considerations for your Landscape Design

Where Do I Begin?

Whether you’re a Landscape Designer, home owner or amateur gardener, you understand that every property comes with a unique set of site specific opportunities and constraints. That’s the beauty of nature – no two properties are the same! 

The design process can be overwhelming, even for those with experience. This is partly due to the endless possibilities but more so because of all the moving parts. There are many things that must be taken into consideration to ensure the final product is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional, cost effective, sustainable and will last the test of time. Below you’ll find 6 Key Considerations for your Landscape Design.

You might ask yourself – What’s the best material to use for my patio?  What species of plant will thrive under my pine tree? How do I prevent my nosey neighbour from peering in? How do I add winter interest? 

Most Important Question of all – Where Do I Begin?  

1. SCOPE OF WORK

The first step is clearly identifying the scope of work, objectives and desired outcome. 

1. What is currently missing from the space? Ie. Shade, Seating, Structure, Colour, Privacy, Planting etc.

2. What is the intended purpose and function(s) of the space? Ie. Lounge, Sports/ Active Recreation, Dining, Cooking, Gardening, Meditation

3. Create a list of features you hope to incorporate in the design. Your list may include any of the following:

Include as much detail as possible in this wish list with the understanding that the end result may not check off all the boxes. There may be constraints (physical site constraints, financial constraints, feasibility etc) that prevent you from having one of more of these features.  

4. Lastly, highlight your main priorities. A hot tub would be nice… but if space (or budget) is restricted, this may not be feasible. Decide which features are non-negotiable and what you’d be willing to part with.

Nature is not a place to visit, it is home

Gary Snyder

2. SCALE

Don’t be discouraged if there’s not much space to work with. A tiny Apartment Balcony can be transformed into an urban retreat. A small rear yard converted to a beautiful oasis. On the other hand, a huge plot of land can fall short due to poor design, planning, execution or spacial analysis.

Extraordinary designs come in all shapes and sizes. It comes down to space utilization and making the most of what you’ve got. Creativity is key! 

That being said, set realistic expectations given the square footage avaliable. It goes without saying you can’t expect a full sized basketball court or swimming pool to fit in your 500 sq. ft. yard. Know your limit… and play within it 🙂 

Another item you may have to take into consideration is mandatory offsets from Property lines. You may be required to maintain a certain distance from the front, side and rear lot lines if you intend to build an accessory structure or pool. The offset will vary based on local by-laws so make sure you have the correct information before you begin the planning process. 

3. SURVEY

Taking inventory of existing conditions is one of the first and most important steps in the design process. A land survey will show the most accurate information and provide a base plan for all disciplines (Architect, Landscape Architect, Civil Engineer etc) to work off of.

Determining Property Lines 

You may be under the assumption that your current fence line delineates the property line. Be aware that this is not always the case as the fence may not have been installed with the guidance of a legal survey. It’s also possible that the fence was intentionally offset in an attempt to preserve an existing tree. Regardless, a survey will clearly outline the property boundary to ensure the extent of work remains entirely on private property. Doing your due diligence means reducing the risk of lawsuits from crazy neighbours.

Mapping the Terrain 

A topographic survey will gather all surface features of a property including the terrain. Measuring elevations on the surface provides content for architects and engineers looking to understand the arrangement of the site. It allows for the mapping of contours, determining slope and understanding the flow of water on the surface. This information is used in the placement of buildings, retaining walls, design of drainage systems and so much more.

Account for Existing Features 

The topographic survey will depict all existing surface features of a property – natural and man made. It will accurately locate existing trees, planter boxes, building footprints/ FFE, walkways, stairs, retaining walls, fences, pool walls etc. 

Utility Locates 

It’s important to know the location of all above and below ground utilities prior to having a shovel hit the ground. Any form of digging or site alternation may be illegal in your area without proper permits or utility locates. Refer to your local by-laws for information. Negligence will not only cause delays but also incur unnecessary costs to restore damages! A few important utilities to note include natural gas lines, water mains, television cables, sewer, hydro lines and poles.

