Don Vandervort, Head Homeboy, has written more than 30 DIY home improvement books, been a segment host on HGTV, served as MSN.com's home improvement expert and written countless magazine articles.
Once you've identified the style of your landscape and the primary functions it should fulfill, it's time to examine a diversity of plantings.
Trees bring majesty to your landscape and highlight your yard's vertical dimension. Shrubs help to define open spaces and facilitate transitions. Perennials provide texture and depth, while annuals and bulbs give a splash of seasonal color. Ground covers lend continuity and give your yard a finished look.
Size matters when selecting plants. You will want to make choices that are in sync with the scale of your house and yard. Soaring trees and substantial shrubs will add to the grandeur of a large house but may be too imposing for a single-story bungalow. A rambling ranch house will look best with small trees, low-profile shrubs, and other greenery stressing a horizontal axis.
Always take into account a plant's full-grown size when making any additions to your yard. Guidebooks and nursery tags list maximum heights mature plants will reach, as well as the ideal ground space required. If your ground space is limited, seek out "columnar," or "fastigiated" varieties, which will grow tall and narrow.
