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.
I also like pampas grass. It really grows quite tall, and if you tie it up in autumn, you still have the plumes as a privacy screen during winter.
Stairs – well, kids learn to handle those as soon as they start crawling. Before that, you just have to be careful, but you generally need to be cautious with toddlers anyway...
Stairs – well, kids learn to handle those as soon as they start crawling. Before that, you just have to be careful, but you generally need to be cautious with toddlers anyway...
R
R.Hotzenplotz11 May 2018 22:32The garden costs are going to be a problem. I spoke earlier with the neighbor, who also had their garden done by Rheingrün. They initially planned a budget of €100,000 but that was nowhere near enough. In the end, it cost twice as much, and they still had to make significant compromises. They said there wasn’t even dense planting with shrubs along the property fence, so now you can see right through everywhere. All of that still needs to be done.
However, their garden does have a lot of stone elements (paving slabs) and an elaborate water feature. Still, I find that quite extreme. Aside from that, I don’t see much in the garden. No pool or anything else.
However, their garden does have a lot of stone elements (paving slabs) and an elaborate water feature. Still, I find that quite extreme. Aside from that, I don’t see much in the garden. No pool or anything else.
R
R.Hotzenplotz11 May 2018 22:39How large is your plot, matte? And what work have you had done? Our plot is 1,085m² (11,674 sq ft).
Our land is very uneven. Challenges like this have to be managed.
Our land is very uneven. Challenges like this have to be managed.
770m² (8,265 sq ft) hillside property with approximately 3m (10 ft) height difference.
Splash protection, 115m² (1,238 sq ft) paving, divided into 2 terraces and the carport with the main entrance.
Additionally, a concrete staircase and about 9 linear meters (30 ft) of a heavy-duty wall approximately 1.5m (5 ft) high.
There are also some miscellaneous tasks and soil spreading.
There will also be items like granite stones for a self-built small retaining wall for slope stabilization and 2 granite troughs.
About 30 linear meters (100 ft) of fencing and plants will be needed (2 to 3 trees, a few shrubs, and some smaller plants).
The garden will be finished. I estimate around $23,000 for all of it.
To each their own, but I will never understand spending such amounts on outdoor spaces...
Splash protection, 115m² (1,238 sq ft) paving, divided into 2 terraces and the carport with the main entrance.
Additionally, a concrete staircase and about 9 linear meters (30 ft) of a heavy-duty wall approximately 1.5m (5 ft) high.
There are also some miscellaneous tasks and soil spreading.
There will also be items like granite stones for a self-built small retaining wall for slope stabilization and 2 granite troughs.
About 30 linear meters (100 ft) of fencing and plants will be needed (2 to 3 trees, a few shrubs, and some smaller plants).
The garden will be finished. I estimate around $23,000 for all of it.
To each their own, but I will never understand spending such amounts on outdoor spaces...
Consider what you want and request several quotes. I would also ask a small local landscaping company nearby.
The height difference isn’t that big (at least it looks that way in the photos). It should be enough to seed it with grass or plant ground cover. I would build a terrace and add stairs leading down to the lower part. Have the necessary pipes for the pool laid at the same time and build the pool later.
If there is a lot of stone, the question is which type. Patio slabs range from 10 to 150 euros per square meter (approximately 9 to 140 USD per square yard) even at DIY stores. Companies like the landscaping firm you want will definitely have more expensive options.
The height difference isn’t that big (at least it looks that way in the photos). It should be enough to seed it with grass or plant ground cover. I would build a terrace and add stairs leading down to the lower part. Have the necessary pipes for the pool laid at the same time and build the pool later.
If there is a lot of stone, the question is which type. Patio slabs range from 10 to 150 euros per square meter (approximately 9 to 140 USD per square yard) even at DIY stores. Companies like the landscaping firm you want will definitely have more expensive options.
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