This is the perfect time of year to get ready for spring landscape consultations. Are you planning on adding a new garden area? A patio to increase your usable outdoor living space? Do you need a retaining wall? This is the time of year to be scheduling a landscape consultation and thinking about the questions you will ask the designer when they arrive at your home.
The middle of the winter may feel like an odd time to think about landscaping, but as long as the designer can see the space they can often take measurements and get started on a design. We perform landscape consultations all winter long as the weather allows. Once you have a design in place, then we can start discussing the materials. Planning early is great if you are not sure what type of plants you would like, or would like to discuss different materials for hardscaping. You will have time before construction begins to research plant varieties and colors and options of pavers, blocks and stone.
Spring comes before you know it and designers schedules fill up early. Call to set up an appointment, even if it will not be for another month or two. That way when the weather gets nice you will be at the top of the list!
What information should you have ready when the designer arrives? Create some notes as you think about your project. How can we provide privacy screening? What would be the best location for vegetable gardening areas? What shape should the patio be? How big? Make notes of how you be using the patio. What level of maintenance or care are you willing to give your plantings or hardscape? What styles are you drawn to?
Creating a vision board on Pinterest, or showing the designer photos of work that you like, will give them an idea of your personal style. Be sure to point out styles you do not like. Your dislikes can clue in a designer to your tastes as much as your likes. Although they will take plenty of notes at your meeting, feel free to provide the designer with the notes that you prepared. They will be a handy reference guide when they start designing your space.
Liz