» Why
do I need a garden designer?
»
When do I need a landscape designer?
» How long will it take?
» What - a liquidambar?
» The bottom line |
Why
do I need a garden designer?
Many homeowners enjoy tending their gardens as the seasons pass.
A new garden or complete renovation, however, benefits from
a professional designer’s special training. This yields
more functional and aesthetic utilization of all your outdoor
space.
Thoughtful integration of the natural elements of soil, water
and plants with built elements -- stone, wood, concrete, metal
or glass – produces a dynamic composition. A natural rhythm
and harmony results when every object is proportionally balanced
with a professional eye.
- Paths and views flow effortlessly and unify house and
garden
- Carefully located seating areas, ornamental features and
focal points invite exploration
- Plants that thrive in your planting zone minimize maintenance
and costly water use
Good design evokes the intangible spirit and character of each
site. A professional has the experience and training to seek
and identify these opportunities, transforming an ordinary or
difficult site into an enchanted garden.
When do I need a landscape designer?
You wish to create space for your family’s
functional needs:
- a private place to read and relax
- a safe haven for your children or pets
- an outdoor kitchen, dining patio or place to hang the
hammock
You need to solve a design dilemma that affords:
- privacy and screening from your neighbor
- a water feature to buffer the noisy street
- shade from the hot afternoon sun or shelter from the
ocean breeze
You dream of being transported to your favorite hideaway:
- recreate that tropical retreat in your own backyard
- surround yourself with Mediterranean scents of olives,
lavenders and sages
You've bought a new home or relocated to the Bay
Area and:
- don’t know which plants flourish in your particular
micro-climate
- long to replace a thirsty lawn with drought-tolerant,
low-maintenance plants
- add ‘uumph’ or curb appeal with dazzling
color, fragrance or texture
It’s a blank slate, a jungle, a maintenance
nightmare; just where do you begin?
How long will it take?
Depending on the size and requirements of the site, a complete
landscape design – including conceptual design, annotated
layout plan, planting plan, design details when applicable–
usually is completed within 2 to 3 weeks following site assessment
and measuring.
A small urban garden often can be transformed within 2 to 3
weeks after construction begins. Larger spaces, or those requiring
multiple structures such as fences, arbors, patios or retaining
walls, may take longer. Compared with the complexity of remodeling
your kitchen or bathroom, your untamed garden becomes a wonderland
within weeks.
What - a liquidambar?
Liquidambar recreates the seasons in your garden. Liquidambar
styraciflua’s maple-like leaves in autumn turn from crisp
green to brilliant purple-reds and gold. In winter when the
leaves drop, the native American sweet gum’s wings and
dangling seedpods animate the tree. (Beware the litter of spiky
seedpods on bare feet or lawns; a round-leaved ‘Rotundiloba’
variety produces few seed balls.)
Moderate to fast-growing, Liquidambar leafs out early in spring
after a short dormant winter; it requires little pruning when
mature, and can be planted in groves or as tall screens.
The bottom line
For most of us, our home is the single largest investment we
make in our lives. Yet many homeowners neglect a huge portion
of their investment by under-utilizing the space outside. We
all pay property tax on every square foot of our property; why
give it to the weeds.
Consider these figures…
- An average 2,500 sq. ft. (100'x25') Bay Area property today costs almost $1,000,000, which is $400 for every square foot of the property.
- Your 1,500 sq. ft. home costs over $666 per square foot.
- Remodeling a Bay Area home begins at $300-$350 per square foot.
- The average cost for landscaping? Approximately $25-$40 per square foot.
- A well-designed landscape increases the total value
of your property by 15% to 20%. (See report above.)
- The best investments? Trees, patios, decks, fountains and paths. You buy a tree for $150 and immediately it grows in value.
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