When planning to transform your outdoor space in Melbourne into something the entire family can enjoy for years to come, it’s of utmost importance to hire an expert instead of trying to self-create. Landscaping entails a unique balance of magnifying the natural beauty of a space in a way that truly brings its features to life whilst still creating a functional environment that can add value to the property (and beautiful memories to the photo albums). Designing and delivering the perfect space is more difficult than it may seem, and the net result of working with a professional can have a considerable impact on the final project. This is why you should consider the following benefits of hiring a professional landscape designer.
Site Analysis
Every outdoor space is unique, and your backyard is absolutely no exception. It is a natural environment that is part of a larger ecosystem. A poorly designed landscape (besides from being impractical to build in a particular terrain) stands out like a sore thumb, whereas a great design blends and accentuates the natural beauty around it. No matter how much you love Miami, you can’t have a sub-tropical themed oasis, complete with mango plantation in the Dandenong ranges (if this is you maybe consider moving north?). This is an extreme example, but I see mistakes of this nature all the time. People rush down to Bunnings to buy plants they have seen on Pinterest or Instagram, plant them in inappropriate places and they’re soon left with some very unhappy plants. Australia has a wide-ranging, unique landscape and climate; Melbourne is the epitome of this. A great Landscape Designer has the ability (and passion for horticulture) to interpret all of the natural elements of a space and factor them into a design that is as practical and low maintenance as it is beautiful.
Conceptual Design
As mentioned earlier backyards and gardens can vary widely, particularly across Melbourne. Every single outdoor space can be complemented by multiple designs. A professional Landscape Designer will study a space and research the ecosystem that surrounds it to determine the best-suited design that balances the needs and wants of the owner, as well as the natural environment. This balance is critical. If it is not met, it will without a doubt cost more money in maintenance over the long term to get an unsuitable garden healthy and flourishing. Furthermore, a professional Landscape Designer (much like an Architect or Interior Designer) has several tools that can make it easy to visualize a design concepts finished product before construction has even started. This can significantly reduce the risk that you will be left unhappy with the finished product. If you would like to know more about what these options are, contact us. I would be happy to talk you through the details free of charge.
Construction Planning
Conceptualizing a design or idea is one thing, but actualizing it is something completely different. You may very well succeed in developing your design on your own, but that does not mean that it is sustainable or buildable. Very similar to the points made about site analysis, a professional Landscape Designer will evaluate the space and produce a design that is both beautiful, practical and achievable. In addition to detailed, colour plans, Seyffer Designs also provides detailed construction plans to ensure the dream garden can become a reality.
Budgeting
A professional Landscape Designer is familiar with and understands the cost of everything required to bring a flourishing garden to life. Like any art form, all great landscape designs require undeterred creativity and boundless imagination in the beginning. But once you define all of the aesthetics and the projects overall direction the next step is to transform it into the reality of money, money, money. This is where experienced landscape and garden designers come in very handy, particularly design firms based within the local economy. Designs themselves can be strategically created within a budget range, or even multiple budget ranges if you want to see the variation in the result.
Additionally, an experienced Landscape Designer can recommend, liaise and negotiate with contractors and construction companies to bring a design to life under the best possible circumstances. Remember, once engaged in a project a designer has an absolute vested interest in their design coming to fruition. Much like Architects, Graphic Designers and Interior Designers, Landscape Designers can be slaves to their reputation. It is of paramount importance in the design industry. No matter how perfect the design, if it is not executed well and within budget, the designers reputation is on the line. Engage a professional, and they will work with you to ensure both aesthetic and financial needs are met (or even exceeded). Most designers work with landscape construction/build firms while others prefer working solo. Their strong relationship with fellow landscape contractors will be of great importance when hiring installer during the construction phase.
Project Management
Professional landscape designers will work with you right from the design conceptualisation phase to the actualisation stage. Problems always occurred in large projects (like death and taxes, they can feel inevitable). But with the designer playing a key role in managing the implementation, problems can easily become opportunities rather than just costly balls of stress. Ultimately this means your project stands a chance of being improved upon as the construction goes on. Having the designer as the manager or close at hand will minimize all the pitfalls and help you to leverage his expertise and experience.
Of course, there are many many more benefits of working with a professional, but hopefully, I’ve been able to give you some insight on a few of the more prominent. If you have found this article useful and would like to discuss further, leave a comment below or feel free to reach out for a chat.
Cheers,
James Seyffer
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