I have met many people from very diverse backgrounds during my lifetime (horticultural storied history of 50+ years too follow) properties large and small, I have designed and built them all from informal to formal.
Nature-Scapes to French Chateau
Modern Chic to Country Estates
I thank all of my hundreds of clients for the opportunity to create great spaces. My 1st (recorded) landscape opportunity came in 1988 and to this day I am still engaged with creating projects at this private residential paradise.......testament to my passion and good fortune to be able to design and build landscapes throughout southern Ontario.
LANDSCAPING TO SCALE
Installing landscape components without planning would be like building a house without blueprints, would you buy that house? of course not so why build a garden / landscape without plans? No matter what size of project you encounter begin with a plan and the best plan is to hire a professional.
Landscaping has to be to scale both physically and financially and whether your reality is worth $300 k or
$2 Million you have to invest wisely, 10%-12% of reality value is a start.
If you spend less you are not investing wisely and this is most evident when I drive around newly developed communities and see homes with an abundance of their favorite plants without any continuity, in the wrong locations for the exposure, shoe-horned into mediocre backfill and subsoil (compliments of most builders) or an exceptionally large home with a few small shrubs plunked in front with some concrete slabs hugging the house to resemble a walkway
Professional landscape designers will charge a fee relative to the work required to execute a plan that will fit your budget so when sourcing / searching either by advertising in your mail box or internet websites making contact and discussing over the phone is a good place to start to be sure both you and the designer are a proper fit.
Q+A SITE REVIEW
Now that you have made the right decision to call on professional help its time to meet and walk-a-bout your property and provide all your dreams and aspirations, a true professional will ask relevant questions (I have a list of 30 just in case I have a senior moment) everything from family interaction, work background, lifestyle , how long do you plan on living there, % of mortgage to reality value etc.
Landscaping is more than a pretty picture, as professionals we have to be able to provide insight, empower clients with knowledge and teach them how to invest properly and yes the end result will be beautiful.
