Preparation can keep your dream landscaping projects from turning into a nightmare.  Landscaping can be expensive, and the last thing you want to discover is that you cannot maintain or finish the landscaping that you started.  With a plan, however, you can be assured that your landscaping will be what you desire.

Start by thinking about how much time and money you have available for your landscaping project.  Are you more of a DIYer or do you plan on hiring a landscaping professional?  Keep a running list of supplies you'll need and the equipment you'll need to buy, borrow, or rent.  You don't want to buy the supplies to far in advance or you may end up with a surplus.

Even if you're not artistically inclined, a good step to start visualizing your front yard landscaping ideas is to draw a rough sketch.  You can purchase landscaping software if you want to develop more than a rough outline.  If you are running short of ideas or have trouble visualizing, keep a camera in the car while you drive so you can snap photos of appealing yards.  Decide on your themes and colors. 

Get local advice.  Nursery employees and home improvement store workers can often guide you in what grows well in your area.  Although they are hoping to make a sale, they can dispense good advice.  Listen to what they have to say, but go with your gut and don't be convinced into something that you will not be happy with.  You'll live with your yard everyday and it can be costly and timely to redo your landscaping if you are not satisfied the first time around.

Also, talk to your friends and neighbors whose yard you admire.  They might be able to steer you away from pitfalls that they've encountered.

One thing you definitely want to do in the planning stage is to make sure what you are doing is legal.  Check with the building codes and property lines before you make any changes.  Also, you'll probably be digging, so contact your utility companies before you dig.

In addition to making sure that the plants you choose will grow well in your area, be sure to inspect all plants prior to purchase.  This is especially important if you shop at a large store where the plants might not be as well cared for as in a nursery.  Look for disease or pest infestation.  You do not need an expert eye to recognize a healthy plant, just take the time to inspect them.

Staying on budget and on time can be hard when you are landscaping.  Even the best planning can't prevent all delays and problems.  It will, however, save you from most of the common landscaping headaches.