The seven steps to landscape design are: analyze the site, list what you need, measure and draw a base plan, sketch functional zones, pick a style, choose plants and materials, and finalize the plan before installing. Professionals follow roughly this order on every project, from a single bed to a full yard.
The two steps homeowners skip most are the site analysis and the zone sketch. Note where the sun hits in the afternoon, where water pools after rain, and what you see from the kitchen window. Then block out areas (dining, play, planting) as rough bubbles before drawing anything pretty.
Style is the step where most people stall for months. Testing a few looks on a photo of your actual yard with an AI landscape design tool settles it in an afternoon instead.