Landscape Design
10 Common Landscape Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Pros reveal the errors that are easy to make — and prevent — when planning your outdoor space
From tiny plantings to overly huge hedges, there are several things to avoid when designing an outdoor space to ensure that it looks and feels great. We asked landscape designers on Houzz for a rundown of the most common mistakes they come across and for their tried-and-true solutions.
We also found photos of designs that successfully avoided these 10 missteps to achieve yards that look great and function beautifully. Read on to find tips for making the most of your outdoor plot.
We also found photos of designs that successfully avoided these 10 missteps to achieve yards that look great and function beautifully. Read on to find tips for making the most of your outdoor plot.
2. Making Things Too Busy
“Many people overcomplicate design and planting schemes in their excitement to create the ultimate [outdoor space],” designer Charlotte Rowe says, “but it’s best to keep it simple.”
Solution: Limit the number of materials and colors you use in the landscape. “Choose them to tie in with the materials used to build your house,” Rowe says. “Stick to a maximum of three and try to use the same material in different areas of the [yard].”
Rowe suggests using a smaller variety of plants too. “If you’re not confident with your plant knowledge, it’s better to have a large wave of one variety than lots of bits and pieces,” she says.
“Establish what look you’re going for before you buy your first plant, whether that’s Mediterranean, cottage garden, tropical or contemporary,” Rowe adds, “and buy your plants accordingly. Be strict with yourself.”
“Many people overcomplicate design and planting schemes in their excitement to create the ultimate [outdoor space],” designer Charlotte Rowe says, “but it’s best to keep it simple.”
Solution: Limit the number of materials and colors you use in the landscape. “Choose them to tie in with the materials used to build your house,” Rowe says. “Stick to a maximum of three and try to use the same material in different areas of the [yard].”
Rowe suggests using a smaller variety of plants too. “If you’re not confident with your plant knowledge, it’s better to have a large wave of one variety than lots of bits and pieces,” she says.
“Establish what look you’re going for before you buy your first plant, whether that’s Mediterranean, cottage garden, tropical or contemporary,” Rowe adds, “and buy your plants accordingly. Be strict with yourself.”
3. Treating the Yard as Separate From the Home
Rowe points out that many people forget to connect the inside with the outside. “It pays to give the [landscape] as much attention as the home’s interior,” she says. “Make sure the style and palette in the [yard] work with the style and decoration of your home.”
Solution: “Plan where each area is going to be situated,” Rampton says. She mentions a soccer spot as an example, and suggests locating it where the ruined grass can’t be seen from the kitchen window all winter.
“It’s a good idea to draw people out into the wider landscape with focal points of interest or ‘hidden rooms’ just glimpsed tantalizingly from the main patio,” Reader says. “These additions don’t just make the [outdoor] view from the house more interesting; they encourage you to use the whole space, and to create and enjoy different rooms, views and atmospheres within it. Some of the best views can be looking back up through the [yard] to the house, so think imaginatively to benefit from using all of [the space].”
Shop for patio furniture on Houzz
Rowe points out that many people forget to connect the inside with the outside. “It pays to give the [landscape] as much attention as the home’s interior,” she says. “Make sure the style and palette in the [yard] work with the style and decoration of your home.”
Solution: “Plan where each area is going to be situated,” Rampton says. She mentions a soccer spot as an example, and suggests locating it where the ruined grass can’t be seen from the kitchen window all winter.
“It’s a good idea to draw people out into the wider landscape with focal points of interest or ‘hidden rooms’ just glimpsed tantalizingly from the main patio,” Reader says. “These additions don’t just make the [outdoor] view from the house more interesting; they encourage you to use the whole space, and to create and enjoy different rooms, views and atmospheres within it. Some of the best views can be looking back up through the [yard] to the house, so think imaginatively to benefit from using all of [the space].”
Shop for patio furniture on Houzz
4. Planting Without Planning
“We hear so often from our clients that they put a load of plants in the [landscape] only to find they didn’t come back the next year or that the plants don’t look good together,” Rampton says.
Solution: Do research before you start planting, our experts advise. “Always apply the time-honored saying ‘Right plant, right place,’” Rampton says. “Don’t expect a plant that needs full sun to flower next year if you’ve put it in the shade.”
“Plants growing in the natural environment are usually where the conditions suit them best. [They will] have grown from a seed at a speed the local conditions can support, with natural processes that provide for their nutrient needs,” Reader says. “The garden environment is completely different to this. So set your sights on growing plants that will like the conditions in your [yard], water them as needed till the roots are established out into the wider soil, and feed them.
“Mulch the soil annually with organic mulch, such as well-rotted farmyard manure,” he continues. “This gives the plants nutrients and improves the structure of the soil to help it drain and retain moisture, as well as supporting helpful animals such as worms. Remember, the soil is a living environment that will support your plants best if it’s well-looked-after itself.”
