Planning Landscaping that Lasts

If you're completely renovating a home, or moving into a brand new one, that's the best time to have a landscape designer or architect generate a blueprint for the yard. You may have to complete the landscaping in stages, according to Alan Kostelnik, owner of Gardens of the Wine Country, a Diamond Certified company, but you'll save money in the long-run if you have a master plan. When it comes time to plant, Mr. Kostelnik suggests that you get professional advice from a local nursery as to what will grow best in your particular microclimate. Something that thrives in Napa may not do so well in San Francisco and vice versa.

Also, if you get gardening ideas from other parts of the country, such as tropical Hawaii, don't assume you will be able to grow the same things here, unless you're willing to give your plants a LOT of time and attention.