The Art of Landscape Design
Although landscape design and landscape maintenance can tend to be lumped together in the minds of a lot of folks, they are of course quite different. Like architecture, graphic design or any of 100 similar creative endeavors, landscape design is an art form. Not everyone with a utility trailer and a mower can do it well. In fact, while some maintenance companies do have design professionals on staff, they are the exceptions.
“Quite a bit of our work is redoing boring or downright unattractive landscapes that were designed and installed by people without design experience or imagination,” Jim Downing of Tropical Touch Landscapes says. “And aesthetics is just the beginning. I’ve seen plants requiring shade out in open sun that shrivel up and die in a month. Plants that prefer dry conditions planted down in swales, which die fast too. Flowering trees that drop all their blooms onto a walkway, deck, or other outdoor living space at the first hint of a cold snap. So yeah, it takes creativity for sure, but there’s quite a bit of know-how behind good design too.”
Jim’s art begins with his process and his process begins with a client consultation, careful listening and thorough planning.
“I’m a bit of a fanatic when it comes to ‘measuring twice, cutting once,’” he says. “I’ll repeat to a client my understanding of what they just said to make absolutely sure we’re on the same page. My idea of ‘tall’ or ‘bushy,’ for example, might not be the same as theirs. You’ve heard the old saying, ‘if I had 8 hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first 7 sharpening the axe?’ Well that’s me.”
Following the initial consultation where design direction, plant types, timeline and budget are discussed, Jim typically requests examples of what a client likes and dislikes. “Some folks take cell phone pictures, others know plant names and still others will simply point to something in their yard or a neighbor’s and say, ‘I love that’ or ‘I can’t stand that look.’” Jim explains “This kind of feedback gives me great insight into their taste.”
Next is the plan, which involves a drawing, plant list with costs, materials and labor costs, and approximate timeline. After a materials deposit, installation ensues and, upon completion, the remaining cost of the job is due. Although Jim doesn’t perform regular yard maintenance, he does follow up several times after completing an installation to make sure the new plants are happy and healthy.
Licensed and insured.