“We hear so often from our clients that they put a load of plants in the [landscape] only to find they didn’t come back the next year or that the plants don’t look good together,” Rampton says.
Solution: Do research before you start planting, our experts advise. “Always apply the time-honored saying ‘Right plant, right place,’” Rampton says. “Don’t expect a plant that needs full sun to flower next year if you’ve put it in the shade.”
“Plants growing in the natural environment are usually where the conditions suit them best. [They will] have grown from a seed at a speed the local conditions can support, with natural processes that provide for their nutrient needs,” Reader says. “The garden environment is completely different to this. So set your sights on growing plants that will like the conditions in your [yard], water them as needed till the roots are established out into the wider soil, and feed them.
“Mulch the soil annually with organic mulch, such as well-rotted farmyard manure,” he continues. “This gives the plants nutrients and improves the structure of the soil to help it drain and retain moisture, as well as supporting helpful animals such as worms. Remember, the soil is a living environment that will support your plants best if it’s well-looked-after itself.”
5. Getting Sidetracked
It’s easy to get sidetracked when creating a landscape, particularly if you don’t have a firm idea of how the whole space will look. Rampton says that people tend to lose their nerve and cave in to the latest trend, even if it doesn’t suit the style of the home and surroundings.
Solution: “Establish the look and feel you’re aiming to create when planning the [landscape] and stick to it,” Rampton advises. “It’s really worth spending your time and budget on the structural elements before you start on anything else. These are the bones of the [yard] and will determine the atmosphere of the space. They are also the elements that will be in your [yard] for the longest.”
It’s easy to get sidetracked when creating a landscape, particularly if you don’t have a firm idea of how the whole space will look. Rampton says that people tend to lose their nerve and cave in to the latest trend, even if it doesn’t suit the style of the home and surroundings.
Solution: “Establish the look and feel you’re aiming to create when planning the [landscape] and stick to it,” Rampton advises. “It’s really worth spending your time and budget on the structural elements before you start on anything else. These are the bones of the [yard] and will determine the atmosphere of the space. They are also the elements that will be in your [yard] for the longest.”
6. Thinking Small Spaces Need to Be Bland
You don’t need to keep a small yard uncluttered to make it feel bigger, Reader says. “While this sounds logical, in fact the opposite is true,” he says. “If you clear your [yard] of everything, when you look at it, you’ll be able to see everything at once, and this will make it feel smaller and less interesting.”
Solution: “Design to the correct scale and add the right number of things, such as raised beds,” Reader says. “Then, as you look at the [landscape], your eye won’t be able to see instantly to the back and will flit from object to object. This will fool your brain into seeing the space as larger than it really is. It also looks much more interesting and attractive.”
How to Renovate a Small Backyard
You don’t need to keep a small yard uncluttered to make it feel bigger, Reader says. “While this sounds logical, in fact the opposite is true,” he says. “If you clear your [yard] of everything, when you look at it, you’ll be able to see everything at once, and this will make it feel smaller and less interesting.”
Solution: “Design to the correct scale and add the right number of things, such as raised beds,” Reader says. “Then, as you look at the [landscape], your eye won’t be able to see instantly to the back and will flit from object to object. This will fool your brain into seeing the space as larger than it really is. It also looks much more interesting and attractive.”
How to Renovate a Small Backyard
7. Obsessing About a Lawn
Many people have traditionally thought it’s essential to have a large lawn, but grass isn’t always necessary. “Sometimes there’s an understandable reason for having a lawn that’s as big as possible, such as the need for a space where children can play,” Reader says. “However, this frequently manifests as an obsession to re-create a full-size [soccer field] in a suburban [yard] — clearly an unachievable goal.”
Solution: “If you watch most children playing with a ball, they actually tend to have a ‘kick-about-and-tackle session,’ which actually requires not that much space,” Reader says. “They also get lots of fun from chasing, hiding, exploring and [playing] imagination-based games. So instead of giving them a large, empty patch of boring grass, consider the more interesting option of clever planting, with dens and places to explore. Consider also that weekly mowing a large lawn can become a real chore.”
7 Landscape Design Ideas to Replace a Traditional Lawn
Many people have traditionally thought it’s essential to have a large lawn, but grass isn’t always necessary. “Sometimes there’s an understandable reason for having a lawn that’s as big as possible, such as the need for a space where children can play,” Reader says. “However, this frequently manifests as an obsession to re-create a full-size [soccer field] in a suburban [yard] — clearly an unachievable goal.”
Solution: “If you watch most children playing with a ball, they actually tend to have a ‘kick-about-and-tackle session,’ which actually requires not that much space,” Reader says. “They also get lots of fun from chasing, hiding, exploring and [playing] imagination-based games. So instead of giving them a large, empty patch of boring grass, consider the more interesting option of clever planting, with dens and places to explore. Consider also that weekly mowing a large lawn can become a real chore.”
