Avoid a crowd. Place trees, shrubs and large perennials so they will have room to grow. If you don’t, the plants soon will be too close for comfort. If the landscape looks too sparse in the early years, fill in with annuals.
Go with the flow. Water transforms a garden into an oasis. To optimize the soothing sounds, place a water element near an outdoor seating area. Fountains require much less maintenance than ponds and waterfalls.
Indulge your appetite. Make edible plants part of your landscape design. Even a small plot will accommodate herbs, blueberries and a dwarf fruit tree.
Maximize space. If you don’t have much ground, consider vertical gardening. Install a trellis. Or train plants upward on a fence. Espalier small trees and shrubs on an outbuilding or exterior wall of the house.
Keep the momentum going. Plant a succession of spring bulbs, summer and fall bloomers and evergreens so there will always be something new to enjoy. Consider hybrid lilacs, hydrangeas and roses that flower repeatedly from spring to fall.
