Frequently, when the landscape designer shows up for an appointment, the client is not really sure what he/she wants or even what he/she needs to tell their landscape designer. The homeowner knows that they have seen beautiful gardens and they know they want one, but the process it takes to get there is absolutely foreign!

The homeowner’s lack of design experience is exactly why they call us, but there are a few things that a client can do to insure that they get the landscape they want. It helps to understand the process a bit and know where to start and what they need to provide to the designer.

First, do some research.

Spend some time looking at garden magazines and books. Cut out pictures for your designer of things you like and things you don’t like.  Review the different styles and see which one conveys the mood you want. Visit botanical gardens as they usually have the different styles depicted somewhere in the garden.

Second, pick a style.

Decide what fits you and your home. Your architecture will help you decide the type of layout, but also have a site survey copied for your designer to keep. This will show them the property lines in relation to the structures and is a great place to start when planning design

Here is a summary of a few style descriptions:

Formal: (Image on left) Think Versailles, geometric and rigid. Lots of clipped hedges and straight lines. The details of a formal garden can change depending on the country –English, French, Italian…each have small differences.

Cottage Garden: Think romantic, lots of blooming flowers, lots of texture and layers.  Cottage gardens usually have a large mix of densely planted perennials with the structure of the garden set by evergreens carefully placed.

Japanese: (Image on right) Think rocks, gravel, and tons of carefully clipped evergreens.  These gardens have an analogous color scheme.  The water, boulders, and gravel are set out to recreate nature.

Naturalistic: Think park-like, organic shapes, loose lines. But to be truly natural this will follow the laws of nature, it is not laid out willy-nilly.

Moorish/Islamic: (Image on left) Think exotic, yet formal.

Lots of tile, lush plantings, fabric used for flags and plump pillows for sitting around the bubbling fountain. Colorful and bright.

Modern: Think geometry. This harkens back to the formal but with a much more sleek feel. Simple, lots of gravel and wood and steel. The hardscapes usually take the focus with the plants used to highlight certain areas. Very streamlined and purposeful.

Third, what will you do in your garden?

• Pets: will you need a fenced in area or a dog run?
• Children: do you want a playscape?  what activities would you like that space to allow for?
• Sustainable:  would you like to grow your own food?  make compost? have a rainwater collection system?
• Space:  do you want open spaces for sunning?  partial landscape development?

Fourth, speak your mind!

When you meet with your designer, tell them your preferences as it relates to the things you have seen and what you envision for your outdoor space.

Things to consider:

• Plants; ones you hate, ones you like. If you are unsure about plant choices it is helpful to take a stroll through a local nursery and write down what you do and do not like.
• Color scheme; many people will favor a certain color in the garden.
• Maintenance; are you a hobby gardener, expert? Or do you not want to mess with your garden except for winter clean up?
• Also if your designer is going to design out a vegetable garden let them know what you want to eat from it. If you hate turnips then they will need that information…unless you plan on giving away the majority of your produce!
• Will you need to do the installation in phases?
• Do you want a place for sculpture or a water feature?
• If you have a large property do you want to develop only a section of it or the whole parcel? Gravel pathways through a meadow are a great way to keep maintenance low on a large property as you only need to mow a meadow once or twice a year (depending on the plants) and they look like you’ve maintained a wild space while at the same time properly managing your place.

While it is certainly not necessary to do this before you meet with a designer, it is very helpful.  When a designer has information about your likes and dislikes, this shortens the process considerably and puts you that much closer to your dream garden.  Since it is your property and you are the one living there, the most important person in the design process is you!  Get to know what you like and want so that you will enjoy your landscape for a long time.

Bon Planning!

Kate