If you've got quite a bit of land in your backyard, your family may be excited to do some landscaping to allow for certain activities or make the space appear more beautiful. However simple landscaping can seem at first, without preparation, any challenges that arise are tougher to handle. Use the following landscaping prep suggestions to ensure your yard is what you'd hoped: 

1. Do Some Doodling

The first landscaping task you should take on is sketching out your plans. With some doodling, you can start to outline. How much of the space will be used for flowers or a puppy sandbox, for instance. Sketches are especially important if you are trying to use the space for multiple purposes to suit everyone who lives inside your home. If your teenagers want a volleyball net back there but you are hoping to install a fountain or koi pond, it's smart to plan that out on paper beforehand. You may want to take some measurements as you go along.

2. Plan for Plant Maintenance

Flowers, bushes, and trees are often landscaping improvements that homeowners are excited to work with. While your thoughts may be consumed with colors or personal favorites, part of your thought process should involve the maintenance you'll have to do for the plants you put in.

For instance, if you install trees, be aware that pruning will be an ongoing chore for you, especially if you have underground utilities; proper maintenance is essential if you want to avoid problems caused by branches and growing roots. Remember that raking leaves can be a time-consuming chore depending on the trees and bushes you select. Berry-producing bushes can also stain driveways, so be mindful of that as well as you're choosing them.

3. Study Sun Exposure

Whether you want flowers, lawn chairs or a pool in certain parts of your yard, you'll need to do some study of the way the sun travels around your yard. Parts of the backyard may spend most of the day in the shade, while some areas are always illuminated and can become uncomfortably hot. This kind of awareness will ensure that your delicate flowers don't wilt in the summer and that you don't put your pool in a place that never sees the sun.

Whatever your plans, landscaping is best done after preparation. Local landscapers and others can provide input and assist with decisions, so your yard suits your family and provides hours of fun and comfort