S & J Nursery’s Guide to Landscaping in Northeast Florida, Jacksonville | St. Augustine areas
Like the Edible Landscape portion of this site and the Sod area, Landscaping in Northeast Florida is a work in progress. Time is moving faster and faster the older I get and seems to be evading me. Possibly too many plants and animals to tend to is the source of the problem, but it is on the table for the next project so hopefully it will work its way into life within the next season or two. At first it seems a simple topic but as my mind begins to attempt the organization of the thought processes that go into a good landscape design, I begin to understand why people just call the experts to handle it for them. It can get complicated as each aspect affects another. To motivate myself to tackle the project and quit putting it off, I have planned trips to the local Florida botanical gardens for photos and inspirations to help get me going. Hopefully you will soon see the results of those outings come to life.
I 
will attempt to explain and breakdown the process for you step by step with where to start, tips on how to get it done as well as many many examples of projects that may be similar to the one you have in mind.
Whether you decide to tackle the task yourself or
call us at 904-522-1786 for a FREE landscape estimate
this may be a good place to start browsing for ideas of
what you may want to achieve with your landscape.
- Falling in love with the magic of landscapes
- A quick Look at Basic Landscape Design Principles
- A Quick Look at the Elements of Art in Landscape Design
- Getting Started
- Observing existing gardens to find your preferences
- fitting in with the neighbors, a sense of place
- architectural styling of your home
- observing your climates and microclimates
- considering maintenance and your time or schedule limitations
- Site conditions and assessment, the basic layout of what you have on site now
- Observing your climate and microclimate
- understanding the lay of the land, elevations, slopes, flat areas, natural features and built features already existing to work within your final plan
- Sun and Shade, how they change in the seasons
- soil conditions and components getting to know them
- water needs
- wind direction
- views in and out of the property
- footprint or layout of the space
- Understanding your needs
- how are you now utilizing the space
- how do you plan to use the space
- making a preliminary design
- Finalizing the design area layouts
- choosing materials
- Observing existing gardens to find your preferences