By Beth Edney CLD
Recently, while skimming through a magazine, I came across an article about outdoor rooms. This trend was established by Californian landscape architects Thomas Church and Garett Eckbo in the 1930s. What struck me was the author of the article suggested that a home owner could hire a landscape designer, landscape architect or an interior designer to help provide an outdoor space. I thought to myself, hiring an interior designer to work on an outdoor space is like hiring an electrician to do the plumbing. If a client asked me to design a kitchen, I would tell him or her that I am not qualified. Too often I see interior designers and decorators become involved with outdoor projects.
Members of our sector need to communicate to the public that landscape design is not about decorating. The construction process is a serious business. There are many issues to take into account. Most important is the grading and drainage of a site. Improper management of water can prove disastrous. Plant selection not only takes into account the design elements of form, texture and colour, but more importantly the science side. An instrumental part of selecting plants refers to climate suitability, soil and plant compatibility and growth rates. This is crucial to designing a sustainable landscape. Frequently, I have seen interior designers use plants as disposable material. This is not environmentally sound.
I have devoted myself to landscape design for over 20 years. I find it challenging to keep up with planting and building techniques, new and improved hybrids and furniture sources. I work hard to keep up-to-date, and I am devoted to my profession 100 per cent of the time. So then, how can an interior designer manage when interiors are her primary focus, let alone keep up with permits and building code regulations?
Some clients may ask why they would pay for a landscape design, when they can have a design done for free by a contractor. I inform them that first of all, is it really for free, or is the design fee buried in the cost of the job? Secondly, you get what you pay for. Typically, landscape design professionals provide a complete set of scaled drawings that include everything a consumer needs to have a project tendered and built. Also, as landscape designers we work with the client’s best interest in mind. Adding properly executed landscaping will significantly increase the value of a property. To eventually see a high return on that property, the finished landscaping should be well thought out and created in a professional manner.
A Certified Landscape Designer (CLD) or Landscape Architect (LA) can act as a liaison between the home owner and the contractor. I have had some projects where the client did not meet or speak with the contractor until the job was completed. The designer can also act as a project manager. They have “educated eyes” and represent the homeowner’s best interest, working to ensure the project is being built to the drawing specifications and industry standards.
Hiring a landscape designer or landscape architect will bring a homeowner’s dream to fruition. Hiring professionals is most often cost and time-effective, and provides a wealth of information from sourcing products to visualizing the home owner’s space’s potential.
To my fellow landscape designers, know your worth and start charging for your valuable service.
