Landscaping is a unique combination of art and practicality. Anyone following proper design principles can create a yard that is beautiful to look at and that serves any needed purpose. Professional landscape designers begin that process by considering the space available and dividing it into ‘activity zones’.

What is an activity zone? It is an area that serves a certain purpose – a yard for walking on, a garden for flowers or vegetables, a patio for relaxing, a pond for beauty. Those areas, and several more like walkways, sheds and fences are all part of the landscape and each needs to be considered in relation to the whole yard.

In order to create a yard that is pleasant to the eye and functional, you’ll need to sketch out different designs - or use software to help you.

In each area you’ll want to think about what kind of plants, including flowers, will grow best in your zone. Take time to consider whether to create a multi-leveled step garden with the tallest in back, the next in the middle, the shortest in front. That works well, for example, in a rectangular garden with one side against the wall of your house. Or, perhaps you want a circular garden that allows viewing from every side.

You’ll want to consider areas for sheds to hold tools, the lawnmower, etc. Those areas will typically need to be flattened. Walkways, too, will need to be stepped or leveled, as will any patio unless it’s raised.

You’ll want to use your imagination - on paper or on the computer - with various positions for trees of different species. Do you want shade trees for sitting under or fruit trees for growing your own apples, cherries and other fruit?

You’ll need to drill down into some details about pruning practices, in order to keep your home safe from windblown branches and to keep your trees healthy. You’ll want to consider the proper time of year to transplant flowers and shrubs, in order to keep the garden under control.

If you have pets or young children - or if you just want to separate off an area for esthetic purposes - you’ll need to consider fencing. That can be in the form of ordinary chain link, or you may want something a little more stylish in the form of wrought iron, redwood or brick.

Consider how much time and effort you want to put into maintaining the yard after you’ve established your garden. For instance, some plants require a considerable amount of care or will need to be replanted year after year. Annuals are plants or flowers that experience their entire life cycle in one year - hence the name. But that means re-doing the effort every year.