Plant choices should be backed by a little knowledge of what works and what’s available in your area. Planting native plants, which is a common practice of most Southwest landscape designs, will increase your chances of a successful landscape in any climate.  Planting native plants wherever they will work in your garden or landscape will do a lot to make your landscape and garden more maintenance and care free. Native plants are already use to your local soil types so there’s usually no problem from moving plants to a different soil. Because they’ve been grown in your area, natives will also be adapted to your climate. It’s a good chance that you’ll find a lot of native plants in your area that work well in gardens and landscaping.

You can also plant for climate by using plants for Mediterranean landscape designs or tropical areas. The bright and colorful flowers of many tropical plants will add a lot of flavor to most landscaping and garden designs. The good thing about some tropical plants is that they actually grow in colder climates. Just get to know which of the tropical plants have this ability, and then you’re ready to start planning for that all-climate landscape design of your own creation. Some of the tropical plants that you can grow even in non-tropical climates are Oo-La-La Bougainvillea or Purple Queen Bougainvillea; MidKnight Blue Agapanthus; Full Moon Hibiscus; and the Itsy Bitsy Red Hibiscus. Lantana, a profuse continuous bloomer, is also a good selection in many areas which comes in several different shades from a faded lavender to bright shades of yellow. You can also have Mandevillas, which have trumpet-like flowers attached to tropical vines, and are very fast growing.  If you wanted that type of look, there are enough tropical plant varieties to give your landscaping some interest for all seasons in many different climates.

Another key to having an all-climate landscaping design is to diversify. For example,  you can use plants in the landscaping with different bloom times and patterns. In this way, when one type of plant finishes its season, you’ll still have something blooming to look at in your landscaping or garden. The key here is a little research and planning for the different bloom schedules of your different plant choices. Choose at least one or two that blooms in each season.

Besides plants, you can also use other ornaments in your landscaping to add more aesthetic interest. Ornaments, garden decor, and other decorative items generally work well since you don’t have to worry about them getting damaged because of climate or weather changes. You can also use different elements like fountains, statues, pavers, pathways, and other hardscapes to make your landscaping more appealing.

More experienced designers may rely on their years of repetition and experience. For other designers and planners, it is vision. And a lot of the time a designer may simply have to try several different ideas until one or more of them works. Most do it yourselfers are in this last group. Without a clue about landscaping, most folks search through books of pictures of landscaping and yards searching for different ideas and plans that might work well in their own yards.

Considering all the books and online directories of pictures of landscaping to browse through, you would think it would be easy to find a complete plan that could at be copied. If every yard was the exact same shape, you might think so.However, most yards and lots are not the same size and shape. i.

Since this is how things usually are for most do it yourself landscapers, designing a landscape may best be looked at differently. Don’t try to find a perfect design plan that will magically fit into your yard. As you go through different ideas, plans, and landscape design pictures, try to pinpoint the elements and principles that are alike in different landscaping layouts. Try to identify the more common methods and ideas that are used a lot by different landscapers. Since they are almost always simple principles of landscape design and art, these are the design elements that are generally appealing. These are elements that will usually work well in most designs regardless of shape.

Observe different forms and shapes and how they’re repeated in the landscape. And also look at the placement of plants and how their colors are used in the garden. Pay close attention to the little details of plant colors and groups, decor, decorative rocks, and other elements being placed together in groups. Try and look beyond just the shape of a landscape design and try to understand the details of what makes a landscape design what it is. Your own ideas will come together as you dig into the mechanics of landscaping and landscape design.

Sometimes your best design resource is other peoples ideas, designs, or pictures of landscaping ideas. However, instead of hopelessly searching for your exact layout, borrow several ideas from several different designs. You’ll save a lot of time and have a better chance of designing something unique.