Planning your driveway and walkway can be tricky because they need to provide enough space for traffic, yet they should take up a minimum space to leave room for more attractive landscape elements. The garage should be close to or attached to the house, and near the street. The driveway should ideally be as long as your property allows, providing for off-street parking.

If you plan to have a lot of deliveries, make sure your driveway is strong. Most home driveways will crack after repeated use by heavy vehicles because the soil under the driveway becomes wet. Therefore, it is important to plan for adequate drainage.

The material used for your driveway should be stable, and unable to be washed away or shoveled up with snow. However, if you have a very long driveway that impacts your landscape, you may want to choose a material like gravel or crushed rock so that it will blend in with the rest of your yard.

When planning your landscape, you should ideally plan for well-designed walkways with tidy edgings, steps which appear to belong where you have placed them, and small footpaths leading deep into your garden. Your selection of materials is nearly as important as your selection of location. Concrete pathways and stairs, while very durable, can contrast too much with the surroundings. Other materials, such as flagstone, brick, or wood, may be a better choice. Be sure to pick the material to suit the rest of your home and landscape, because pathways should not stick out like a sore thumb amidst your landscape.

Water features are also important to consider when planning your landscape. Garden pools, a flowing fountain, or a stream running through your yard can add interest and movement. Water features can be added in any size, from very small fountains to large ponds. The sound of running water is very calming, and cool water is welcoming during the heat of summer, making water features especially popular in warm climates. When planning your landscape, make sure that the water feature is a focal point which can be seen from several areas of your property, especially from the best parts of your garden.

When planning your water feature for your landscape design, the same principles you considered when planning your walkways should apply. Concrete edging makes for a very formal edge, while other materials can lend a more natural feeling. Flagstone, brick, rock speakers, or tile are some of the many materials you can use for your pool. If adding a fountain or other feature, the materials are almost unlimited. Fountains are actually very easy to install and care for, because they require only a small amount of water, which can be recycled with a small motor and pump.

Planning your landscape before you begin changing it is very important, because you should be sure that it all flows together. Walkways and water features are too important features you should plan especially carefully.