Welcome to Ga'Hoole's landscaping guide! Normally when I do this sort of thing my words are all over the place because I have so much to say; but I'll try to keep it as organized as possible for you. To start, let's go over some topics that will be covered. (Hopefully in order)
- Know your map
- Tools of the trade
- Hybirds + Carnations
- OK to plant; not OK to plant
- Hybrid patterns
- Trees
- Patterns and how to use them
- Tips for landscaping
Know your map
It's a little messy, but it's home. Your map is probably the most important tool for landscaping. Be sure to always scope your town out before you live your life in Animal Crossing. Check around to see the negatives and positives. Examples of negatives and positives are: Islands +, good places for orchards and gardens +. houses near bridges -, signs near bridges -, signs near important places -, space near the bus stop +, good ramps +, etc. If you have an island; don't worry about it being too hard to navigate with you only having two bridges when you first start off. (Or three if you have an island), you'll have the option of getting a third bridge for your town by donating 200,000 bells to the Town Fund.
Are islands difficult to get as your default layout? Certainly not. A lot of people mention how islands are a lot rarer than your everyday, simple layout. That's not true. The truth behind the matter is there's a lot of programmed layouts already; many of them having an island and many of them not having an island. It's all about luck I suppose since it's random. Just keep restarting until you get the layout you want.
On my map I've numbered some important places for gardens and such. My layout is pretty good in terms of growing flowers and trees, however, that little spot on the right-hand side of the bridge at the bottom is pretty useless to me. :P Just remember: Location Location Location.
Tools of the Trade
Your three tools are the shovel, the axe, and the watering can. All having three stages: Normal, Silver, and Golden.
~Shovels~
Normal: Tom Nook's shop. Nothing special about it, performs the basic shovelling out stumps, getting buried items, and a tool you need to obtain the golden shovel.
Silver: You'll get this from Resetii in the City. (If his little center is open to you). Aside from performing the basic tasks, the silver shovel will double the bells you get from growing money trees by 10%.
Golden: This allows you to actually plant bells to grow money trees.
~Axes~
Normal: Performs your everyday cutting needs, but will break after being used to a certain extent.
Silver: This axe will not break no matter how many times you use it.
Golden: Allows you to chop faster than the previous two. It also doesn't break like the silver axe.
*You get the Golden and Silver axe from Serena. You'll find her by throwing a normal axe into the fountain which you must donate 500,000 bells for after you've donated and built the bridge by donating 200,000 bells.
~Watering Cans~
Normal: Allows you to water your flowers.
Silver: Received from Posy Farm after purchasing 50 flower seeds from Tom Nook. Also aside from basic watering, it has a 9-square radius.
Golden: Looks awesome and you receive it for free after having your town at Perfect Status for 15 days in a row. It also allows you to make golden roses by watering a black wilted rose. The golden can has a 9-square radius much like the silver.
Flower Seeds: Bought from Tom Nook's shop for 40 bells each. (Or less depending on if he has a sale).
Saplings: Bought from Tom Nook for 80 bells.
Cedar Saplings: Bought from Tom Nook for 60 bells.
Hybrids + Carnations
I'm not going to spend any time on giving you a list of possible hybrid combinations. Guides like that are everywhere. Actually, if you really don't know where to find a good one; just google it. Seriously. You'll find a good one for sure. I will, however, say that carnations can be obtained on Mother's Day and Father's Day.
OK to plant, not OK to plant
When planting trees, make sure they're at least one space apart from eachother.
When planting trees near water, be sure to be careful. Try to get them at least two spots away from rivers. This allows for more space while fishing. Planting trees right near bodies of water will make them die.
When planting trees near the border lines of your town, make sure that they're at least one space away and again; a space apart from eachother.
Beware of signs! Planting flowers near signs is a very, very bad thing to do. If a villager happens to move there any flower in range of the house will vanish and you'll never see them again. Don't think that having flowers there will ensure that no house will be set up there. The following picture contains shoveled in spaces where you shouldn't plant. Anywhere else aside from them is fine.
So don't do this:
Or this:
Don't set your hybrid combinations near anything. Try to get them in some open space. In otherwords, not near hills, trees, signs, buildings, animal's houses, etc. So for example, don't do this:
ESPECIALLY if Nook hasn't fully upgraded yet. If he hasn't, planting them directly beside will ruin your flowers.
So what about ponds? What can you plant there? I'll admit that planting flowers near those holding ponds look pretty; so feel free to do that. When planting trees near flower ponds, make sure they're far enough so that they look something like this:
Don't be afraid to plant near houses, though. If they're already there, you have nothing to lose! Planting a couple flowers near a villagers' home looks nice and you don't look like the bad guy stealing flowers and planting them in locations you want such as your house.
What else looks nice? Bridges! Bridges are a great place to do some landscaping. Feel free to plant some flower paths near bridges to brighten them up a bit. It's really nice that there's plenty of space for it. Even when the bridges are on an angle. (You can still do two flowers on each side going diagonally). It looks nice!
Trees can also warm up near bridges. If the location is right, you could put two trees on either side. (Make sure to space it out a bit, though).
Also when planting trees try to avoid planting them near the edges. Try to stray a little bit from there. Don't avoid it altogether, just be careful. Something like this:
It can be tricky with the edges not being straight, but as long as your two spaces out it shouldn't ever be a problem. Want flowers on the edges? Go for it! It's not like the only flowers planted need to grow hybrids. Mix it up a little! All flowers look nice; hybrid or non-hybrid.
