The start of the year is the time to start making lans for this year's landscape and garden projects. Here's a list of considerations for your checklist. Please feel free to comment and add a few to the list.
1. What is the goal? Do you want entertainment space, outdoor living space, play space, a quiet garden area?
2. What is your budget? Setting a budget helps prevent 'project creep' (where the size of the project grows well beyond the original plans and goals).
3. What is the timeframe? Is this a project needed to be complete for a special time or event? Is there a season that is best to do this work?
4. Are special skills required? Do you plan to do this yourself or is this a job you will hire out to a pro? I you don't have the skills, how will you get them?
5. Are there unique or hard to find materials needed? Do you need to order far in advance or is most everything available at your local building and landscape materials store and nursery?
6. Consider environmental issues: soil type, water requirements, drainage,electrical needs, protection from rain, wind, etc., fire prevention, future plant growth, etc.
7. Make a purchase list for all the materials needed.
8. List the tools you will need to do the job. Include a list of the tools you will need to buy or rent.
9. List the steps needed to get from where you are to where you want to be. This is where all of the above considerations dictate what must be done before each step in the process.
a. Start with protecting plant materials and structure that could be damaged in the construction process
b. The next step is demolition and haul-off.
c. Ground prep sets the stage for layout and forming for concrete pours, piping, etc. (Don't forget to plant pvc pipe for future needs).
d. etc.
The following link is a great start to developing your plan/checklist:
This is so perfectly timed. The snow has melted (hopefully temporarily :D ) in the Pacific NW and I'm starting to look around and realize what a huge amount of work lies ahead of me in my new home and landscape project.
I want to combine native species with a very few non-natives and get rid of all the English garden, non-native invasive species. I want to add a pond and natural water treatment area for handling roof run-off. Much of the outside if overrun with Oregon grape that I want to get rid of or move, keeping only a few in key areas. I have a lot of area to work on and a lot to do, so I'm overwhelmed knowing exactly where or how to start. You must have been reading my mind, my friend. :D
Posted by: Lorelle | January 07, 2009 at 04:31 PM