Spring Landscape Planning You Can Do in January
How to get a head start on your outdoor transformation in Colorado
When most Colorado homeowners think about landscaping, they picture spring planting and summer patios—but the best outdoor spaces are actually designed in the middle of winter. January is the perfect time to start planning your spring landscape so that when warmer weather arrives, your project can move forward without delays.
At Outside Dreams, we work with homeowners across Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Centennial, Lone Tree, Parker, Greenwood Village, Englewood, Aurora, and more to build outdoor spaces that are ready to enjoy as soon as spring arrives. Here’s how you can use January to get ahead of the landscaping rush.
Why January Is the Smartest Time to Plan Your Landscape
Spring is the busiest season for landscape designers, contractors, and material suppliers. By waiting until April or May, you risk limited availability, delayed timelines, and fewer design options.
- Priority scheduling for landscape design and installation
- Better access to premium materials like pavers, stone, and plants
- More time to explore layout options, features, and budgets
- The ability to break large projects into manageable phases
This is especially important for custom landscape design and construction, where your landscape plans and HOA submittal will need to be finalized before work begins.
Start With How You Want to Use Your Yard
Before choosing plants or patios, think about how you want to live in your outdoor space this year.
- Will you entertain guests or host backyard parties?
- Do you want space for kids, pets, or a pool?
- Would you like a fire pit, outdoor kitchen, or seating area?
- Are you looking for more privacy or shade?
January is a great time to review your current yard, identify pain points, and set goals. A professional landscape designer can then turn those ideas into a cohesive plan.
Design Hardscape Features First
In Colorado’s climate, hardscape elements—patios, walkways, retaining walls, pergolas, and outdoor kitchens—form the backbone of any great landscape. These features must be designed before planting begins.
- Scaled layout designs
- Material selections for stone, pavers, and wall block
- Structural layouts for pergolas, fire pits, outdoor kitchens and seating walls
By finalizing these now, your landscape installation can start the moment the ground thaws.
Choose Plants That Thrive in Colorado
January is the ideal time to select trees, shrubs, and perennials that will perform well in Aurora and the Denver metro area. Planning early gives you access to the best plant inventory before nurseries sell out in spring.
- Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance plants
- Native and climate-adapted species
- Seasonal color and year-round interest
- Proper spacing for mature growth
Plan for Irrigation, Lighting & Drainage
These behind-the-scenes features are critical to a successful landscape and are easiest to install when they’re included in the initial design.
- Efficient irrigation zones
- Outdoor lighting for safety and ambiance
- Proper drainage planning
- Reduced need to disturb finished patios and lawns later
Get on the Spring Installation Schedule
The best landscape contractors book months in advance. When you start your project in January, you secure your place in the spring build calendar—often saving weeks or even months of waiting.
Outside Dreams’ winter design clients are typically the first projects completed when construction season begins.
Start Your Spring Landscape Now
If you’re ready to transform your backyard, January is the perfect time to begin. From custom patios and outdoor living spaces to complete landscape installations, Outside Dreams helps homeowners throughout Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Centennial, Lone Tree, Parker, Greenwood Village, Englewood, Aurora, and more to turn winter plans into spring reality.
Contact Outside Dreams today to schedule your landscape design consultation and make this the year your outdoor space truly comes to life.