Whether for the environmental benefits of landscaping, boosting curb appeal, increasing home value, or to accommodate new additions such as a pool or outdoor living space, every yard can benefit from professional landscape renovations or improvements. Homeowners with a green thumb and some gardening experience may feel compelled to take on such projects themselves and ask, “Is it worth hiring a landscape designer?” This post examines some of the biggest benefits of using a landscape designer or architect and the qualities they can bring to your next outdoor project.
Why Use a Landscape Designer or Architect?
Knowledge & Education
The knowledge, know-how, and skilled expertise you’ll receive by hiring a landscape designer or architect can make a massive and dramatic difference over any DIY approach.
Despite common interchangeability between the terms, there are distinctions between a landscape designer and a landscape architect. While both work to create visually appealing and functional outdoor spaces, a landscape designer typically focuses on standard residential projects such as plantings, and a landscape architect oversees larger, more complex projects.
The benefits of using a landscape architect include their additional expertise gained through a bachelor’s or master’s degree and the rigorous testing they must pass to be licensed by the state. While extensive formal education isn’t necessarily required for landscape designers, many do obtain appropriate degrees or certifications.
Educated and knowledgeable landscape designers and architects make for excellent project managers, site planners, and overall creative thinkers. They know how to analyze your home’s unique landscape to create the ideal outdoor space.
Trained in the principles of landscape design, they bring expert insight into the right proportions, shapes, textures, and colors to implement on a project. In addition, landscape architects will also understand technical information for on-site engineering needs. This may include any irrigation and drainage systems, electrical work, or outdoor structures needing to comply with local zoning and building codes.
Experience
Home landscaping renovations can become a major undertaking, especially for homeowners inexperienced in best design practices or the physical work required to achieve desired results.
Professional landscape designers and architects bring with them a wealth of vast experience across jobs of all shapes and sizes. That dedicated experience will prove invaluable when approaching your project—in all likelihood, they’ve encountered similar features or challenges facing your yard on previous projects.
Those experiences may equip your project manager with unique insight into ways different materials could lower costs or how a seemingly small change could have an outsized influence on the project’s timeline or visual impact.
Simply put, professional landscape designers and architects have nearly seen it all. They know what works and—just as important—what doesn’t.
Energy-Efficient, Sustainable Designs
Their unique skills and experience will allow landscape architects and designers to implement innovative, energy-efficient, and sustainable designs into your project. Professionals understand how the strategic placement of trees, bushes, and shrubs in your landscape can lower energy costs and will recognize where to plant them to best shelter your home from the sun’s heat.
Landscape architects can also help environmentally conscious homeowners integrate rainwater collection or composting systems into their gardens and landscaping. They may also suggest patio or pathway materials that reduce water runoff or design effective drainage to prevent pooling and lead water into the ground.
Commitment to a Timely Completion
Many homeowners have had at least one project around the house or yard that got started with the best of intentions but became less of a priority as busy schedules and other commitments ate away at the free time needed to reach the finish line.
Handing over the reigns to professional designers or architects ensures that won’t be the case with your landscaping additions or renovations.
Comprehensive Oversight & Planning
The best landscape designers and architects will take the time to consult and collaborate with you. The benefits of hiring a landscape designer or architect should become apparent from your first consultation and project planning sessions.
When considering the features and your overall goals or needs for the reimagined space, an expert professional can suggest ideas or plans to stay on budget and on schedule. Throughout design consultations, site inventory, and analysis, landscape designers and architects get a lay of the land and take into account soil types, topography, climate constraints, or any other potential factors that could influence a project.
In response to how you and your family plan to use your reimagined outdoor space, landscape professionals will ensure a design that meets those needs. They’ll also oversee the creation of functional diagrams and detailed design plans to give you a better picture of how the final result will look.
Working with Aspen Outdoor Designs
The accredited landscape architects and designers at Aspen Outdoor Designs undergo extensive training and ongoing learning through continuing education seminars, horticulturist programs, and more. Reach out today to begin planning your project. We’ll sit down for a landscape design consultation to discuss your vision, then begin formulating a design plan to suit your needs, lifestyle, and personality.