Whether you are buying a new home or improving an old one, your outdoor environment represents one of the greatest values associated with the house. New methods of gardening can make the task of beautifying your surroundings much easier than in the past. By improving the grounds of your house, you will be able to take advantage of the new ways of living that having a liveable outdoor space brings. Lawn furnishings and barbeques are just the beginning of backyard luxury.



In architectural terms, the house of today represents a greater part of the outdoors than a house in the past. Most houses have large picture windows, glass walls or glassed-in rooms, and terraces that make the garden an integral part of the house. Therefore, the view from the house becomes more important than ever before. A beautiful lawn and garden with healthy trees add much to the interior space of your house.

When planning to improve your grounds you must consider several principles of design: proportion, color, texture, line, harmony, and function. These same principles apply to both interior and exterior decorating. If you are blessed with large grounds, you will benefit from extra careful planning. There are many garden books available to help you select just the type of garden and grounds you want. You need to choose one that will fit in with your physical location and the needs of your family, however. It is best to design the grounds by factoring in the familys needs and habits.

Unless you have a lot of room, you are unlikely to put everything you want into your garden plan, but you can make improvements on a gradual basis. You can plan a garden so that something is always in bloom or leafing out, while saving space for future additions. Some landscaping projects will have more than one purpose as well. A driveway, for example, can provide a place to ride a bicycle and park the card. A retaining wall can serve as a rock garden when it is planted with dwarf shrubbery.

In general, grounds are divided into a public area, a service area, and a private area. The public area can be seen from the street and its landscaping should be planned to require minimal care. The service area is where the parking, laundry, and storage facilities are located and should be planned for efficiency. The private area is where you will do your living, dining, and playing. The largest part of your grounds should be reserved for the private area, and this where you will put your flowers and take advantage of existing trees and shade.

Making changes to a landscape can be never-ending, but it is an activity that can be both beautifying and gratifying. It makes a home more luxurious and gives pleasure to all who see it.