Landscape design ideas come in many shapes, sizes and colors and fit large, small and in-between budgets. If you're the adventurous type, you can "go all out" even to the point of renting a small bulldozer and really doing it big ... or have beautiful results with much less effort.

If you're like a lot of us, you just want to have the nicest, most intriguing backyard around, and one you can do yourself. That could be achieved on your rented John Deere or maybe with just a little planing, placement and persistence. Sometimes, the difference between nice and really nice is simply the scale and arrangement.

For instance, incorporating a water feature, such as a fountain or koi pond—in the right place—upgrades everything around it. Ponds, fountains and even waterfalls can be built in a weekend by two non-professionals with a few simple tools and a few hundred dollars. Don't believe me? Go online and search "build koi pond", "cheap waterfalls" or "backyard water feature" for starters. A well placed small portable ceramic waterfall works wonders, too. Even a small water feature adds the unique element of sound.

Creating "areas" for your plantings is a way to add structure to your landscaping while allowing you to go wild within those areas. A vegetable garden set within a grouping of evergreens adds seasonal color and interest while providing food and interesting conversation. A rock tier is a perfect place to grow strawberries and tomatoes. Baskets of shade loving ferns adds serenity when hung from tree branches.

Solar lights are inexpensive and amazing after dark! Place them along a walkway, throughout your landscape or behind your new pond, where they'll reflect your good sense. Buy 'em, bring 'em home and stick 'em in the ground! See how important these can be at your next BBQ when the sun starts to set!

And, as always, keep "color" at the forefront. Variegated leaves, flowers, bright garden art and colorful pots. Color can bring it all together. And be conscious of the environment as you plan. there are many, many plants and landscape elements which are "drought resistant" and environmentally friendly. Its a natural thing to do.