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“You landscape your yard to make it beautiful”, a friend once matter-of-factly said to me. The simplicity of that statement is its truth; landscaping is about beauty. It’s how we transform our small part of the world to maximize its beauty. It is also about functionality, extracting personal use and pleasure from this outdoor space. Creating a landscape that is both beautiful and functional is something we are all capable of, this is something of which I am one hundred percent convinced. It requires an understanding of the principles, knowledge of the materials, and a little magic, but there really are no secrets to good landscape design.
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A good landscape is easily recognized...
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I started off into the uncharted territory of landscaping knowing absolutely nothing about the process. I had a new home, bare earth, and no ability to visualize the potential of this property. I knew that it did have potential, but I had no clue how to unlock this potential. A few years later, after many books, some hands on experience, and a litany of valuable friends and resources, I have built a landscape that I am very proud of, a living and giving outdoor extension of my home, and I did it myself. Let me assure you, if I can master the art of landscape design, then anyone can, and that means you too!
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...but how do I get there?
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I am also completely convinced that beautiful landscapes can be created anywhere in the world, from the dense tropics to the arid deserts to the vast arctic. Each part of this world has an inherently unique beauty. If you are reading this guide, chances are you are a northerner. This is a common ground, something that unites us together in our search for creative expression in our living spaces. We both know that you have a right to the best outdoor living space that can be created regardless of where you live. Don’t lament living in the north, celebrate it. We have four fantastically diverse seasons, a wealth of plant and hard materials, and a palette that would make any artist drool.
This guide is about how to create a beautiful and functional landscape in the north. If you follow it through, learning the principles and the tricks, understand the process, and even have some fun along the way, in the end you will be able to design a landscape for yourself and your family. I am confident of this.
This guide is for all of us northern landscapers. Happy landscaping!
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