 Hire a
Green Thumb
by Beverly Burmeier
photography by Al Rendon
Are you dreaming of a beautiful lawn surrounded by a perfectly landscaped garden and winding paths leading to a soothing waterfall? Do you want space for entertaining, herb gardens or playgrounds? Will a formal, cottage, or native garden better complement your home’s style? What about amenities — stone pathways, retaining walls, an arbor or gazebo, even an outdoor fireplace or kitchen?
If you feel overwhelmed by myriad possibilities, consider hiring a landscape architect, a professional who combines technical and artistic talents to design an environment suited to your needs. Landscape architects like Matt Stevens of Blue Heron Designs do much more than create flowerbeds: “We transform outdoor spaces into new living areas,” he says.
Whether you need a backyard overhaul or an entirely new landscape, the most important task is to plan. Observe appealing yards and gardens to understand your own preferences. While planning can begin any time of year, if you consult with a designer this winter, you’ll be ready to go when spring arrives. The planning and design stage generally takes several weeks; implementation can extend to several months depending on size and complexity of the project.
Estimate how much you wish to spend, so the landscape architect can give you the best value for your dollars. “A budget helps to define what I will create,” says John Troy of John S. Troy Landscape Architect Inc. Be sure all specifications are agreed upon in writing to prevent communication issues later.
What is a reasonable dollar expectation for landscaping? “Today’s customers often want comprehensive projects that
total 20 to 30 percent of the initial cost of the home,” says Stevens. Although that may give some clients “sticker shock,” the good news is that landscape improvements often return up to 100 percent of their cost when a house is sold, making this a worthy investment.
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