Consider your goals, budget, maintenance and more to work well with a landscape designer. Landscape designed by Courtney Olander, installed by In Harmony.
Are you thinking about a new or refreshed landscape? Here are tips on how to work effectively with a landscape designer.
Be clear about your goals
Think about your current landscape, and talk with your spouse or partner about your goals and expectations for the project. Consider questions such as: Who will use the space? What are all the ways you would like to use it?
For example, do you like outdoor dining? Would you like a private place for reading, meditation or just relaxing? Would you like to grow vegetables or flowers? What do you want or need in the landscape that you don’t currently have?
Consider maintenance
Do you enjoy spending time puttering in the garden snipping, watering and weeding? Or would you prefer to spend your time outside socializing and lounging? It is important to be clear about your maintenance goals and share that with your landscape designer.
At In Harmony, we believe in designing and installing landscapes that will look good over the long term without requiring a lot of maintenance.
Set a realistic budget
You will want to have a realistic budget in mind. Landscape projects can be costly. You could consider phasing your landscape design and installation over time. This means you create a master landscape design and then phase the installation as budget and time allows.
Perhaps you decide to install the highest priority areas now, such as a patio for entertaining and a play area for the kids. Later you could add other desired elements, such as a greenhouse, gazebo or additional patio area.
Look at other gardens
When you meet with a landscape designer, it is helpful to show photos of gardens that you like, and don’t like. Do you like a spare Asian aesthetic, or do you prefer something looser and less structured? Are you attracted to colorful gardens or to something more subdued? It can be helpful to visit gardens and take photos, to review gardening books and magazines, and to look at Houzz and other websites. Here is a link to our portfolio on Houzz.
Consider sustainability
If you are considering working with In Harmony, you likely think about sustainability. We believe a sustainable landscape thrives over time, works with Mother Nature and is able to naturally defend itself against insects and diseases.
A sustainable landscape will contain plants that thrive in our Pacific Northwest environment. This may include native plants and drought-tolerant plants. It may include plants that attract bees and other beneficial insects, or plants that attract birds and wildlife.
Communication is key
Many In Harmony clients talk about our designers’ ability to listen. We believe that effective communication and collaboration are the keys to a successful partnership. Be clear up front about your goals and expectations. When you give feedback about a design concept and landscape plan, think it through carefully and provide clear, complete feedback.
Find out more about In Harmony landscape design
We would love to work with you to design and install a new landscape. Here is a video about our approach to landscape design.
Check out our website for our landscape design portfolio. You can also find out more about our landscape design process.
Contact us about setting up an appointment with one of our landscape designers.
What our clients say
“We loved working with In Harmony on all aspects of our project! Everyone was friendly, reliable, talented, and responsive. We were amazed at how well our designer interpreted our needs and how successfully the crew installed her design.”
”Really outstanding service from start to finish. What characterizes In Harmony is attention to detail. You don’t have to worry about anything, from the thoroughness and quality of the initial design on through the timing and logistics of execution.”
“In Harmony completed an absolutely wonderful upgrade of our backyard this past fall. We could not have been more happy with the work of the entire team. . . . The team listened to our needs, offered thoughtful options for our consideration and most importantly, their work was excellent. We are so very happy with how our new backyard looks and cannot wait to enjoy it even more fully this spring and summer.”
