The Landscape Design Process Step 1: Spatial Design

One of the biggest challenges I regularly face is the perceived value discrepancy between landscape and landscape designers. Redoing one’s outdoor space is probably one of the top home improvements people try to take on themselves or hire contractors with no design background. Unlike interior design, which is fairly universal, you cannot (usually) just duplicate a design you found on Pinterest. A garden you saw in London or Hawaii will not thrive in San Diego. A plant that may be thriving and tall in your friend’s yard may die in yours. So, how do you do it? Let’s discuss.

Organization

There are two major pieces to landscape design: plants and spatial design. The organization of space determines how and how often you’ll use it. Spatial organization is the first step in any environmental design field. Let’s take a look at the most common backyard design faux pas in Southern California.

Don’t Do: Large Patio with Turf

If you had an open-concept home, you would never put just a rug in one large space and all of your furniture in one corner. So why would you do that outside? Unless you’re having weekly barbecues with the whole neighborhood or are a ping pong champion, a giant rectangle of paving will not serve you. If this was your interior, you would end up putting furniture where it makes sense, at a scale that works for your family and social life, and choosing furniture by comfort and aesthetic. Do the same with your backyard! No one expects your home to be able to accommodate many different purposes so be thoughtful how you use the outdoors as well.

Do this: Create ‘Rooms’

Your lifestyle will add more nuance to the programming of your space, but at the very basic level, I always recommend some kind of sitting area and dining area. People, biologically, feel safer with at least a small amount of enclosure whether it’s a room or a chair. You want to feel supported. You can’t be cozy in a ballroom or an airport terminal. Scale is key. Surrounding spaces with plants and putting plant areas near the top of the priority list will create a garden. And whether or not you call it that, that’s really what we love. We love being outdoors in an intentional space that feels a little hidden and special.

Don’t Do: Border Planting

I’ve never heard from a client after install that there was too much planting. EVER. But, I’ve seen so many homes with giant pads of concrete they don’t know what to do with. No one says, “It’s such a beautiful day, I want to go outside” and ends up relaxing on a football field. It’s not comfortable. So don’t recreate that in your backyard. Go to a park for large open spaces (unless you live in Rancho Santa Fe, and then you really do have the capacity) and use your outdoor space as part of your home. It’s a small percentage of clients who actually use a giant lawn enough to make it worth sacrificing everything else.

Do This: Embrace the Garden

The conversation I usually have with clients when I present a design is thus. They ask what all the green area is on the plan, I respond, “that’s the planting area” to which they wonder, “What are we going to do with all those plants?” Those plants are what makes an outdoor space feel good. The ratio I usually see in homes is about 10% planting and 90% turf and hardscape. I would START at 30% planting and 70% hardscape/turf and increase the planting from there. Most planters shouldn’t be less than 3’ deep, unless you’re just doing a hedge or vine (20” minimum). Most plants get at least 2’ wide and you want a planting area to be at least 3 plants deep for composition. Lawns, if you have the space, usually can serve most purposes at 12’x20’.

Don’t Do: It All

If you’re hiring a landscape designer, you’re hoping to get the most out of your outdoor space. Just like most of us would love an in-home movie theater, most of us agree we don’t have the space for that (or maybe you do, in which case, let’s be friends). Most yards can not accommodate a fire feature, dining area, cooking area, lounge area, and pool area. If you sacrifice aesthetic for function to that degree, you will never be in your backyard. Outdoor spaces need to be inviting in a NATURAL way, things can only be engineered so much before nature interferes. You need to narrow it down to what your lifestyle needs.

Do: Be Mindful of programming & Location

Instead of the elements you want in your backyard (i.e. fire feature), think about how you want to USE your backyard (i.e. hanging out at night). Make a list of all your dreams, and highlight your top two or three priorities. That is what will drive the design. Small yards can use a bit of squeezing and strong programming, but most standard yards should provide ample space for each use. Dining wants at least 2.5’ around the table for maneuvering and sitting comfortably. Lounge areas usually want at least a 10’x10’ square. Small intimate spaces can be smaller. A pool wants 12’ outside the waters edge for a pool deck to allow for a chaise lounge and circulation. Also, think about how you’ll move in a space. Want a barbecue? Place it close enough to the kitchen to not have to walk an obstacle course with raw chicken. Want a spa? It’s not fun being cold and wet while running across a long expanse to the house, if you can, locate it close to a bathroom. Want privacy? Don’t locate a large hangout space in front of your master bedroom glass doors.

Phew! That was an extensive list. Hopefully that gives you a quick rundown how to approach your outdoor space or convinces you that hiring a landscape designer is extremely valuable. If you need help finding a landscape designer, check out our other post: Top 5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Landscape Designer