When you finally make the decision to landscape your home it is important to hire a landscape designer.  When it comes to hiring a professional many homeowners are concerned with the expense hiring a designer will add to the budget.  This is however far from the truth; hiring a landscape professional can actually save you money.  Landscape designers have the connections to wholesale supplies as well as the know how to get exactly what is needed for your space the first time.  Trial and error doesn’t exist when using a professional landscaper as they know what is needed for the soil type, sunlight and overall outdoor environment.

If the home and landscape is new to you try to live in the space for a season or two before making any radical changes in the landscape.  After a season you will see what it is that you enjoy about the existing space and how you will be using the area.  It will also give you the opportunity to see what needs to be changed.  The worst thing you can do is dive in and start ripping things out and replacing them without getting a true sense of the landscape and yard.

After you have had time to identify the qualities of the landscape that you enjoy and those that need to be changed it is time to seek out a landscape design team. This is the tricky part.  Many people consider themselves landscaping experts.  However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  When hiring a landscape designer look for someone with proper certifications.  You should look at their technical background and referrals.  Hire a landscaper based on a combination of their experience and education.

When you meet with the landscaper it is important to become prepared.  You should have a collection of ideas that you are interested in pursuing for in your own landscape.  This could include pictures from similar homes in your neighborhood, ideas from magazines as well as ideas from the internet.  You may pull together a variety of elements but any good designer will be able to take and pull the elements into one creating a personal space that is unique to your home.

If you would like to involve your family and get their opinions now is the perfect time.  Once you break ground on one idea you won’t be able to make drastic changes to the original plan without wasting time and money.  Your husband may desire a shed for his tools, the children may want to include a play structure, consider a small garden and what about a campfire pit?  All elements should be considered in an original plan.

Complete a wish list of plants and flowers that interest you.  Your landscape design team will look at the requirements in your region, the climate, sun exposure and soil type to determine which elements can be included in your final design.

Together you and your landscape design team will develop a plan that is within your budget, maintenance ability, as well as taking into consideration elements that you desire.

CBA Outdoor Services is a local landscape design firm offering services throughout Livingston and Wayne Counties.  For more information on the services they offer to both commercial and residential clients look online at http://cbaoutdoors.com/.