Measure Your Existing Site

To pinpoint a tree, measure a right triangle, beginning at the corner of a nearby structure and positioning the tree at the apex. Make the angle square, with a carpenter's square and heavy string.

Transforming a bare or bedraggled yard into a private paradise is more than a willy-nilly procedure. It's a step-by-step operation that involves measuring and drawing a map of your site, sketching the new landscape possibilities, choosing a final plan, and staging the work according to personal priorities, logical work order, and budget.

A map of your lot may already exist. Check with the builder or architect, with the local FHA, VA, or mortgage office, or with your deed. Your town or county building department may have a property survey on file, too. Check any plan for accuracy, especially if it is old. If you find plans, ask also for any topographical data that may show grade changes and drainage.

If no plans exist, don't worry. Just follow these directions, and in less than an hour you can do the measuring. Or hire a surveyor (especially if property lines are in question). Most people, however, can do their yards themselves.