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.Hotzenplotz schrieb:
But after the conversation with the first landscape gardener, who said that a (living) pool would overall not be available for less than €70,000, we had basically given up on the idea and didn’t really look into it much further. I’m speechless. For that amount, others would build a complete shell structure—including earthworks. Where is the proportionality in that? I think I would have left the conversation crying with laughter...
The guys from the company Rheingrün said the garden definitely needs a pool! The gentlemen from Rheingrün have a rather selfless approach. But seriously, doesn’t that make you suspicious?
R
R.Hotzenplotz30 May 2018 13:41haydee schrieb:
You only have Sunday to spend time with your daughter, when would you like to use your own pool?I would definitely swim in it every evening with decent weather. It’s a thousand times better for me than cycling on a stationary bike. And I do need to get some exercise...
My daughter usually goes to bed around 7 p.m., and I don’t get home much earlier.
But a pool is also great for kids as they grow older.
R
R.Hotzenplotz30 May 2018 13:45@ruppsn
The ones from Rheingrün were not the ones with the €70,000 (about $75,000) pool.
They mentioned €30,000 (about $32,000).
No, they didn’t come across as arrogant at all. They simply said they could well imagine having a pool there (a creek bed or natural stone spring wouldn’t fit the architectural style, which I agree with) when I brought up that we were considering incorporating some water features in the garden... and they were very down to earth, saying it didn’t have to be such expensive high-end solutions (whereas the other company described the €70,000 (about $75,000) as more of a starting price).
Overall, the references on the website did make us a bit concerned that RG only does high-end projects. We discussed this and it turns out they actually do about 70% of gardens like ours with the corresponding budget, and the high-end gardens over €200,000 (about $215,000) are the exception, not the rule (like my neighbor two houses down... they really went all out... but even they said that it was probably a bit over the top; you can always do more, but that’s not necessarily something you have to do).
So all in all, as I said, a good impression.
The ones from Rheingrün were not the ones with the €70,000 (about $75,000) pool.
They mentioned €30,000 (about $32,000).
No, they didn’t come across as arrogant at all. They simply said they could well imagine having a pool there (a creek bed or natural stone spring wouldn’t fit the architectural style, which I agree with) when I brought up that we were considering incorporating some water features in the garden... and they were very down to earth, saying it didn’t have to be such expensive high-end solutions (whereas the other company described the €70,000 (about $75,000) as more of a starting price).
Overall, the references on the website did make us a bit concerned that RG only does high-end projects. We discussed this and it turns out they actually do about 70% of gardens like ours with the corresponding budget, and the high-end gardens over €200,000 (about $215,000) are the exception, not the rule (like my neighbor two houses down... they really went all out... but even they said that it was probably a bit over the top; you can always do more, but that’s not necessarily something you have to do).
So all in all, as I said, a good impression.
A pool is definitely something great for children.
Only the friends will be dropped off at your place, and you are responsible for them.
Hopefully, it stays that way. Mine had phases where she went to bed around 9 p.m. (21:00), but was already cranky by 7 p.m. (19:00).
What exactly is a living pool?
If you have the money, install one and that’s it.
If you want it, then do it.
Only the friends will be dropped off at your place, and you are responsible for them.
Hopefully, it stays that way. Mine had phases where she went to bed around 9 p.m. (21:00), but was already cranky by 7 p.m. (19:00).
What exactly is a living pool?
If you have the money, install one and that’s it.
If you want it, then do it.
R
R.Hotzenplotz30 May 2018 13:48haydee schrieb:
What exactly is a Living Pool?Just google “Biotope Living Pool.”
