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.Hotzenplotz1 Jun 2018 08:57We are getting gas/solar.
Everything you wrote is correct. Unfortunately, it’s all very brief.
At first, we made the mistake of taking advice from two landscape gardeners who were not the right fit... Their response was basically:
"What are you bringing this up so early? Let’s wait until the shell of the house is built; before that, it doesn’t make sense for us to look at the property; otherwise, you won’t get a good impression."
The two most recently consulted landscape gardeners opened our eyes:
“You can’t involve us early enough. Usually, we are already involved during the house planning phase.”
The latter makes sense. It also shows me that it’s useful to choose a landscape gardener who supports you from planning through to execution, rather than the type described first.
Well, hindsight is always 20/20. Despite everything, there’s no point in rushing now—only salvaging what can be saved.
Everything you wrote is correct. Unfortunately, it’s all very brief.
At first, we made the mistake of taking advice from two landscape gardeners who were not the right fit... Their response was basically:
"What are you bringing this up so early? Let’s wait until the shell of the house is built; before that, it doesn’t make sense for us to look at the property; otherwise, you won’t get a good impression."
The two most recently consulted landscape gardeners opened our eyes:
“You can’t involve us early enough. Usually, we are already involved during the house planning phase.”
The latter makes sense. It also shows me that it’s useful to choose a landscape gardener who supports you from planning through to execution, rather than the type described first.
Well, hindsight is always 20/20. Despite everything, there’s no point in rushing now—only salvaging what can be saved.
K
Knallkörper1 Jun 2018 10:56The pools I know operate with an air-to-water heat pump. This makes sense alongside solar thermal systems. The coefficient of performance is high in summer, so heating can be done relatively cheaply. The control system will be crucial: heating only when efficiency is good.
A pool like that is beautiful—preferably with a counter-current system, so you can really swim more than just a few strokes. However, I would like to point out that such a pool also requires a certain amount of maintenance.
If the budget allows, I would have the pool installed right away. There are also excellent pool enclosures that no one can easily access—they’re not cheap, but especially useful in winter or autumn (leaves!).
Regarding the maple tree: during the earthworks, we installed water pipes, electrical lines, and conduits with connection points where flower beds and trees will be placed later. The irrigation system will then be electronically controlled. What I also find great, if feasible, is having your own well. Ours was already there, the water quality is good, and this makes filling the pool, watering the lawn, and irrigation much more convenient.
If the budget allows, I would have the pool installed right away. There are also excellent pool enclosures that no one can easily access—they’re not cheap, but especially useful in winter or autumn (leaves!).
Regarding the maple tree: during the earthworks, we installed water pipes, electrical lines, and conduits with connection points where flower beds and trees will be placed later. The irrigation system will then be electronically controlled. What I also find great, if feasible, is having your own well. Ours was already there, the water quality is good, and this makes filling the pool, watering the lawn, and irrigation much more convenient.
R
R.Hotzenplotz1 Jun 2018 12:46A well does not pay off for us. We have already calculated this.
R
R.Hotzenplotz3 Jun 2018 09:20We are currently dealing with the enclosure for the garbage bins. It will probably be a 240-liter (63.4-gallon) bin. A limit of 15 liters (4 gallons) of residual waste per person per week is required. That means you either take a 120-liter (31.7-gallon) bin emptied every two weeks or a 240-liter (63.4-gallon) bin emptied every four weeks. Both cost exactly the same. However, the capacity of other bins depends on the size of the residual waste bin used. In any case, I think it makes sense to have four standardized bin sizes—also considering the bin enclosure.
We currently have a bin enclosure by Paul Wolff at our rental property, and I think we would find a suitable solution again with the Mülltonnenbox Silent 243 model. It is a triple box. The garden bin would then be placed behind the house or in the garage.
Otherwise, only two double units for the front area would remain, which I find too many and somewhat unattractive.
We currently have a bin enclosure by Paul Wolff at our rental property, and I think we would find a suitable solution again with the Mülltonnenbox Silent 243 model. It is a triple box. The garden bin would then be placed behind the house or in the garage.
Otherwise, only two double units for the front area would remain, which I find too many and somewhat unattractive.
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