Hybrid Patterns
These you'll certainly have to mix up and experiment with. There are the obvious ones being side to side and diagonally:
But mix it up a bit! Try something new!
Don't set your hybrid combinations near anything. Try to get them in some open space. In otherwords, not near hills, trees, signs, buildings, animal's houses, etc. So for example, don't do this:
ESPECIALLY if Nook hasn't fully upgraded yet. If he hasn't, planting them directly beside will ruin your flowers.So what about ponds? What can you plant there? I'll admit that planting flowers near those holding ponds look pretty; so feel free to do that. When planting trees near flower ponds, make sure they're far enough so that they look something like this:
Don't be afraid to plant near houses, though. If they're already there, you have nothing to lose! Planting a couple flowers near a villagers' home looks nice and you don't look like the bad guy stealing flowers and planting them in locations you want such as your house.
What else looks nice? Bridges! Bridges are a great place to do some landscaping. Feel free to plant some flower paths near bridges to brighten them up a bit. It's really nice that there's plenty of space for it. Even when the bridges are on an angle. (You can still do two flowers on each side going diagonally). It looks nice!
Trees can also warm up near bridges. If the location is right, you could put two trees on either side. (Make sure to space it out a bit, though).Also when planting trees try to avoid planting them near the edges. Try to stray a little bit from there. Don't avoid it altogether, just be careful. Something like this:
It can be tricky with the edges not being straight, but as long as your two spaces out it shouldn't ever be a problem. Want flowers on the edges? Go for it! It's not like the only flowers planted need to grow hybrids. Mix it up a little! All flowers look nice; hybrid or non-hybrid.
Hybrid Patterns
These you'll certainly have to mix up and experiment with. There are the obvious ones being side to side and diagonally:
But mix it up a bit! Try something new!
There's tons of ways to make hybrids. Just get creative! I would recommend going simple on pathways, though. The simple horizontal crossbreeding works wonders.
Trees
Be careful with them, as stated. Remember that cedar saplings can only grow in the top two acres. (So going from the top; 32 spaces down). Any farther and they won't grow. Normal saplings will grow anywhere, you can plant flowers pretty much anywhere, saplings anywhere, coconut trees will only grow on the bottom acre, however. Just make sure not to plant them in the sand! In order to obtain a coconut; check the beach everyday. One might wash up. Remember that you can also plant fruit in the ground anywhere to get fruit trees. Also remember that running on saplings that have just been planted will not have an effect on growth. Watering will have no effect, either. All you need is time... And planting the trees in a proper location.
Patterns and how to use them
Never and I mean NEVER cover your entire town with patterns. Have little areas for them; but nothing more. Don't put pathways ALL through town, either. Just certain areas where you think you need them. With my layout I could easily pull off connecting them to make certain gardens without having them go everywhere and looking out of order. You can make simple flower patterns, blanket patterns, beach towel patterns, you know; little things to spice your town up a bit. Don't really bother with themes unless it's something small. They're a real hassle and they trash a good town look. You can't drop items, either. Or shoot down presents, etc. It's also a hassle if you have more than eight. The chances of you accidently picking up patterns is very high and it's annoying to switch characters every once and awhile to clear your mistakes.
Don't put them on bridges or around houses, either. It looks terrible, trust me. Just remember to use patterns in moderation. I have nothing against themes, really... They just don't work out in most cases. Every once and awhile is fine if you have the time and only want to do it for a couple days. They can look really cool; but really take out from the true landscaping factor.
Tips for landscaping
Aside from what's been said, just have fun with it. Plant trees in certain patterns, have walk-in gardens, put gates around some of your flowers, have a couple gates set up with flowers near buildings. (For example):
It can look really cool!If you want to lay out flowers with walkway patterns, make sure to have them at least have two beside eachother or three. Don't have a path consisting of a single 1x1 pattern going around town. It looks really ugly and it's not big enough. You can switch around from larger ones. (Don't go any bigger than four for a path, though). You can use your walkway patterns as a square or something, though. For your bus stop is just an example. You can even make bench patterns!
When garderning make sure to have a specific plan. If you want patterns, lay them out first and have your natural things follow so they don't get in the way. My #1 tip is to cut EVERYTHING down and start completely fresh so you have everything the way you want it. Don't always go for a perfect town; that's never any fun. :P Make a theme using natural scenes. You'll never go wrong with that.
Here are my two favorite pattern designs of all time. They're really easy to make and can add a real kick to your town:
Remember: If you aren't having fun with it, you aren't landscaping. Try to make one heck of a town! Good luck, guys. Make it original! :D
Just a PS; huge walk-in gardens are really nice. You can dedicate a whole area of your town for it. It looks awesome. <3
It's also good to note that landscaping takes a lot of time and patience. If you don't have either... Get both. Also note that it's fine to time travel a couple days into the future to get things organized. Just make sure it's only a couple days in the future and you water any plants if you're going forward. After about 3-4 days, make sure you go back. If there's more you need to grow or you want grown ASAP, time travel back to your original date and go in the future a little bit more. The day you're going to go back, don't bother watering your flowers. They won't die going backwards a couple days to get to the current date. Remember to water them once you're back, though... Or you're looking at some dead flowers tomorrow!
