YARD DESIGN TEMPLATES
Time to Design
Now that you've read a little about plants and planting design, it's time for you to do it yourself! If you feel a little overwhelmed thinking about plant selection and arrangement, here are a few yard templates to help you out. Booklets for each template provide a convenient little package of information about each design.
What's Inside the Yard Template Booklet?
Existing Conditions
What the yard looks like right now, including shady, sunny, and wet spots. This diagram informs what kind of plants can be planted there.
Planting Template
Exactly what you think it is. A suggested planting template for the yard given the goals of the design (described on the front cover) and the existing conditions.
Phasing Diagram
A suggested way to break up the installation into smaller pieces. You can really do it in whatever order you want. The phasing order based on priority areas and trying not to leave awkward gaps between the first phase and the final.
Species List
A rundown of basic qualities and additional notes for each of the species identified in the design. If you are looking to replace a plant in the suggested palette, you can use the information on this chart to find a species with similar characteristics that will also thrive in your yard.
Additional Tips
Some additional considerations to take into account before, during, and after you plant.
4-Season Task Calendar
Some things like soil amending and planting should be done at certain times to avoid unwanted plant death. This calendar helps you spread out your tasks over the season to help with timing.
Templates
DOWNLOAD OPTIONS
(All are PDFs)
1. The whole booklet with everything listed above. There are four for you to download and look through.
2. A full-sized version of only the planting design template that can be printed out on two 8.5" x 11" sheets and taped together
3. A full-sized version of only the planting design on one 11" x 17" sheet. This is better for viewing online or printing if you have a printer that can handle a sheet-size of that magnitude.
Sunny & Dry
This design focuses on planting in a rectangular lot that is predominantly sunny and dry with some surrounding trees. It aims to create privacy from adjacent neighbors and to attract butterflies. A central lawn space is kept in the back and smaller lawn is kept in the front.
Click to download
Sunny & Wet
This template is designed for a sunny and wet yard with no surrounding shade trees. Planting replaces most of the existing lawn, including an island of planting to take advantage of the wet spot in the middle of the yard. It aims to attract hummingbirds and pollinators as well as create winter interest.
Click to download
Shady & Dry
This shady and dry lawn is completely covered in the front with various fern species, blooming ground covers, and sedges that help with erosion control. The back yard is bordered by existing shrubs.
Click to download
Shady & Wet
This shady and wet, rectangular lot is planted with attractive blooms that tolerate more saturated conditions. Plantings stay around the house and at the back border of the yard.
Click to download
