How to Landscape an Empty Square Yard

Go into the back yard and measure the dimensions of your space. Before you can construct a landscaping design plan, you have to know how much space you’re working with. Knowing how big the space is will let you know what elements are feasible in your yard.

Complete a site analysis to determine if the current empty space needs any changes in elevation to complete your project. If so, you will need to rent or purchase the appropriate equipment to raise or lower the level of the ground to accommodate various structures.

Get a piece of graphing paper and trace out the dimensions of your yard. Begin drawing in the landscaping designs you want to include in your yard. Mark out all gardens, ponds, garden decorations, plants, trees and other elements on the paper. Create a legend to indicate how much space is represented by one square on your graph paper—this will help you when it comes time to purchase the materials.

Create a shopping list of all the supplies you will need. Consult your design’s legend to determine how much of a certain product you need. If you have a lot of supplies to purchase, create a checklist and double check with the design to make sure you have listed all tools, equipment and materials you will need to complete the landscaping.

Complete the physical landscaping work. When landscaping you must work in stages—for instance, if the yard does not have any grass you must first lay sod in the areas you want to be covered in grass. Generally speaking, you should start with the basics first: grass, flower beds, patio stones and pathways. Work from the bottom up and, when the basics are complete, start adding decorative items like lights and flowers.