Ineed advice on garden design
Rain
ft seawall on salt water canal. I have a few mature trees (orange,
grapefruit,palms)various bushes and perennials. My dream is to make it into
a tropical garden paradise with almost every square inch planted. I've been
working only for about a year on it and I'm afraid that I will end up with
an ugly hodge-podge. Just when I think I have a plan then something "doesn't
work" or I change my mind because I saw a beautiful new plant that I must
have. Do you think I should hire a landscape designer and if so, does anyone
have a guess as to what it might cost? My resources are limited (actually,
I'm cheap) and I really want to do the work myself.
--
Rain D.
FL Zone 10b
cao...@redsuspenders.com
Well, like any professional, good landscape designers aren't cheap. You
might want to take it one small area at a time. That gives you the
opportunity to include 'gotta have' plants as you go along. As you plan each
new area, think of it in relation to the existing areas. And, spend a lot of
time considering the needs of the plants, and your willingness to cater to
them, as you go along. Something that doesn't tolerate at least some salt is
going to have problems. If you just abhor deadheading, don't plant something
that stops blooming if you don't. And, so forth . . . Reading up a lot is a
good way to get ideas and learn about good plants.
Chris Owens
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Englishla
>From: "Rain" <ra...@peganet.com>
>Date: Sun, Dec 20, 1998 19:35 EST
>Message-id: <75k55r$6...@andromeda.peganet.net>
>
>My home is on a quarter acre non-descript lot in south Florida. There is 200
>ft seawall on salt water canal. I have a few mature trees (orange,
>grapefruit,palms)various bushes and perennials. My dream is to make it into
>a tropical garden paradise with almost every square inch planted. I've been
>working only for about a year on it and I'm afraid that I will end up with
>an ugly hodge-podge. Just when I think I have a plan then something "doesn't
>work" or I change my mind because I saw a beautiful new plant that I must
>have. Do you think I should hire a landscape designer and if so, does anyone
>have a guess as to what it might cost? My resources are limited (actually,
>I'm cheap) and I really want to do the work myself.
>Rain D.
>FL Zone 10b
>
>
Rain D.
There are quite a few garden design books on the market or you could check your
library. You might think about contacting a designer to come and do a 2-3 hour
brainstorming session and pay by the hour.
When you are considering cost of design, consider the cost of
mistakes.Mistakes cost you time and money. To figure out a design fee for a
drawn plan, you need to look at your overall anticipated budget to see what is
a reasonable fee for you. In other words, how much will you spend on plant
material? How can you avoid having to do and redo? Is 10% of the amount you'd
spend on materials an amount you would be willing to spend to be clearer that
you have a unified composition at the end of all your efforts?
Another idea is to look at magazines and find an image that you like and adapt
it to your site.
You could contact your local ASLA or ASLD associations to get recommendations
on landscape architects or designers who might be interested in your project.
Ask yourself if you have a "good eye" for pleasing composition. If so, then by
all means forge ahead. But in any case, start with a plan. You already know
your concept (tropical garden paradise). Now you have to put into form what
those words mean. Define your major social spaces, shrub/tree areas, perennial
areas, and off you go!
Good luck!
engl...@aol.com (A. English)
grdngal
Rain wrote:
> My home is on a quarter acre non-descript lot in south Florida. There is 200
> ft seawall on salt water canal. I have a few mature trees (orange,
> grapefruit,palms)various bushes and perennials. My dream is to make it into
> a tropical garden paradise with almost every square inch planted. I've been
> working only for about a year on it and I'm afraid that I will end up with
> an ugly hodge-podge. Just when I think I have a plan then something "doesn't
> work" or I change my mind because I saw a beautiful new plant that I must
> have. Do you think I should hire a landscape designer and if so, does anyone
> have a guess as to what it might cost? My resources are limited (actually,
> I'm cheap) and I really want to do the work myself.
> --
> Rain D.
> FL Zone 10b
I would recommend that you enlist the consultation of a professional landscape
designer ( a little professional prejudice here!!) to help you plan out your
garden. The services of a professional, while it may cost you more than you plan
initially, can save you countless dollars, not to mention heartache down the
road. One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is that they are
frequently tempted by a wonderful new plant they see and must have (hey, I'm
guilty of that myself!!) that may be inappropriate or throw off the whole
concept. A good design plan with a list of suitable plantings will provide the
basic framework from which you can venture forth yourself to complete your
tropical garden paradise.
Unfortunately, Florida is one of several states that has passed legislation
which prohibits the practice of landscape designers unless they are licensed
landscape architects. This is a great disservice to the gardening public. While
landscape architects are qualified professionals and have much to offer, there
exists everywhere in this country a need for garden design services of a
different scope than those offered only by landscape architects. While I am not
certain of the training required for LA's in Florida, in many areas of the US,
horticultural knowledge is NOT a requirement!!! - go figure!!! - and therefore,
many designs are generated with a deplorable lack of suitable planting material
specified. Contact the Association of Professional Landscape Designers for any
qualified members in your area which many be available - they have excellent
skills in all areas of design amd plant knowledge and cultural requirements.
Many will be able to provide you with design consultation and/or plans/drawings
from which you can creat your garden yourself. For more info on APLD, contact
their website at : www.apld.com.
Good luck!!
Pam - gardengal
Charter member, Northwest Garden Designers Association and APLD Associate.
Zhanataya
hodge-podge. The plant material you're wanting have small root systems in
comparison to their foliage size. [usually] These plants are generally sold as
specimen plants at retail nurseries. Thus they are expensive. Have you thought
of making a list of the companies that do interiorscaping in your area. Then
visit their dumpsters on a regular basis. A lot of times we pull out plants
that are not up to snuff for a client. It is not cost effective to hold it in
the greenhouse, regenerate and reuse. Very often a client likes the looks of a
particular plant, our sales staff knows it won't do well with their lighting
conditions or other factors; but will write it for installation anyway. They
work on commission. So out the plant comes and into the dumpster. A setting as
you are planning would revive 70% of what we toss. Examine them closely for
mealy and scale.
If you decide to go this way, let me know and I'll give you a list of plants
and their weakness, that will do well in this setting. Visiting atriums in
some of the large office buildings may give you some ideas on design.
Zhanataya
Sandra Anderson
of the same plant rather than mixing them all up 1 at a time. Pick a short
list of your drift plants 3 or 6 or whatever and repeat them around the
property, but varying the shapes. You can incorporate "must have" specimen
plants highlighted in the centers of drifts, as companions to focal points
like a bench, or where different drifts meet. Look at what plants you have
now and pick the top performers for your short list.
Rain <ra...@peganet.com> wrote in article
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