ᐅ Setting Priorities in Landscaping. Should the entire garden be planned at once?
Created on: 1 May 2018 19:20
R
R.Hotzenplotz
Hi!
We are slowly but surely preparing to get in touch with landscape gardeners – they said that once the ground floor shell is complete, it’s worth meeting on-site.
I’ve read that, based on experience, around 18% of the construction costs should be budgeted for exterior works and the garden. For us, that would be in the six-figure range. However, we only have about €50,000 (around $55,000) available to start with. So priorities will have to be set.
From your point of view, what are things that should definitely be considered and implemented from the beginning? What can maybe be planned for mentally but realized at a later stage?
So far, we have only made rough plans and want to ask 2-3 landscape gardeners for proposals.
Here’s what we have in mind so far:
Front garden:
- Driveway and path to the front door with large stone slabs
- Two small trees in the front garden, maybe a maple and another variety
- Lawn
- Possibly two strips of bark mulch to the left and right of the front door path with small mushroom-shaped trees
Garden:
- Terrace
- Mostly lawn, few flower beds
- Possibly a hedge at the sides of the property; a fence maybe later
- Due to the property’s topography, possibly stairs leading from the terrace down into the garden
- A kind of seating area at the far end of the property
- Possibly a spot elsewhere for our loungers with some of those yellowish grasses around them (I think they are called pampas grass)
- We are thinking of a green pergola – but we’re not sure yet if it should be on the terrace or at the seating area
- I dream of a large tree in the garden, but I haven’t researched that properly yet and haven’t found the final solution with just a quick online search; it probably requires professional advice
- In the longer term, a swimming pool or a hot tub could be an option (but we have no technical information on that yet).
I think it’s important to give landscape gardeners clear instructions from the start.
Would it make sense to have the entire final garden planned and then implement it step by step?
I’m looking forward to some tips on how to approach planning and prioritization, and on how to best communicate with the landscape gardener.
Top priority is of course the access path at the front and probably the whole front garden, so that we don’t start many things in different places but end up finishing nothing.
We are slowly but surely preparing to get in touch with landscape gardeners – they said that once the ground floor shell is complete, it’s worth meeting on-site.
I’ve read that, based on experience, around 18% of the construction costs should be budgeted for exterior works and the garden. For us, that would be in the six-figure range. However, we only have about €50,000 (around $55,000) available to start with. So priorities will have to be set.
From your point of view, what are things that should definitely be considered and implemented from the beginning? What can maybe be planned for mentally but realized at a later stage?
So far, we have only made rough plans and want to ask 2-3 landscape gardeners for proposals.
Here’s what we have in mind so far:
Front garden:
- Driveway and path to the front door with large stone slabs
- Two small trees in the front garden, maybe a maple and another variety
- Lawn
- Possibly two strips of bark mulch to the left and right of the front door path with small mushroom-shaped trees
Garden:
- Terrace
- Mostly lawn, few flower beds
- Possibly a hedge at the sides of the property; a fence maybe later
- Due to the property’s topography, possibly stairs leading from the terrace down into the garden
- A kind of seating area at the far end of the property
- Possibly a spot elsewhere for our loungers with some of those yellowish grasses around them (I think they are called pampas grass)
- We are thinking of a green pergola – but we’re not sure yet if it should be on the terrace or at the seating area
- I dream of a large tree in the garden, but I haven’t researched that properly yet and haven’t found the final solution with just a quick online search; it probably requires professional advice
- In the longer term, a swimming pool or a hot tub could be an option (but we have no technical information on that yet).
I think it’s important to give landscape gardeners clear instructions from the start.
Would it make sense to have the entire final garden planned and then implement it step by step?
I’m looking forward to some tips on how to approach planning and prioritization, and on how to best communicate with the landscape gardener.
Top priority is of course the access path at the front and probably the whole front garden, so that we don’t start many things in different places but end up finishing nothing.
R
R.Hotzenplotz30 May 2018 11:26Alex85 schrieb:
That’s fine if you think it’s worth the money.Apparently not for some people, especially when they get called stupid for it.
Alex85 schrieb:
You tend to prefer high-end solutions and naturally find providers that match. Whether it’s architects, heating contractors, lighting, or now the garden.The heating contractor is provided by the general contractor (GC), so I didn’t choose them myself; the architect is also appointed by the GC and I certainly did not pick the most expensive or high-end provider, but a reliable one whom I trust won’t go bankrupt before the house is finished. The other offers from GCs were all at a comparable level. Independent architects (both simple and good ones) all indicated that they wouldn’t be able to meet the budget with this.
I think 150,000 euros is quite a lot for someone who would need to work and save for it. That would mean saving 500 euros every month for 25 years! Of course, if you happen to have a few hundred thousand euros sitting unused in your bank account, I can imagine spending that amount on the garden. So it’s all relative. For most homeowners, that probably isn’t an option; most likely, they just have their driveway and paths paved and take care of the planting themselves.
How large are you planning your pool to be? Fiberglass, polypropylene, concrete, polystyrene, or steel wall?
Best regards,
Sabine
How large are you planning your pool to be? Fiberglass, polypropylene, concrete, polystyrene, or steel wall?
Best regards,
Sabine
R
R.Hotzenplotz30 May 2018 13:17Curly schrieb:
How large are you planning your pool to be? Fiberglass, polypropylene, concrete, polystyrene, or steel wall?I need to give a somewhat more detailed answer.
A pool has always been on our minds. But after talking to the first landscaping contractor, who said that a (living) pool would not be available for less than around €70,000 (about $75,000), we basically gave up on the idea and didn’t really look into it further.
Only in yesterday’s conversation did the topic come up again because a significantly more attractive price was offered. We had also considered doing something else with water in the garden, but a stream or similar doesn’t suit our Bauhaus style. The colleagues from the Rheingrün company said that the garden definitely needs a pool! Everything else incurs costs but offers much less benefit. With this idea now in mind, we still have to deal with it (including the points you mentioned). Honestly, I still have doubts that a proper pool can be realized for that price. The planner mentioned a 4 x 8 meter (13 x 26 feet) size and “liner” construction.
We simply have to see. Finally, we are also discussing whether a pool is even a good idea with small children, considering safety aspects.
The children will probably get an in-ground trampoline.
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:
...The colleagues from the company Rheingrün said that the garden definitely needs a pool!...The economy is booming; if only we had customers like that.
Installing a hot tub into an existing hole.
In-ground trampolines are quite common here. They look better and might also be safer.
A family garden means to me that the door can be open and the kids can go outside without mom or dad having to follow immediately.
Gardens are also subject to trends, especially if, like you, you have a professional garden landscaper design it. A family garden now and then redesigning the garden later.
Landscape gardeners don’t earn anything from above-ground trampolines, sandboxes, swings, or slides, but they do from pools.
Another consideration: you only have Sundays to spend time with your daughter, so when would you want to use your own pool?
In-ground trampolines are quite common here. They look better and might also be safer.
A family garden means to me that the door can be open and the kids can go outside without mom or dad having to follow immediately.
Gardens are also subject to trends, especially if, like you, you have a professional garden landscaper design it. A family garden now and then redesigning the garden later.
Landscape gardeners don’t earn anything from above-ground trampolines, sandboxes, swings, or slides, but they do from pools.
Another consideration: you only have Sundays to spend time with your daughter, so when would you want to use your own pool?
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