4. SLOPE & DRAINAGE

Why it matters 

You might be asking yourself why the terrain should be of concern. Well for starters, you don’t want your yard to be a ski hill and you’ll certainly want to ensure the ground under your dining table is fairly level. Landscape grading is necessary to prepare surfaces for the intended land uses (planting, walkway, driveway etc). 

Drainage 

Regardless of the building type, contouring of the land should always be done to direct the flow of water away from foundations. This is referred to as positive lot drainage. If water flow is not directed or controlled, it can result in structural damage, flooding and a host of other problems. Without going into detail, understand the two types of drainage you’ll want to consider:

Flat Terrain

Designing on relatively flat land requires thought into how and where runoff will be directed to ensure that pooling of water doesn’t occur. 

To complicate things, you’ll want your patio level… but not flat. A little sloping is necessary to ensure proper drainage. The rule of thumb is that residential walkways should not slope more than 2%. If the slope exceeds 2%, this is where we would introduce steps into the design.

DESIGNING ON A SLOPE

Designing on a slope can be approached in many ways depending on the drop in elevation (rise), material (hardscape vs softscape), the aesthetic you wish to achieve and of course, the budget. Staggered planting is a wonderful way to the slow water flow, anchor a hillside and assist with slope stabilization. Other erosion control methods such as erosion control blankets/mats are available but typically in residential applications the use of retaining walls, terracing and contouring will do the trick.

Retaining walls can come in the form of precast concrete units, natural stone, amour stone/ boulders or poured-in-place concrete. Cost will vary greatly depending on the  material you choose. 

5. SCREENING & PRIVACY

Privacy Along Lot Lines 

Picture this – it’s a beautiful day and you’re enjoying an ice cold drink in your lawn chair. Next thing you know, your next door neighbour and their dinner guests walk onto their patio with a perfect view of you in your swim suit. Perhaps you love your neighbours… but would you want to share a backyard with them? Likely not. Your backyard is meant to be a getaway and a personal retreat. Thus, ensuring a property is adequately screened should be a priority. 

A wood fence may not provide enough privacy where patios are raised or grades are significantly higher in one property than another. Additional screening in the form of planting can be added which will form a dense hedge over time. Selecting an evergreen species such as Cedar will provide winter interest (green year round) and maintain the visual barrier. Many columnar deciduous tree species offer height and coverage, but it should be noted that they lose their leaves part of the year. 

In rural areas where privacy between lots may not be of concern, one might opt for planting large trees along the property line as opposed to fencing. A mix of deciduous & evergreen trees will ensure interest & colour remains through the winter months.

Screening Undesirable Views 

Quite often there may be views within your property that are simply undesirable and unsightly. This can include transformers, storage, mechanical or pool equipment, cables, waste bins etc. In this case, one may consider planting or installing a wood or ornamental metal screen. There are plenty of manufacturers that carry prefabricated screens but if cost is no issue, custom designs could be brought to life with the help of a metal fabricator. 

6. SITE LINES & FOCAL FEATURES

Accent Desirable Views. 

Perhaps your yard backs on to a stunning ravine, meadow or old growth forest. Maybe your rear window offers a glimpse of a historic hilltop church or beautiful city skyline in the distance. In this case, you wouldn’t want to install a dense hedge across the fence line and completely block out the view. 

If your property is not situated next to an alluring landscape, one can create a focal feature. There may be an opportunity to accent an existing tree that exhibits unique bark, branching structure or leaf/ flowering colour. Alternately, one can propose a new specimen tree and ensure it is strategically placed within the landscape.

The best way to accent a tree is through the use of lighting. In ground lights directly underneath and spotlights angled upwards are both techniques that create a dramatic visual.  The positioning of the lighting will effect the pattern of light and shadows.

A focal feature can be any object that grabs ones attention. This could be anything from plants to paving to sculptures and structures. Incorporating large prefabricated planters, urns or sculptures will elevate any garden. Plants can be used to guide one’s eye to a particular feature. For example, a boxwood border (see image above) provides year round colour/ structure while accenting ornamental tree behind.

Stay Tuned for Part 2. The following topics will be covered: