How to NOT design the perfect landscape

🪴 Design-Your-Own Landscape Layout ONLINE COURSE is now available!
www.GardenProjectAcademy.com/DiyDesign
For do-it-yourselfers who want to create their own landscape design, but just need a little extra guidance.
EVERYONE knows better than to aim for perfection in ANY area of life...
Yet it’s all too common for “perfectionism pressure” to have an effect on your landscape design decisions.
Trust me, it’s sneaky!
Learn tricks for spotting its influence so you can design a landscape that is best aligned with you, your goals, and your values.
00:21 What is perfectionism pressure in landscaping?
02:06 How to tell when perfectionism pressure is affecting your landscaping decisions
02:52 Opposites of perfectionism pressure
03:41 Front Yard Landscaping: Ideas for balancing perfectionism and authenticity
07:34 Help designing your own landscape
08:31 Backyard Landscaping: An opportunity to lean into your values and goals
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Also mentioned in this video:
🌱 The Low Maintenance Landscaping Playlist… Because it is possible to accidentally install a high-maintenance landscape! • Landscaping Mistakes t...
🔗 Guide to Passing Wildlife-Friendly Property Maintenance Ordinances
www.nwf.org/la...
“Transform local landscaping practices and you can empower any individual or organization to participate in the expansion of wildlife friendly habitat where they live, work, play, and worship. This guide is for mayors, heads of local and tribal governments, municipal staff, homeowners’ associations, and others who want to promote the expansion of wildlife- friendly habitats in their communities.”
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I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!
🪴 Design-Your-Own Landscape Layout ONLINE COURSE is now available!
For do-it-yourselfers who want to create their own landscape design, but just need a little extra guidance.
www.gardenproj...
I’ll walk you through the design process, step by step, so you can create a practical, hand-drawn "layout plan" (a landscape design plan that shows the layout of the finished design).
How to survey your site for characteristics that will influence your design (saving you time and money by playing to the strengths of the space)
How to easily collect ideas and inspiration, and apply professional design strategies to bring inspiration to life in your own space
How to measure your yard and make a base map (a hand drawn, to-scale map) to realistically test ideas that match the size and scale of your space
How to research low-maintenance plant possibilities, and keep your planting plan organized for efficient plant shopping and installation
Learn more and sign up, here!
www.gardenproj...
~~~
More resources:
🌱 Landscape Design Tips for Reducing Weeds 🌱 Less time weeding & maintaining your yard through design: • Landscape Design Tips ...
🌱 Landscaping Mistakes that Lead to More Maintenance • Landscaping Mistakes t...
🌱 More Landscape Design Mistakes to Avoid • More Landscape Design ...
🌱 PLAYLIST: Compost in place methods… Creating a new garden bed WITHOUT DIGGING • Easy recipes for creat...
And if you’re new here, hello! Welcome to Garden Project Academy, where I offer online courses and resources to help you with your garden project! My name is Eve Hanlin, I’m a certified horticulturist and landscape designer from the Pacific Northwest corner of the USA.
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Tag me in your projects @gardenprojectacademy. I would love to see what you’re working on!
Remember that everything in my videos are for informational purposes only: It is entirely up to you to decide what is best for you, and your landscape.
©2024 Garden Project Academy LLC

[@TheGiveittomeall]

5 years ago, I, a notorious black thumb, was given a thousand dollars worth of perennials and I took them, plopped them in the ground with zero planning or expectations that they would survive the winter. But they did survive and I went crazy buying up clearance things and Facebook Marketplace plants and planting willy nilly until last year I realized my garden just looked like visual noise. Now, I'm trying to be more intentional with placement and plant choice. I have a vision of what I would like to see from the road and how it should look up close. I'm taking water needs more into consideration. I've been gathering free cast off sliding patio doors to build a greenhouse. I can do this, I know I can, and by the time I die, it should be a stellar garden!!!

[@KidCity1985]

This goes for so much more then landscaping.

[@rhus36]

I initially thought I would leave the front yard as a lawn with some borders and do most of my planting in the back. However, the front lawn is actually very patchy and ugly. I also realized that my dog only plays in the backyard which is the only real use I have for lawn. So I’m leaving a little bit of grass in the back and next spring I’m starting the long process of ripping out ugly patchy grass to put in native wildflowers. The only tidiness considerations I’m making are ensuring there’s a gap between the plants and the sidewalk so I’m not impeding anybody’s use of the sidewalk and ripping out noxious weeds. Ours will be the first house on the block with flowers in the front yard, hopefully we start a trend.

