ood landscape design hinges on one basic concept -- the right plant in the right place.  Carefully planning and site evaluation are the first steps in applying this concept.  The following checklists will guide you through some important considerations and decisions you should make when designing a landscaped area.

Resist (for now) the temptation to rush out and purchase plants. That will come later!  If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, or are planning to put one in, make sure the designs for the landscape and sprinkler system match each other.

Florida is a diverse state which includes climatic zones. Soil types, temperature ranges and rainfall patterns differ dramatically from region to region. It's important to remember that a plant that thrives in a friend's yard on the coast may freeze in your yard just a few miles inland.  Different conditions often exist in the same yard.  The front yard may be high and dry, while the backyard may be poorly drained and soggy.

Once you know your site conditions and have decided how you will use your yard, you are ready to begin with the step of plant selection.  The Cooperative Extension Service has resources to help you with your selections. Prioritize your landscape projects, and then work on them one at a time.
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1st: Determine your needs for an area. (Some suggestions) ___ Play area for children ___ Veg./herb/fruit garden ___ Screen home from road or ........neighbors ___ Wildlife habitat/butterfly ........garden ___ Water garden/aquascape ___ Sitting garden ___ Area for entertaining ___ Pet area ___ Storage area ___ Pool, spa, hot tub ___ Outdoor barbeque area ___ Showcase the home 2nd: Determine the level of maintenance you want. (Time needed for mowing, pruning, and weeding. Requirements for water, fertilizers and pesticides.) ___ High ___ Medium ___ Low		. FLORIDA YARD ACTIONS Reduce the need for water, fertilizer, pesticides and pruning by using plants suited to the site conditions in your yard. Credit:  2 inches . Group plants according to their maintenance needs. For example, group drought-tolerant plants with low-water needs separately from lawn areas. Credit:  2 inches . Determine how much grass you need for children, pets and recreation. Use low- maintenance ground covers, shrubs, mulch or other porous surfaces where possible. Credit:  3 inches . Save energy by using trees and shrubs to shade the air conditioner compressor and eastern and western walls of your home. Credit:  1 inch . Use deciduous trees or shrubs on southern exposures to allow sun to passively heat your home in the winter. Credit:  1 inch . Help stop the spread of invasive exotic plants by removing them from your yard (i.e. Brazilian pepper, melaleuca, Australian pine and Chinese tallow.) Credit:  2 inches . Reduce yard waste by choosing plants that will not require frequent pruning when they reach maturity. Credit:  1 inch . Preserve native plants, especially trees, when building on a new site.  Maintain a protective "do not disturb" barrier under the dripline of trees. Credit:  3 inches _____Total Inches .
3rd: Determine the site conditions in your yard. .
___ north FL ___ central FL ___ south FL ___ sandy ___ marl ___ clay ___ full shade ___ part shaded ___ sunny	___ well-drained ........soil ___ poorly ........drained soil ___ compacted ........soil ___ alkaline soil ___ acidic soil ___ coastal soil
Your county's Cooperative Extension Service can give you information on how to collect a soil sample for a pH, soluble salts, or complete analysis test.

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4th: Create your design plan

Follow the landscape design steps in the FY&N Handbook to draw plans similar to those below.  You can use graph paper.   Be sure to indicate where activities will take place, future plans for additions to the home, and your irrigation zones, if you have an in-ground system.

5th: Choose plants to meet all the conditions you've selected in this workbook. Note: Plants with the following characteristics will help reduce maintenance:

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he Top Five Common  Mistakes in Landscape Plantings
Mistake #1: Over-planting Small trees and shrubs are often planted too close together to get a "full" look. The result several years later is a crowded landscape. Plants must be removed or drastically pruned to reduce competition.		Solution #1: Resist the temptation to have an "instant landscape." Know the mature size of plants and give them room - and time - to grow.
Mistake #2: Lawn areas are cluttered with trees and shrubs. Plants scattered throughout the lawn appear unorganized. They also create maintenance problems in terms of mowing, raking and giving plants the amount of water they need.		Solution #2: Group shrubs and trees in mulched plant beds bordering the lawn.
Mistake #3: Shrubs around the home are too tall. When plants grow too tall they cover windows and no longer enhance the home's appearance.  We usually try to compensate for this "misplanting" by shearing to control the plant size. This constant shearing weakens and disfigures shrubs. It also creates extra work and yard wastes.	...	Solution #3: Select foundation plants with an ultimate (mature) size that fits their location. Instead of shearing shrubs, selectively clip stray shoots to keep the plant neat and full.
Mistake #4: Plants are planted too close to the house. Plants too close to the house have an unattractive "cramped" look. They also create a maintenance nightmare when it's time to repair or paint the house.		Solution#4: Foundation or corner shrubs should be planted half their mature width plus one foot away from the wall.  Therefore, a shrub that will grow to be five feet wide should be planted 3 1/2 (2 1/2 + 1) feet away from the house.
Mistake #5:Bright colors are scattered throughout the yard. Brightly colored foliage, flowers or fruit attract attention. When brilliant color is scattered along the foundation or elsewhere around the yard, it confuses and may overwhelm the viewer.		Solution #5: Concentrate color where accent is desired.  The goal is to attract attention to focal areas of the house.
Adapted from "Landscape Design" by Greg Davis, Ph.D., in Master Gardener Update, September 1994.

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