A)I know what I like B)I know how to call people who DO know!
I knew the area of the yard I wanted landscaped, I knew how I wanted it to look, and I knew I wanted to attract birds and butterflies. I also typed up a list of the plants/flowers I KNEW I wanted (white daisies, purple salvia, butterfly bushes, black-eyed susans, etc).
Then I looked up garden centers in our area and called up a family-owned place where we always get our Chrismtas tree. The owner himself came down, spent 20 minutes looking and listening, and had a plan. Of course he measured and did other technical stuff after that... One week later he had a blueprint drawn up. It had a ton of extra things I hadn't thought of, I kept some and crossed some out. Then they installed it, and I just have to do upkeep now (watering, weeding, replacing stuff that dies). Long story I know but it looks so much better now!
Of course if you are not keeping your current place I probably would not bother. If you are, I will say that extra landscaping also eqauls LESS GRASS to mow!
One week later he had a blueprint drawn up. It had a ton of extra things I hadn't thought of, I kept some and crossed some out. Then they installed it, and I just have to do upkeep now (watering, weeding, replacing stuff that dies). Long story I know but it looks so much better now! 
