In the world of landscape design, zones are used to help create and define the style of a landscape design plan. What exactly are zones?
What Are Landscape Zones?
Often, landscape zones are confused with hardiness zones. It is important to know there is a very clear and very different distinction between a hardiness zone and a landscape zone.
Hardiness zones help you to determine if certain plant types will thrive in your geographical location. A landscape zone is very different. A landscape zone refers to the different areas of a yard. It is used to make a plan for landscape design. A zone defines an area of a property and recognizes the attributes of that area to create the best design plan and use for the area.
In a professional landscape design drawing, you may see several zones drawn and defined by various shapes. It helps to lay out a clear plan and to communicate how the plan can and should be put into action in the landscape. Creating zones can help to organize the design project. It can help to break the design into smaller projects that can be executed one at a time or a few at a time. It helps to give vision and direction for the overall work of art that your landscape will become.
Zones can be used to help define an area’s usefulness. There might be a zone designated for pathways. There could be a zone reserved as lawn space that can be used for various activities. There might be a zone specifically reserved as hardscaping for a specific activity, like a sports court or a swimming pool. There are also zones designated for outdoor living spaces.
Using zones is a great way to communicate a landscape design plan and how all of the desired elements of a design will be put into place on a property. It is also an extremely helpful tool that can help take a plan off the paper and bring it into reality in a yard. It gives an organized guideline of how a plan can become reality and helps communicate to the team working on the project how the plan will be executed.
Furthermore, a landscape zone helps to define the best use for a certain area of a yard. This is perhaps why it can get confused with a hardiness zone. Landscape zones can help to identify what type of use an area of the yard should be designated for. If you have a very shady corner in your backyard, it can be zoned for a swing or additional living space that can become a favorite spot to sit and relax when the temperatures reach peak uncomfortable levels. If you have an area that receives a ton of sunlight and have always loved the thought of a vegetable garden, it can be delegated as a perfect spot to create some great-looking raised beds to grow the best tomatoes you have ever seen.
It is a good idea to take a look at the attributes of your yard and define the zones when designing your yard. Making sure to define what you want to see in your yard and what different areas of your yard are best suited for. Having a plan and zoning things out makes starting a landscape design project easier.
If you want to take your yard from great to amazing, contact the landscape designers at First Fruits Landscaping. Let’s get started turning your yard into a work of art that not only looks great but also functions well for your lifestyle. We provide landscaping services in Snohomish County and King County.