When you are planning your outdoor space, the project may seem even more intimidating than decorating a room indoors. Part of the challenge may be in the nearly infinite number of choices that are available to you in backyard landscaping materials today. Do you go with rock or mulch? Bushes or trees? And where do you plant the fruits, vegetables and flowers?

The good news is that by narrowing down your choices to a single type of garden landscape design, you can effectively reduce your choices to a few that will fall within your theme. There are many different types of garden landscape designs available, so you are sure to find the one that will best meet your needs and personal preference. Once you have selected a theme, check out garden landscape software that will help you lay out each bed virtually before you ever put any plants in the ground.

The Classics

If you love a classic, then a timeless flower garden may be the perfect choice in garden landscape designs for you. You can select from annual beds that must be changed out every year but give you the opportunity to try new plants and experiment with a variety of color combinations. Or you can go for the tried and true perennial beds that will offer the biggest bang for your planting buck. These beds are not without maintenance requirements however, since you will need to keep the bed cleaned out and the plants pruned and divided every year.

Go for Scent

Even more aromatic than flowers is the herb garden, which makes a beautiful and functional component in garden landscape designs. Many herbs are perennials, which cut down on your planting needs, and a number will also flower to add color and beauty to your outdoor space. Some homeowners will opt to put these garden landscape designs closer to the house to allow for ease in clipping herbs as necessary for cooking in the kitchen or on the grill.

Keep it Drought Tolerant

Does a rock garden make you think of an arid desert region without much foliage or color? Think again, because a rock garden can be dressed up with all kinds of blooming plants that will add color and texture to your garden landscape designs. This is the perfect opportunity to look for drought tolerant plants that will not require much moisture to get down into the rocks. Flowering cactus, succulents and numerous perennials will make the water wise grade.

Garden landscaping designs can be as simple as planting a few rows of herbs inside a decorative border or as intricate as an expansive rock garden complete with a recycling fountain. No matter what your climate or the size of your outdoor space, you can find beautiful garden landscape designs to enjoy.