What to Consider When Starting a Landscaping Project
Landscaping your yard or outdoor space is an exciting project that can increase the beauty, usability, and value of your property. Whether you're refreshing a tired garden or creating a new outdoor oasis from scratch, thoughtful planning is essential. Here are the key items to consider when starting a landscaping project:
1. Your Goals and Vision
Start by asking yourself what you want to achieve. Do you want a peaceful retreat, a space for entertaining, or a family-friendly yard? Sketch out ideas or collect inspiration from magazines, Pinterest, or neighboring homes to clarify your vision. Ruth, the owner and designer at Bella Design Landscapes, is wonderful at design but she wants to capture what’s important to you and loves when clients have inspo pics!
2. Budget
Set a realistic budget. Landscaping costs can range from a few hundred dollars for a DIY refresh to tens of thousands for a full redesign with professionals. Make sure to account for materials, labor, and long-term maintenance. I love a Sylvester Palm BUT we have to pay to have them diamond cut and proper nutrients so maintenance is an important consideration as well!
3. Climate and Environment
Ocala is USDA Zone 9A so in addition to considering what plants will do best here you’ll also want to be open to Ruth’s suggestions on the location for things like sun exposure and temperature extremes. Native plants to Ocala are a great choice—they tend to require less water and maintenance.
4. Functionality
Think about how you’ll use the space. Will you need areas for:
Seating or dining?
Play space for kids or pets?
Garden beds or vegetable patches?
Walkways or outdoor lighting?
Make sure your design accommodates practical needs along with aesthetics.
5. Style and Aesthetics
Your landscaping should complement the architecture of your home. Decide on a design theme—modern, rustic, tropical, minimalist—and stick to it for a cohesive look. You can add personal touches like pots and planter, boulders, flags, garden decor etc to make it 100% you.
6. Hardscaping vs. Softscaping
Hardscaping refers to the non-plant elements like patios, retaining walls, walkways, and water features. Softscaping includes all the plant life. Balancing the two is key to creating a dynamic, long-lasting landscape. At Bella Design Landscapes, we offer both hardscaping (pavers, curbing, walls, water features and fire pits) and softscaping (plants). Ruth is constantly perfecting her craft and doesn’t just pick plants that are on sale but designs beautiful garden beds and specializes in landscape design that will completely transform your home.
7. Drainage and Irrigation
Improper drainage can lead to serious issues like erosion or water damage. Plan for water flow, install proper drainage systems, and consider how you’ll irrigate your plants—drip systems, sprinklers, or manual watering? We can help with this too!
8. Lighting
Outdoor lighting enhances both safety and ambiance. Consider:
Pathway lighting
Uplights for trees
Spotlights on focal features
String lights for patios
9. Timeline and Seasonality
Some landscaping work is best done in specific seasons but we install plants all year round. We do recommend only planting tropical plants April to August, give or take a few weeks, so they can take root prior to winter as we do get chilly winters here.Plan your project around optimal planting times and be realistic about how long different phases will take from HOA approval to an install date:
10. Professional Help
Depending on the complexity of your project, you may want to hire a landscape designer or contractor. Our expertise can help bring your vision to life.
Conclusion
A well-planned landscaping project can transform your outdoor space into a personal paradise and that’s what we love to help clients with!
