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Landscaping Ideas for the Do-It-Yourself Gardener
By: Heather Colman

Landscaping your garden is not such a difficult task. Many people enjoy doing it themselves. You've just got to have the ideas and know the basic principles of landscape design.

Begin by taking a close look at the gardens and parks in your neighborhood, identifying the consistency, balance, simplicity, proportions, transitions, lines and contrasts in the landscaping designs and the use of plants, garden decor, landscaping fabric, etc. 

Then sit down and make a landscaping plan for your own garden. Take measurements and prepare a sketch. Select a theme and decide the focal points. Provide for irrigation systems, sprinklers and vehicular access.

Decide on the materials, plants, decor, colors, textures and positioning. Keep an eye on the details and take a bold yet simple approach.

Have confidence in yourself and see yourself landscaping your garden as a do-it-yourself gardener. Sound fantastic? Yes, you can do landscaping all by yourself and create a splendid visual. 
Read on.

Landscaping begins with a basic understanding of the principles involved.

Be simple. If you"re doing it for the first time, don't make a complicated plan for landscaping. Select something simple, do it, find out how easy is it. Happy? Try something more complex next time.

Create a theme. This helps you to be consistent. You place things that match each other in shape, size, color, texture and tone. Don't place a big red rock next to a small white one. If you are working on the theme "water", have a fountain or two and a couple of small ponds in the design. Repeat things. You get more unity in landscaping.

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