Lanescapes

Why choose a garden designer instead of a landscaper?

By choosing a garden designer, you can rest assured that your garden is in the hands of a qualified expert who is knowledgeable in all aspects of garden development and will do thorough research to ensure your garden is a success.

But to understand why a garden designer is so essential you need to know the difference between a garden designer and a landscaper. These differences are outlined below.

What is a garden designer?

A garden designer takes into consideration many variables to ensure your garden is everything you want it to be. The designer will research the following aspects to ensure your garden suits your lifestyle, local environment and future needs:

elements of good design including the contrast and harmony required to make your garden a unique, relaxing, comfortable and satisfying oasis
family dynamics, hobbies and interests
pets and local fauna
geographic situation and soil type
plants native to the area and plants that grow well in the local area
pests and weeds affecting the area
water requirements and restrictions
safety regulations
hard landscaping needs (decking, water features, pergolas etc)

multiple land-use needs (ornamental aspects, leisure areas such as decking, barbeque facilities and gathering areas, vegetable or herb garden, composting, chicken coop etc)
Once the designer has researched all these aspects, he or she will develop several concepts from which you can chose or adapt.

What is a landscaper?

A landscaper doesn’t pursue the level of research of a garden designer and does not have the design theory knowledge of a garden designer. The landscaper either works independently to develop a basic garden plan and then, with a small team, does all the manual labour required to implement the garden, or will follow a plan developed by a garden designer.

Benefits of choosing a garden designer

By choosing a garden designer, you are selecting an expert in designing gardens. The garden designer’s focus is on research and good design rather than the actual making of the garden. By not doing the manual labour, the designer has the time and resources to commit to the research required to produce a high-quality garden plan.

The garden designer will then work closely with a landscaper to ensure all aspects of the plan are followed to the letter. You can choose a landscaper yourself or the designer may recommend a landscaper. Or, you may choose to implement the plan yourself.

Cost comparison

It is not more expensive to use a garden designer. If you were to ask a landscaper to also design your garden, you would be charged for this on top of the manual work. And landscapers have less time to research because their main focus is on manual work. So you pay more for their time. You may end up with a garden that is well constructed, but is not well researched, planned or designed.