7 Landscape Design Ideas to Replace a Traditional Lawn
8. Skimping on Borders
“Many clients understandably don’t want a high-maintenance [yard] and this seems to manifest in them asking for narrow flower beds, as these will require less work — right?” Reader says. “Actually, this is wrong.”
Solution: Use shrubs. “The best low-maintenance plants are shrubs,” Reader says. “They last many years, don’t require a lot of looking after and can deliver interesting structure, flowers, berries and autumn leaf color — and many of them are evergreen, so look good in winter too.
“The thing about shrubs, though, is many of them will get quite big,” he continues. “So if you put them in a narrow bed, you’ll fairly quickly be having to cut them back frequently, as they’ll overhang the lawn or paths. This destroys the beauty of their natural shape, creates woody holes in the foliage canopy and creates maintenance.
“By having a wider bed to start with, the shrubs can be gently pruned as they reach their mature size every three to five years and be kept looking beautiful,” he says.
“Many clients understandably don’t want a high-maintenance [yard] and this seems to manifest in them asking for narrow flower beds, as these will require less work — right?” Reader says. “Actually, this is wrong.”
Solution: Use shrubs. “The best low-maintenance plants are shrubs,” Reader says. “They last many years, don’t require a lot of looking after and can deliver interesting structure, flowers, berries and autumn leaf color — and many of them are evergreen, so look good in winter too.
“The thing about shrubs, though, is many of them will get quite big,” he continues. “So if you put them in a narrow bed, you’ll fairly quickly be having to cut them back frequently, as they’ll overhang the lawn or paths. This destroys the beauty of their natural shape, creates woody holes in the foliage canopy and creates maintenance.
“By having a wider bed to start with, the shrubs can be gently pruned as they reach their mature size every three to five years and be kept looking beautiful,” he says.
9. Ignoring the Sun
Rowe finds that many people forget to consider the direction their yard faces when planning the space.
Solution: Pay attention to the sun’s path. “Knowing the aspect of your [landscape] will help you decide where to put certain things, such as your table for entertaining,” Rowe says. “You want to maximize the hours of daylight, so there’s no point setting your dining table in an area that won’t catch the sun’s rays.
“This will also help you decide which plants to choose,” she adds. “A Mediterranean planting scheme will not work in a shady garden, and shady plants won’t thrive in a sunny one.”
Rowe finds that many people forget to consider the direction their yard faces when planning the space.
Solution: Pay attention to the sun’s path. “Knowing the aspect of your [landscape] will help you decide where to put certain things, such as your table for entertaining,” Rowe says. “You want to maximize the hours of daylight, so there’s no point setting your dining table in an area that won’t catch the sun’s rays.
“This will also help you decide which plants to choose,” she adds. “A Mediterranean planting scheme will not work in a shady garden, and shady plants won’t thrive in a sunny one.”
10. Being Too Hasty
People often want a tall screening hedge quickly and assume they should plant fast-growing trees and shrubs, but Reader recommends you consider your options carefully.
Solution: Think before you choose hedging, and don’t just go for a quick fix. “Plants that grow fast [may] also grow huge,” Reader says. “You may get a quick high hedge, but it will be a battle to keep it under control every year.
“Trees that get this big [may] also get very wide and can quickly steal [space] from your [yard],” he continues. “They’re also very hungry and thirsty, and it’s virtually impossible to grow plants close to them, so you quickly end up with brown bare soil and exposed ugly lower trunks and old branches.”
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design stories
Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape designer or architect
Shop for outdoor products
People often want a tall screening hedge quickly and assume they should plant fast-growing trees and shrubs, but Reader recommends you consider your options carefully.
Solution: Think before you choose hedging, and don’t just go for a quick fix. “Plants that grow fast [may] also grow huge,” Reader says. “You may get a quick high hedge, but it will be a battle to keep it under control every year.
“Trees that get this big [may] also get very wide and can quickly steal [space] from your [yard],” he continues. “They’re also very hungry and thirsty, and it’s virtually impossible to grow plants close to them, so you quickly end up with brown bare soil and exposed ugly lower trunks and old branches.”
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design stories
Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape designer or architect
Shop for outdoor products
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“When planning a [landscape], people often think in terms of objects, such as a barbecue or trampoline, rather than standing back and assessing the space as a whole functional unit that needs to flow together,” designer Peter Reader says.
Solution: “Take a step back and plan your space before you start,” designer Catherine Rampton of Beaufort & Rampton Landscapes says. “Think about how you want to use the [yard] before you do anything. Do you need an area that can stand up to a [soccer ball’s] being kicked around, or do you need space for a quiet sit-down at the end of the day? If you need both, how are you going to divide the space so the two areas work well?”
Reader recommends thinking about how the space will work in an interconnected way. “While understanding the required functions of a [yard] is key, it’s very important to think about how these will best fit into the [outdoor space] in a way that makes sense and flow naturally together,” he says. “I talk to clients about ‘journeys’ or ‘stories’ within the [landscape], and [having] a layout [in which everything] sits comfortably together.”
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