There’s nothing quite as exciting (and sometimes a little intimidating) as coming up with a landscaping plan. There are so many choices to make and priorities to figure out. It’s a lot of fun but also a big investment. You want to plan thoughtfully and comprehensively–even if you can’t bring in everything on your list all at once. Winter is the perfect time to select a landscaper and get on their schedule–then you can start planning to make your dreams a reality. Here are a few things to think about when developing a landscaping plan.

What Should I Tell My Landscaper?

Your landscaper is your partner in planning and executing the outdoor spaces of your dreams. They have the skill and experience to make it happen, while you know your yard and community and have a vision of what you want. Communication is key, so it’s important to share important information. A good landscaper is also open to your questions and will do their best to provide clear answers. Here are a few things you’ll want to tell your landscaper:

  • Share your long-term goals for your landscape even if you’re not able to make everything happen right away.
  • Bring your ideas and vision to the table, including notes, sketches and photos from magazines and websites.
  • Be upfront about your budget and discuss how much you want to spend, both initially and long-term.

What Questions Should I Ask My Landscaper?

A good landscaper welcomes questions because they facilitate communication. Here are a few important questions for your landscape team:

  • What ideas do you have for my landscape?
  • How can we reduce costs?
  • How long will it take to install each phase?
  • How much maintenance is required?
  • How does your payment system work? How much is expected up-front and how do you structure installments?
  • How can I most efficiently phase in a multi-step design?
  • Finally, ask to look at examples of past work. This will help give you a sense of your landscaper’s sensibilities and strong points and can also generate great ideas.

Developing a Landscape Plan: The Basics

The first step in creating your landscape plan is taking a walk in your yard. Note the features you have and think about the elements you want to add. Working with your landscaper, you’ll come up with a base plan outlining property lines, utilities and existing plants and features and then add in the features you want. Then you’ll work together to create a final plan.

The University of Missouri Extension Office offers some excellent tips for creating a solid plan:

  • Create landscaping zones including both public and private areas (front and back yards) along with “service” areas for sheds, trash cans and less attractive features.
  • Think about your yard year-round as you plan plantings: don’t forget about fall and winter color and year-round plants.
  • Think about the end-size of trees and shrubs and how big they’ll get down the road and factor in the scale of your house and yard.
  • Balance the landscape and spread out plantings in a thoughtful way
  • Create focal points or center of interest with water features, hardscaping or special plants.
  • Create borders so plantings don’t interrupt the flow of your lawn.

Developing a Landscape Plan: Think Long Term

One of the most important things to remember when developing a landscaping plan is to think long-term. Share your dreams and goals with your landscaper, even if they’re not in your budget right away. This can help your team add in time and money-saving steps and create efficiencies down the road. We can break things down and make a plan to phase in the work. Some of the bigger long-term elements that many clients opt to phase in include:

  • Hardscaping and patios
  • Lighting (for example, we can add conduits in the early phases for putting in lighting later).
  • Outbuildings
  • Water features

We can get all of these elements planned out and then add them according to your budget and priorities.

Developing a Landscape Plan: Find the Right Partner

It’s important to find a landscaper who can tap into the flow and harmony of your space with a professional eye. You have a vision, and the professional team at Acer Landscape Services has a sense of aesthetics, balance, scale and a great idea of how things will look year-round. We can help you achieve your goals–all at once or step by step, and now is the perfect time to make a plan.