# Landscape design consult



## wessneroo (Jan 22, 2019)

I have a basic idea of what I want to do with my back yard, but have no idea how to select the right plants. I'm sure a landscape architect/designer could take my very basic idea and take it to the next level with plants/layout I never would have thought of.

Does anyone here have any experience hiring a landscape architect or designer to draw up a plan for them? I'm looking for a design for a few beds and small hardscape in my ~4500 sqft back yard area (I would do the work myself). Any advice on what I should expect to pay, how to find a designer, things to consider, etc.?


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

I had mine done for my full lot. It was $300 through a local nursery, and then they'll credit you the $300 on labor if you schedule them for work (I have yet to find a way to take advantage of this without spending thousands including materials, trip costs, and other fees). Make sure it's a place that will work with you on making changes. Now that I'm acting on my plan I would have wanted more color included so I'm trying to find combos that would work in the various flowerbeds and I'm a complete noob about this.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

The landscape company (now defunct!) I hired were crooks....but they did one thing right. They introduced me to a local landscape architect. I told her what I wanted (which was specific regarding the pavers, trees, and low maintenance plants) and otherwise gave her a free hand. Her final design was way better than anything I imagined. I was shocked at first since I never intented such an ambitious project, but her design was just too nice not to implement.

Her consulting fee was relatively high at $700, but I got my money's worth. Besides the design itself, she provided a "materials package" that included a 3 x 4 ft laminated blueprint plan-view with all detailed measurements (very handy for my DIY irrigation install), a book listing all plants in the design and their care, and a cool 3D model video "flyover" preview of the design showing the sun tracking over the design, plus an after dark view with the low-voltage path lights.

To anyone in my area thinking about an domestic landscape design project, I strongly recommend this lady. She was not affiliated with the landscaper crooks I hired and I hold her blameless in that regard. In fact, I plan to hire her for my backyard design when I'm ready for that project. But this time, I'll eliminate the mistakes I made and install the pavers, build the pergola, and do all the dirt work myself.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

@hsvtoolfool I'm in Pensacola and would like her info if you can PM me etc. New construction and this would be a big help. :thumbup:


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

@hsvtoolfool Uhhh, yeah, can she come to Iowa too?


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

I have no idea how far she is willing to drive. I'm sure the travel expenses will exceed the design fees, even to Pensacola which is relatively close. I need to contact her personally today before publishing her name and number. She make not appreciate a flood of calls from most of the continental US.

I was just trying to make a general point that calling in a trained designer is a good idea. It can save you money in the long run and produce a better outcome than a random unqualified plant-seller at a local nursery or home store.

If all the professional designers in your area are either scarce or too costly, the nearest college of landscape architecture might be a good resource for low-cost help. Students always need a senior design project, and professors want to assign class projects. I'm sure youngsters will do very good work, but you'd probably wait months for the final design.

Of course my designer made some mistakes, but they are trivial and easy to correct. I'm not a gardener, so I have learned to dislike a few of her plant choices. For example, I must trim down a dozen "Kaleidoscope Abelia" shrubs at least twice a year. They're very pretty, but they grow way too fast and get way too big for their location. So almost all of them will be replaced with slower growing shrubs and ornamental grasses as I find time.


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## NewLawnJon (Aug 3, 2018)

I hired a company to give me a full landscape and irrigation plan and bid. At the end of the day I had my irrigation installed based on the plan, and have been slowly plugging my way through the yard installing the plants based on the plan, and adding/changing some here and there.

The biggest thing that will drive the price of any landscaping work will be labor, and plant maturity.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

I emailed my landscape designer last week. I asked her about starting a new design for my back yard, which has been on my "to do" list for a while. I want to reduce some of that 10K mowing with a large paver patio and some large mulch beds. She responded that her fees have increased since she did my front yard two years ago and that we can consult in August. Both of which suggests that she is now swamped with business. But even if she charges me $2K for the design, I think it's 100% worth it. She picks out every single plant and diagrams everything. She puts a lot of time and work into the project.

Anyway, here is the 3D video "preview" for my front yard design she showed me two years ago. I honestly wasn't planning on a project this ambitious, but her final design was impressive...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS2G4eyrFo8

I highly recommend Denise. Here is her contact information if anyone in North Alabama / Central Tennessee region is interested...

Denise Woodring
Green Thumb Garden Consulting & Design
www.greenthumbal.com


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

I hired a landscape maintenance company that had been in business for many years. They charged $300 for the initial consultation. We already had a basic design in place and just needed help with plant selection. They supplied all the plants and did the planting. Provided a warranty and actually replaced a few plants the next year that had died. The total cost for everything was $5800 and 3 years later our yard looks fantastic.


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