The winter months are a good time to work on a landscape design, whether you are dealing with new property void of any plantings, or renovating an older landscape. Many people think about design as simply "plants" or "plant placement," which is not a good approach. Rather, think about design as creating outdoor "rooms" that are functional, aesthetic, livable, and maintainable. Rooms are the space created among various landscape objects, whether plants, fences, ponds, patios, etc. Various furnishings fill these outdoor rooms and activities take place in these rooms, just as rooms function in your home. Many landscapes are organized such that there is no reason to go outside and enjoy outdoor spaces; developing functional rooms will enable you to do so.