Taking a Landscaping Inventory

As the days start to get shorter and the kids go back to school, everyone realizes that we are moving into the cooler time of the year. That said, this is a terrific time to take a landscaping inventory and begin your planning for next year. Taking an inventory now is good planning since your yard is likely in full bloom. It is easy to see what needs pruning, what needs additional planting and if there are any other amenities that you’d like to add.
 
The first step in taking a landscaping inventory is simply walking around your yard. If you find areas that you’d like to augment, then make a list of those with specific notes as to what you’d like to see added, removed or changed. Taking pictures of these areas at this point is smart. What seems quite familiar right now might seem unfamiliar in January when it is buried under several feet of snow.
 
Next, think through how you use your yard. If you have had thoughts of, “Wow, it would be great if we had a hammock over there,” or “An outdoor kitchen would have made this party much easier to manage,” then those are ideas to stockpile to share with a qualified landscape designer. Finding pictures online or in magazines of what you are after will also help you to communicate your vision.
 
After you have had a chance to think about what is currently in your yard and how you’d like to change it, that is the time to contact a designer. Doing so in the early fall gives them time to experience your yard while it is still growing to get a better feel for the possibilities. Share your wish list and your needs and let them know about your priorities and budget. Because you have taken the time to perform your own landscaping inventory, you will be able to better describe your needs and vision.
 
Spending time now working on your own landscaping vision will not only give you the pleasure of working on your plans over the winter, but it will also help you to hit the ground running in the early spring, allowing you to get more out of your yard next summer. If you are ready to do your landscape inventory and want a fresh set of eyes, let us know! We’d be happy to help you envision the possibilities.