Tips for working with a landscape professional

When you have gardening goals, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Whether you were born with a green thumb or not, it pays to enlist the help of a landscape architect/professional who can guide you through the growing season and beyond.

“There are no landscape or gardening projects too big or small to involve an expert,” says Kim Davidson with Mulhall's, a landscaping company in Omaha, Nebraska. “A landscape professional can look at the big picture and how each detail fits in the overall theme of your exterior design. They can not only provide expertise in plants and design principles, but they can make the whole process easier, too — from design to installation to maintenance.”

Theodore Beasley, a London-based professional landscaper, agrees.

“They can choose the right plants that go well together for your project. They know what materials to use and how to combine them in a way so it looks good and natural,” Beasley says.

For best results in collaborating with a landscape professional, Davidson recommends answering these questions together:

• Who will be using the space, and how will the space be used?

• What type of mood is desired?

• Where will the space be viewed from most often?

• Are there certain types of plants that should be included?

• What level of maintenance will be required?

• Will this design/plan work with my budget?