In this guide
1. Start with what you actually use
Before any planting decisions, map how the property is used. Where do people sit, and at what time of day? Which windows do you look out of most? Where does the sun fall at 6pm in June, when you actually want to be outside? What do you want to stop seeing?
These answers drive the plan far more usefully than a plant wish-list. A shade tree placed for the west-facing patio changes how much the garden gets used; the same tree twenty feet away does not.
Write down three or four objectives in plain language — “block the neighbour’s upstairs window”, “make the patio usable in the afternoon”, “less lawn to mow”. Every subsequent decision can be tested against them.
2. The correct sequence
Landscape work should run in order of permanence, because each stage is disruptive to the ones before it.
- Drainage and grading. Fix standing water first. Every later stage is compromised by it, and correcting it afterwards means lifting finished work.
- Irrigation. Mains, valves and zones. Retrofitting drip into a planted bed is possible but messy; installing it first is straightforward.
- Hardscape. Paving, walls, edging, lighting cable runs. Heavy access happens now, before anything can be damaged.
- Trees and boundary screening. The slowest-growing elements, planted as early as possible so they are gaining while other work continues.
- Shrub planting. The main structural and colour planting.
- Groundcover, mulch and lighting. The finishing layer.
The classic expensive mistake. Planting the beds first because they are the visible part, then trenching irrigation through them afterwards. It damages roots, disturbs establishment, and costs more than doing it in order.
3. Where the money should go
A useful way to allocate budget is by how hard something is to change later.
| Element | Hard to change later? | Budget priority |
|---|---|---|
| Drainage / grading | Very | High — do it properly once |
| Irrigation infrastructure | Very | High |
| Hardscape and paving | Very | High |
| Trees | Very (time) | High — size matters here |
| Boundary screening | Moderate | Medium–high |
| Shrubs | Low | Medium — they grow |
| Groundcover | Low | Low — fills in fast |
| Annual colour | None | Low |
The practical implication: buy larger trees and larger screening plants, and buy smaller shrubs and groundcover. A tree bought small stays visibly small for years; a groundcover bought small covers the ground in one season. Spending evenly across all categories is the least efficient allocation.
4. What to do yourself
There is a sensible dividing line, and it is mostly about consequence of error.
- Reasonable to DIY: groundcover and small shrub planting, mulching, container work, seasonal colour, minor bed edging, plant selection with advice.
- Worth handing over: drainage and grading, irrigation design and installation, tree planting above about 15 gallon, hedge runs where uniform spacing matters, anything requiring machinery or utility work.
The weight issue is often underestimated. A 25-gallon shrub is 150 to 200 pounds; a 15-gallon is 90 to 120. A hedge of thirty 15-gallon plants is roughly 3,000 pounds of material to move, place and backfill. Our guide on DIY versus professional planting works through the trade-off honestly.
5. Realistic timelines
Plants do not deliver instantly, and expectations set at installation are where most disappointment starts.
| Element | Looks established |
|---|---|
| Groundcover | 3–6 months |
| Shrubs from 3 gal | 12–18 months |
| Hedge from 7 gal | 12–24 months to close |
| Hedge from 15 gal | 8–12 months to close |
| Small trees | 2–4 years |
| Shade trees | 5–10 years |
The first six months after planting go largely into roots, and it can look as though nothing is happening above ground. That phase is normal and unavoidable — and it is why the establishment watering regime matters more than anything else you do in year one.
6. Phasing on a budget
Very few residential projects happen in one payment, and phasing well is largely about not undoing your own work.
- Phase 1: drainage, irrigation mains and zones, and any hardscape. Unglamorous, and the foundation of everything.
- Phase 2: trees and boundary screening. Plant these as early as the budget allows — they are gaining time while you save for the rest.
- Phase 3: the main planting beds in the highest-visibility areas.
- Phase 4: remaining beds, groundcover, mulch and lighting.
If money is tight, a good compromise is to complete the infrastructure across the whole property and then plant one area properly rather than planting everywhere thinly. A finished section reads as a finished garden; a thin layer everywhere reads as unfinished for years.
7. Questions to ask a contractor
- Where does water stand after heavy rain, and what are you doing about it?
- Are beds and lawn on separate irrigation zones?
- What container size and height are the plants, and are they matched across runs?
- What spacing are you using, and what is the mature size of these plants?
- Is mulch included, and how deep?
- What is the watering schedule for the first eight weeks, in writing?
- What happens if a plant fails in the first three months?
The answers to the first two and the last one tell you most of what you need to know about how a job will be done.
We grow, deliver and install across Miami-Dade — see residential landscaping or plant installation.
Frequently asked questions
What order should landscaping work be done in?
Where is landscaping budget best spent?
What landscaping should I hire out rather than do myself?
How long does a new landscape take to look established?
How should I phase a landscaping project on a budget?
How heavy are large plants to move?
What should I ask a landscaping contractor?
References & further reading
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program
- UF/IFAS EDIS — landscape establishment and design
- Sunshine 811 — utility location before digging
Planning a project this year? Send photos and rough dimensions and we will tell you what to do first — even if some of it is not us. Get a quote or call (786) 283-3401.