There are scores of articles recommending that you hire a landscape designer to get the best out of your yard. Enough to make the sceptic in you raise an eyebrow. Isn’t it enough to visit the nursery and get some well qualified advice?

The short answer is no. The devil, as they say, is in the details.

Designing a garden is no small feat and there are many considerations that good designers make before tailoring their recommendations for your yard.

To create a custom landscape design, designers incorporate the following:

• Garden Exposure - How much sun/shade?

• Soil Friability & Soil PH - Soil amendments required for the lawn? PH appropriate plants, or soil modifications?

• Home architecture - The Style of your home should be considered when creating a landscape design, esp. front yard.

• Plant care requirements - Are you an avid gardener who enjoys the reward of high maintenance plants, or would you prefer low maintenance lovelies?

• Drainage issues - The bane of many a homeowner. Ignore them at your peril.

• Current garden trends - Sustainability? Low Maintenance? Meadow? Food? Ever changing.

• Your Garden Taste - Do you yearn for Japanese Zen? Wildflower meadows? Monet color palettes?

• Garden Functionality & Aesthetics - How will the space be used? Beauty vs form? Basketball courts? Meditation garden? Kitchen garden?

• Animal Hazards - Deer, rabbits, squirrels, oh my!

• Irrigation Requirements - Determining the watering requirements to ensure that your investment is protected and you get optimal plant performeance.

All these things should be considered in a well planned garden. It’s the difference between buying a plant that catches your eye and hoping it thrives vs a meticulously and lovingly installing a garden that has a theme, is functional for your family needs, creates a hospitable environment for the selected plant life and draws oohs and aahs from your visitors.

The wrong decision can cost you time and money, removing plants that have gone belly up, have quickly outgrown their spaces, or are prone to insects and disease. Gardens are a living organism and all things must work in concert for garden success.

Good designers spend a lifetime learning the tricks of their trade and keeping up on industry trends. Having one in your garden arsenal ensures a great ROI and is a worthwhile investment.