If you own or rent a home, the first impression folks will get from you will be the landscape design of your front lawn. This doesn’t mean you need to strive for a Versailles Palace type of garden but there are some great, fun and inexpensive ideas that make landscape design easy. The first big choice you have to make is whether to bring in the pros or do it yourself.

A professional landscaper is someone who will help you create a lawn and garden design that works best with your environment and your budget. It’s also important when working with a professional landscaper to be aware of the continuing maintenance on your lawn. How much work will you do or regulate to others like a weekly gardener? Will this involve trimming and pruning? Do you have a capable irrigation system in place? Which plants are best suited for the changes of seasons where you live? These are all questions you should be discussing with your landscaper or researching for yourself.

Those industrious folks who want to create their own landscape design will find plenty of help on line and at your local nursery. Even strolling through the Home Depot Garden department can inspire you with bountiful landscape designs. It all starts with growing and maintaining a nice lawn (if that’s part of your design!). Again, where you live is a key factor for the best type of grass to grow.

Once you’ve created a lush landscape for the front of your house, you can continue the work in your back yard. This is where guests will come to relax or where you might want to spend hours getting away from it all. Landscape designs for the backyard can include small garden sections surrounding a fountain. Depending on your space, you could even create a more secluded section for private moments.

Part of a viable landscape design can also be a working garden. These could mean dedicating a small pact of ground to growing your own fresh herbs and vegetables. Deciding to have an active produce garden could be a bit more labor intensive but the rewards can be bountiful.