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A good landscape lets you express your style and meets your needs through the skillful use of materials, shapes, color and plantings.And now it's tie to learn more and to do some serious thinking to transform the results of all your research and ideas into the steps that will make the landscape work for you.

You'll need to make some several lists, first a list of things you've always wanted in your landscape. Second, you'll make a list of those things you really need in your landscape. You'll combine the two lists, refine them, and finally draw up a master lists of components for you design plan

WHAT YOU WANT

Make a list of things of 10 - 15 things you've always wanted in your landscape, regardless of budget concerns.Let you imagination run wild at this point.Now is the time to jot down all of the things you've seen in books and magazines that you would love to have in your yard. Don't judge your choices as you're making the list, just allow your ideas to flow.List major elements of style such as formal gated entryway into your yard and things you want for decoration a waterfall or a sundial.When you're finished, rank them in the order of their importance to you.Example; if you've always wanted a reflecting pool like your sister had, that might be higher on the list than a herb garden.

Get everyone in the family involved.Ask family members to produce their own lists and to rank them also. Them combine all the list into a single list.You may see items that are similar on the different lists, such as a specific area to play games or a patio for cookouts.These items go to the top of the list and the remaining items are ranked in order of importance to the family.

WHAT YOU NEED

Now make your needs list those things that are necessary to you in your landscape.For example; perhaps you need more parking or to camouflage an air-conditioning unit.Don't forget to consider indoor needs too.You may need additional privacy at one window or more natural light from another.Rank your needs as you did your wishes.Have everyone in the family make a similar needs list to combine them all into a single list,ranking the items in order of importance.

Next compare the two lists.Are any of your wants and needs similar? Your want list may contain a stone patio, and that will meet the need you listed for entertainment area. Match as many items on the two lists as possible and put marks by them.

Now look at whats left on the two lists (items that don't have marked).There are probably plenty of needs such as garbage can storage that aren't included on your want list,and vice versa.Are there any wants you would sacrifice in order to meet needs? If there is something that you really want and that doesn't meet a specific need,keep that idea on the list anyways.You can try to find a way to make it fit into your landscape, or you can omit it later.Eliminate those things everyone agrees are least important.Then combine the surviving wants and needs and rank them by consensus.The resulting list will be the foundation for your budget decisions and will guide you as you begin to put your plans on paper.

MAKING CHOICES

Take a hard look of the components of your design plan.Chances are the combined items on your list exceed your budget,but there may be a ways to modify your ideas to include as much as you can in the landscape.Though you can obtain accurate cost estimates until you produce as master plan,look for money savings ideas now.Take "sitting area with outdoor fan," Example;If your budget can't stretch to include an outdoor porch with a ceiling fan,can you settle for a sitting area in the yard underneath a shady tree? If any such major installation is beyond your budget right now but it's important to you, go ahead and plan its future location.You may be able to build in later on. Use your list as a guide, you probably won't actually implement every item.Some things on your list wont be appropriate to your site.Others will be perfect.Be objective.Refer to your list when you need help making decisions as you begin to create your landscape plan.

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