[@zackthewazoobeaver]

I’m always so hyped when I see a new upload from your channel! Love the content and delivery - really clear while staying approachable!

[@kat_ie_9984]

I am so glad we do not have to consider neighbours so much over here (UK). I am moving to a larger plot soon and your videos are great for me, I am picking up a lot and cant wait to get stuck in. Nothing ever lives for long for anything I have ever planted but I think from what your videos are saying I have probably planted things in the wrong places previously.

[@scoobydoo5447]

My landscape is under a foot and a half of snow and freezing in -15 (-35 windchill). No worries about perfectionism or beauty here. 😂

[@DDD11239]

If you flatten the snow, it'll look beautiful. (Basically, the beautiful quiet after a snow storm).

[@MallouMakeup]

I am so happy to see you posting a new video. I discovered your channel a few months ago only and I have really been enjoying your content!

[@dixiesmith56]

I always enjoy your input. You have great ideas and your presentation is so enjoyable.

[@craeveyard]

Happy to see a new video from you! I definitely worry when my shrubs are not trimmed and my grass is longer than ideal. I don't think my neighbors are particularly judgmental, but in my mind I worry that they look down on me. But I try to give myself grace, and remind myself that I don't need to be perfect. Having a home and yard maintenance is still new to me, and my partner and I are both neurodivergent so we only have so many "spoons" to get out and do projects in the yard. I love working on the yard and making plans to improve it, but definitely feel that maintenance like mowing is sometimes a trudge. This video is a great reminder to be less hard on ourselves!

[@MrSpookyDave]

Thanks for the great video!

[@jealnoslyn]

One of my favorite mantras when it comes to perfectionism and performing tasks in general: Perfect is the enemy of good.

[@gardenprojectacademy]

📝 "Perfect is the enemy of good" Beautiful, thank you for sharing 💕

[@creationslandscapedesigns]

I think of gardening much like a science lab. You can experiment and try different things and see what works for you and what you like.

[@carolc6364]

Love this!

[@pixxa37]

In the place I live the policy is: ground floor gets the front garden, 1st floor gets the back. After a few years they made an exception and moved me in the back garden... I think it has to do with the fact that the front garden had become a jungle full of bugs bees and all the rest. I had enormous koromikos, a photinia and a bruadleaf that went way over the 2mt recommended, together with a juniper even higher, scarlet and golden firethorns.... I think the most acceptable was a pieris 😂. So now I get to create havoc away from the eyes of the neighbours, who are all doing roses and begonias... Hey nothing wrong with that, but where is the diversity? Plus, those roses so complicated that are impossible to be reached by the pollinators! I'm very proud of my jungle 😊

[@robertbroussard6014]

what a great video, thank you for outlining these different things to consider.

[@paulinecastle1138]

Leaf blowers blow away butterfly eggs, a process that they don’t survive because of the speed and pressure they are subjected to. Better to use a different way. However professional gardeners want/need to be fast for time and financial constraints

[@CynthiaLamb-jf2md]

I always thought leaf blowers should be outlawed

[@hagun6535]

So glad I don't have a HOA 😊

[@CynthiaLamb-jf2md]

Same here, I can't imagine being controlled by someone!

[@DDD11239]

Paying money to be told how to maintain your property, outside the bounds of local law? No, thank you.

[@annhanrahan5287]

I have a small garden in front yard that is completely shade. What shrubs or plants are best?

[@lindaspiess3545]

Maybe hostas?

[@Angie-ci1lp]

So true protectionism 😡😖 grass lawns are water and money pits! Suburban life can be a challenge 🌼🌸🌺🌷🌹🍅🥬🌶️🥒

[@gardenprojectacademy]

Thanks, and yes!! I say to people: If you love your grass, then great! Grass isn't always bad. It is sometimes a great option. It's how we treat grass that can be bad, the fact that we have SO MUCH of it when we could have other plants that are so much more beneficial, and the fact that HOAs or similar associations sometimes require it 🪴🪴🪴