Many Philadelphia area homeowners planning a substantial new landscape design, question whether they can lay out a new landscape plan themselves, or whether they need to retain the services of a professional landscape designer. While some do-it-yourselfers have come up with nice gardens on their own, there is much to be said for having a master residential landscape design plan completed by a professional. These plans offer tangible, visible statements of where your property is now, what it should be in the future and what will be required to complete the ideal design.

While the landscaping process varies, master plans are most successful when they represent the full range of options possible for the landscaped property. Good residential landscape design plans are flexible, functioning as a visual means to communicate options and ideas.

“A professional landscape designer starts with a property survey and topographical map, and then typically creates a series of conceptual sketches, preliminary elevations and final renderings as your vision evolves and crystallizes,” says hgtv.com.

Few masterpieces have come into existence apart from a good plan, as haphazard and disorganized work is rarely productive or cost efficient. What array of details might be included in this residential plan and why is it essential to work from a plan?

• Understanding of the site – To have a flourishing landscape it is essential to have a knowledge of the soil type, zone, and plant hardiness. Plants will respond luxuriously when their specific requirements are met and maintained.
• Knowing the mind of the user – Everything needs balance, and the Philadelphia residential landscape design needs to seamlessly accommodate the current use of the yard, the intended purpose, the desired feel and look, maintenance preferences and budget.
• Settling on a theme – While there might be room for variance and personal expression within specific styles, choosing one as an overarching guide to harmonious plant and hardscape selections makes this process go much more smoothly.
• Determining purpose – In the landscaping world, plants provide aesthetic, structural and utilitarian roles in the design. A good residential plan pinpoints the wished-for functions in each part of the design and incorporates the best choices to meet those goals.
• Structuring the plantings – A good landscaping plan defines flower beds and shrubberies with attention to space requirements, balance and unity with the whole scheme, and projecting plant size at maturity.

Another design option that enables the homeowner to visualize the design is photographic image design. Actual photographs of your home or property are taken and altered to include the elements of the landscape design you have indicated during your consultation as preferred. Plant size, shape and density are shown to scale in the photographic image design, just as they would be implemented. These full-color images provide a good picture of how the landscape would realistically appear.

Considering the years of pleasure you anticipate enjoying in your landscape, it seems wise to invest time in a developing a comprehensive Philadelphia residential landscape design – so that you get the lush landscape you are looking for. To successfully realize your dream of having a beautiful garden or stunning landscape makeover, it just makes sense to go with a proven Philadelphia residential landscape design company with decades of experiencing planning and designing residential landscape design plans.

In 2015 Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, PA  received both the  “Best Of Houzz” 2015 award for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, and the exclusive “Recommended” badge for top rated professionals on Houzz. Schedule a complimentary on-site consultation with Aardweg Landscaping by calling 610-355-0703, or send an email using the website contact form.