FAQs - Why use a landscape designer near you?

Some people feel that spending money on employing a professional garden designer is a waste of time and money. They think they know what they need to do and then either do the job themselves or hire a tradesman. And whilst it may be the solution in the short term, it is over the long term that issues can start to appear. Remember gardens are living spaces that need to be carefully designed and planned, otherwise they can turn into undesirable, stressful locations that can consume a lot of money.

What makes a good garden into an amazing garden – something to enjoy throughout the year, the smells, colours, textures etc?  It is about knowing how to put all the elements together in a way that is functional, practical and appealing and most important suits your lifestyle. That includes hardscapes (eg rocks, paving etc) and softscapes (eg plants).

A well planned and attractive garden will not only visually enhance your home and extend your living space, it will add value to your property and create enjoyment in the short and long term. Others will see how you have lived the space and relaxed in it after a hard day’s or week’s slog.  Conversely, it is my belief that the opposite, a poorly thought out, overgrown and tasteless garden will remain with you whilst you try to make do with a poor garden design. The wrong plants in the wrong environments may detract from your overall property value and to the honest, is a waste of your hard earned money as they will either not flourish or will perish. Don’t make poor investment choices!

Professional garden and landscape designers have the comprehensive skills to translate your ideas into functional and stylish outdoor space which reflects your lifestyle and suits your budget. With extensive expertise and creativity, designers can offer advice, design and manage gardens in a range of situations, to maximise the potential of your site. With materials, labour and plants, the budget for basic landscaping of even a small garden can easily reach $10,000+.  If the layout and implementation of elements within the garden are not thought through correctly, this money is wasted. In fact you can still spend thousands more in removal of overgrown trees or general maintenance just to get back to the original situation. A professional garden designer working with you will minimise these longer term concerns to generate a greater value from your investment.

Often home owners have amazing ideas on what they would like to see in their garden, for example decking, lawn and play area for the children, but knowing the right size, shape, location and materials to use takes expert knowledge and experience. Sure you can go and read a book, watch a couple of TV shows and think that you can translate this to your own garden (we all do), but should you?  Is what you think you like, the right option for you and your space?

All plants are not the same. For example you may think of the common pittosporum (neighbours begone) as a hedging plant along a fence line. Did you ever think of using an espaliered fruit tree has a ‘fence’ or even the pomegranate for its interesting foliage? Did you also know there are hundreds of commercially grown forms of a plant, differing in sizes, planting requirements, flower colour, nutrition requirements, after care etc. If you purchase a large overgrown tree on sale and within 3 years it is 10mt tall, you will end up spending another $1000+ to remove or risk damage to house foundations and pipes. Not to mention having a completely inappropriate and unattractive tree which you now have to manage. A garden designer will reduce the risk of inappropriate planting and landscaping, and by taking the time to talk through your exact requirements, spending the time to do the appropriate research and offering you appropriate alternatives.  This will help towards ensuring that the garden is designed right from the get go or that improvements are made to an existing garden so that it can be sustainably maintained! (Yes, you read right, ALL gardens need maintenance!!)

Often a garden designer is an excellent conduit between couples who have differing ideals or aspirations for their garden. A garden designer is more adapt at critical elements that the customers may not have considered. Drainage in a garden and the practicality of maintaining a garden is one such aspect often overlooked but are very important for the long term viability and success of your garden.

A good garden designer will have illustrated examples and endorsements of their work. If they are available the same day for an appointment, they probably don’t fall into this category. Whilst a landscape contractor who arrives at your door doing a ‘quote for free’ can sometimes be helpful with the design elements, the problem is that often they haven’t been trained to think about the garden as a whole to make it an aesthetically beautiful space, considering all elements and to top it off, most lack the requisite plant knowledge.  After all, appropriate hardscapes aside, it is plants that make or break the space and make the money spent worthwhile.

Lastly, most people wouldn’t do their own electrical work or plumbing around the house. It’s dangerous and if things go wrong it is very expensive. It’s no different in the garden, save money, time and energy by employing a garden designer and have the garden you always dreamed about!!

So call us now!