7 Landscape Design Tips for Beginners Here are seven tips to take into account as you begin your new landscaping project. 1. Identify landscape needs and preferences Make a list of your wants and needs. Do your children require a play area? Would you like to raise vegetables? Would you all like to get together on a patio? Create some very basic sketches of your yard with ideas for the placement of various elements; this is a wonderful organisational technique for novice landscape designers. According to Marianne Lipanovich, author of the Big Book of Garden Designs, they don't have to be detailed blueprints; they might simply be concepts. She drew a few lines and a few circles for the redesign of the front yard landscape. 2. Consider the Environment Examine the wind and sun patterns. A patio on the west side of the house would be a good idea, however, dinnertime in August might be uncomfortable due to the patio's exposure to the afternoon sun. And a fire pit will be swiftly p...