Call it landscape design, site planning, or garden architecture – there is no denying that the garden leaves behind a tangible impression. The very first impression you’ll get of somebody’s garden comes from their home’s exterior and that’s why many homeowners will pay big bucks to make sure their house looks like they’ve got money even though they don’t. And while the majority of people seem content enough to leave this part of their home to professionals, other individuals are driven by an innate desire to be involved in this process themselves.
The moment your clients decide to take an active role in designing their outdoor living space, you need to step back and consider several factors lest they end up with eggs on their faces (and outdoors). The following 5 tips will help ensure that your clients’ garden turns out as beautiful as they imagined.
1. Effective Miami landscaping design must be considered from the very beginning of a project’s life cycle to make sure it meshes with the needs and desires of its owners, functions within its natural limits, and complements existing structures. An effective landscape strategy can help you to create a practical space that takes into account all of these factors while giving homeowners a great deal of flexibility over time.
2.. Your success will largely be determined by how well you manage your client’s expectations. Many people have unrealistic notions about what they want to do with their yard – there is no need for this to be so as long as you guide them towards something practical and workable using as much real information as possible. If your clients want a swimming pool, instill some fear into them by explaining that if they also want a garden one day, this may not be possible as the land will always be committed to their pool. This way you can hopefully avoid all those requests for ‘just one more little thing’ that stretch out the process and end up costing far more than they should have.
3. When designing a landscape strategy, make sure it reflects a symbiotic relationship between home and garden – contemporary living spaces often require extensive outdoor areas which must be used on a daily basis while older homes need smaller yards with limited functionality. A good balance of both is required to yield maximum results from your garden design plans – studies have shown that most homeowners use only a small percentage of their garden at any given time so it is wise to keep this in mind.
4. It’s often a good idea to coordinate landscaping plans with other aspects of your client’s home such as interior elements, the local neighborhood, and geographical surroundings (including wildlife). Research into these areas will help you create a complementary landscape design strategy that produces all-around results.
5. Keep your clients involved throughout every stage of the landscaping process – even if they aren’t able to make as many decisions as they would like, never dismiss them as irrelevant as this could result in the project taking longer than expected (or becoming abandoned). Rather, look for those areas where decisions can be made easily and give homeowners further insight into those areas where professional input is required in order to complete their garden design plans.
There you have it – even though landscaping is a potentially complicated process, getting your clients to understand and appreciate what they need is often more than achievable if you put your mind to it.
Is Hiring A Landscape Designer Worth It?
Landscape design takes some special skills and abilities, not to mention years of education. You can hire a landscape designer for $125-$150 an hour or so if you find the right one.
You’ll also want to do your research on professionals in your area who specialize in designing outdoor areas. As with all types of designers, some are better than others, particularly with landscape design.
Developing this area into something that’s both beautiful and functional is no small feat! However, before you decide that it’s worth the money to have someone come out and work on developing your lawn, here are some things for you to consider first:
– How much time are you willing to invest? This type of project isn’t going to be completed quickly. It can take weeks and weeks of planning, not to mention the work of actually building your dream space.
– How much money are you willing to invest? You’ll need to consider both the initial cost for design work (which you might be able to get for free if you’re related to an architect or designer), as well as any future costs that might occur when it comes time for construction. Keep in mind that once the plan is done, it’s up to you or a contractor (if you hire one)to follow it through.
– What’s your desired end result? Would you like something simple? Do you want something complicated with patios and water features, etc.? There are many variations available, so make sure you have a clear picture in mind.
– How much work are you willing to put into your space? Do you have the time and energy to dedicate yourself to this type of project? If not, then it might be best to hire a contractor instead.
– What kind of amenities would you like included with your landscape design? It’s always nice to add things such as an outdoor sink or even a barbeque area when possible. These little additions can make all the difference in terms of making sure people actually enjoy being outside!
When it comes right down to it, hiring a landscape designer is really up to personal preference. All that said, there are some undeniable benefits worth mentioning:
– Having a professional help out means that you might be able to get more done in the same amount of time. Not only that, you’ll end up with a space that is structurally sound, rather than something that’s held together by sheer luck!
– A professional landscape designer will also help you avoid making critical mistakes when it comes to planning out the design itself – which could easily be made by someone with little or no experience.
– You can take comfort knowing your project is being handled by someone who has dealt with other clients in the past and delivered what they wanted successfully.
On the whole, hiring a landscape designer might just be worth every penny! The final product will likely be one that you are proud of for years to come, so it’s definitely worth considering at least as a possibility.
