The Benefits of Hiring a Landscape Designer

Did you know that a well implemented landscape design can enhance the value of your property by 20%? By designing your landscape right you can be rewarded with the great benefit of getting back twice your investment when you sell your house. On the other hand, if you do not take the special time, care and proper steps to creating your dream landscape, your project could result in a lot of problems and prove costlier than you planned on.

Many people spend thousands of dollars renovating the inside of their home and forget that the first thing a visitor sees is the front yard landscape. It can be the most important component of a complete home and garden renovation and should draw attention to your home. This inviting component sets the stage for the theme and success of the rest of the outdoor spaces and should encourage your visitors to approach your home.

I know, I know once spring hits we all get that boost of energy to tackle that list of what we need and want done in our landscape. It takes a great deal of time and energy to in vest in both creating and maintaining the landscape around our home. When taking on the task of implementing a new landscape design gardening is only a small part of many skills that may be required. Other specialized skills may include carpentry, masonry work, irrigation, etc. Have you ever started a project early in the spring only to find that it turns into weekends, weeks, and often vacations; and by fall that project is still not finished?

It is advisable to hire an experienced professional LANDSCAPE DESIGNER who will listen to you and understand both your needs and desires, create an affective plan, and helps you to implement that plan into effective solutions that will ultimately save you hundreds and maybe thousands of dollars. Let’s face it a well designed exterior space becomes a welcome retreat in this apprehensive and anxious marketplace and we want our investment to be a wise one.

Landscape design is a complex task that requires the knowledge and experience of a qualified LANDSCAPE DESIGNER. The designer should have the horticultural and aesthetic expertise to create a Master Plan that will unfold into a pleasing and enjoyable landscape to enjoy for many years. One who understands and has the insight to create an organized and well thought out PLAN for your space – a new space or an existing space, be it large or small. This professional will devote the required amount of time to complete a finished DESIGN specifically for your home and property and within your set budget.

A successful landscape is beautiful, functional and easy to maintain. The creation of a design whether small or large is a PROCESS, a canvas in the working. The garden space should reflect the particular tastes, desires, and needs of the client. A good designer creates a plan that matches the needs and interests of all those involved, while maintaining functionality and sensitivity to the natural environment. While listening carefully to the client the LANDSCAPE DESIGNER creates an orderly, harmonized landscape with an expression that is compatible to those needs and is a clear form of the client’s vision.

A designer has a commitment to helping you realize your landscape vision by using superior materials and quality workmanship that will add value and enjoyment to both your property and your home. Landscapes are made from various living and non-living materials. Most people are familiar with the characteristic of construction that include plants, wood, stone, concrete, brick, etc. and have particular likes and dislikes. However, it is daunting to know what specific materials are appropriate, cost effective, climate appropriate, sustainable, and suitable. A LANDSCAPE DESIGNER will have the expertise to select the plants that will thrive in a particular environment, require less upkeep, and know where and how to shop for the materials needed to execute the plan.

In the end the design will reflect seasonal interest, appropriate plant selection and arrangement, and good garden construction. It is the goal of a good designer to select plants that will thrive in a particular environment and will require little upkeep. Native plants are encouraged as much as possible because they have a much better chance of thriving. Hardscape materials like driveways, sidewalks, pathways, walls, fences, etc. should reflect your landscape style and complement the design and architecture of your home.

If you are thinking of implementing either an entirely new landscape design, or even a specific area or renovation, now is the best time to start your research for hiring a LANDSCAPE DESIGNER. The ideal time to begin the design process is 6-12 months before you want your landscape to be completely installed and ready for use. Of course, this depends on the complexity and size of the project, weather conditions, the design process, material selection, and scheduling and implementation of the design. Now, during the winter months, is a good time to do your research and hire a designer. This allows time for the initial consultation with the designer to listen to your needs and desires, the preparation of a proposal for design services, and the process of developing and completing a design. All this needs to be done before the materials are selected and the contractor service is selected for the installation of the design.

As a professional LANDSCAPE DESIGNER I will be sympathetic toward preservation of the natural surroundings. It is my objective to create a plan for you that satisfies your desire for a pleasant landscape. It is also my obligation to always keep in mind my responsibility to the environment. It is important to take advice from the surrounding existing conditions and respect what exists in any give area. These conditions give us clues to what opportunities we have to creating a space that can exist and thrive in conjunction with the surroundings; and give us pleasure.