TOP 8 DESIGN MISTAKES TO AVOID MAKING

I have been designing landscapes for 17+ years and have seen some questionable landscapes.  Mistakes that are easily avoidable if the right steps are taken.  Admittedly I have also made design mistakes in my career.  That is why I am sharing with you the top 8 design mistakes to avoid making.

These 8 mistakes are:

1. Having zero clue what you want.  Even if all you have is some images of things that caught your eye, then at least you have some ideas of things you fancy.   
2. Not having a scaled plan.  A scaled plan gives you a clear look of how much space you actually have to work with.  No guessing games of how much room is there to plant in.  
3. Not understanding the site.  You have to know how much sun or shade your garden gets so that you can plant appropriately.  Maybe there is a view you want to hide or enhance.  
4. Budget.  Typically 10% of you property value is roughly what you might spend in your landscape.  This is assuming that you get all kinds of bells and whistles like a custom bbq or some fancy feature.  Understanding how much money you can realistically will effect what you can have done in your garden.  
5. Not considering how you or others intend to use the space.  Maybe there is a dog that will need an area to go.  Perhaps there are kids or grand kids that want an area to run around and play.  How about entertaining?  
6. Not considering scale.  You can't plant a tall tree in a 2' planter.  If a shrub gets 3'X3' then you have to leave 3' diameter of room around the plant to allow for the plant to grow.  
7. Not choosing the right materials.  You should consider California native plants if you live in California.
8. Not consulting with a designer.  You can call a local designer that suits your fancy and say hey can I meet with you for an hour to discuss my garden for a small fee?  This is great if you want to DIY the garden.