Tips for your front landscaping

Thursday, 16 March 2017

The phone rings and you hear those magic words you have been waiting for ‘your land has titled!’ As excitement builds, it is natural to focus on the construction of your future home, colours, and interiors. It is also the perfect time to start designing the landscape for your front yard for submission.  The Warralily Design and Siting Guidelines do provide the information required to submit your landscape plan, but it is always best to use the landscape guidelines which were provided in your contract. So, you might ask how do I begin?

Tips for your front landscaping
Tip 1. If you don’t have the tools to draw a technical plan, it is best to start with the developer approved house plan which is to a scale.  Important to check the scale at the bottom of the page provided by your builder as the landscape plan needs to be 1:100.  In some case’s your builder may have included a landscape plan, but it is best to double check if it complies with the guidelines.

Tip 2.  The guidelines by the Warralily Design Review Panel have put together a selection of plants to assist you to blend in with the character of the estate. These plants should also soften and frame your home. All sizes specified in your contract must be planted from tubestock to mature trees and indicated on the planting schedule. Consider the heights, textures and colour choice of the plants which complement your façade.  Mature trees could be used as key focal points within the garden rather than hiding it to the side.  For those who don’t have a green thumb a mature tree must be 2-3 metres in height at planting, this is taken from the ground up, the 25 litres is a reference to the root ball of the tree, not the pot plant you intend to plant the tree in.  Also, don’t forget the front and side nature strips are part of the landscape submission, they must be indicated on the plan. You are welcomed to contact the City of Greater Geelong for the ‘Naturestrips Streetscapes with Pride’ pamphlet or pop in to Warralily Sales office to pick one up. 

Tip 3. Notation indicating what you have included on your plan is key information for approval. Ensure you provide descriptive information. For example, if one of your surface treatments is mulch, specify what type of mulch and how deep the coverage will be. Driveways, make sure you note what colour, or treatment you intend to use. It is also common practice to repeat this information in your legend and have a precise planting schedule. The botanical names, the common name, heights/pot sizes and the amount you intended to install is crucial to a landscape plan. This might take a little research but it will be well worth it for the result.

Tip 4. Driveways must be indicated on the plan. It is easy to forget about the driveway, as everyone uses it for an access point. But it is a surface treatment that covers and is incorporated part of your front yard. This surface treatment is included part of the 40% of non-porous material surface.

Tip 5. Screening the front tap is a requirement. So, use your creativity to screen the taps from public views. Indicate on the plan how you intend to executive the treatment.

Tip 6: Enjoy the process, a well-designed front yard should enhance your property. It is the first impression for when your family and friends come over to see your new home. That’s what your front garden should aim to be, a personalised statement piece.

If you require any further information prior to commencement you are welcomed to contact our friendly Design Review Coordinator Anni Saul, 0499 979 311.
 

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