The New York Times
Page 8, Column 1
c. 2003 New York Times Company
Money and Business/Financial Desk; Section 3
Personal Business
When Gardening Evolves a Bit Beyond the Basics
By JULIE FLAHERTY
LOOKING to landscape your property?
The first step may be to brace for some sticker shock, especially if you
hire a professional.
"People have no idea what it costs to
put in a landscape," said Deanna Glory , a
landscape designer from San Francisco who has worked on projects costing
from $5,000 to more than $50,000. "It is generally two or three times
what they were thinking."
Most design firms offer a range of
services -- from design to installation to maintenance -- but not
everyone will need to buy the whole package. If your budget is not big
and you still want professional results, one alternative is to pay only
for a good design; prices vary, though a plan typically costs $200 to
$1,500. "They have a road map and steps and plans to carry it out
themselves, either all at once or in smaller increments," said Daniel
Lowery, a landscape designer in Seattle.
The professionals fall into two basic
categories: landscape architects and landscape designers.
Most states require landscape
architects to be licensed or registered, which usually means that they
must hold academic degrees in landscaping architecture, pass a board
exam and have one to four years of experience. Landscape architects
generally charge more than designers, but if your dream garden involves
complicated "hardscapes" like bridges and pools, your state may require
a landscape architect to do the work. You can find some professionals
through the American Society of Landscape Architects at www.asla.org.
Landscape designers may or may not
have the same education and experience as an architect. So you may want
to screen them for their experience in the kind of project you need.
"Be very specific about what your
expectations are," said Denise Calabrese, executive director of the
Association of Professional Landscape Designers, which also has a list
of members, at www.apld.org. "Talk with them about what other designs
they have done that are similar to yours, and talk with their clients."
Some designers have internal "build
teams" that can do the complete project from design to installation.
Other designers work independently but often have lists of contractors
with whom they work regularly. A designer may charge a separate fee for
overseeing installation.
What if you want to save money by
doing most of the work yourself? Bruce Butterfield, director of research
at the National Gardening Association in South Burlington, Vt., suggests
starting small. Trees and shrubs, after all, are living things that need
the right light, water, soil and climate.
"It's not directly comparable to
putting down laminate flooring or carpeting," Mr. Butterfield said.
The size of the project is often a
good indicator of when to hire outside help.
In most cases people are better off
doing the personal gardening stuff themselves, rather than trying to
move 600-pound trees around," he said. The Associated Landscape
Contractors of America, which offers certifications for landscape
professionals, has a database of members at www.alca.org. You can also
try the landscape and nursery association in your state. JULIE FLAHERTY
Photo: Matthew and Christine Wexley with their son, Max, outside the
home they bought in Palatine, Ill. Landscaping by the previous owner
first attracted the couple to the property. (Peter Thompson for The New
York Times)
Copyright © 2003 Dow Jones & Company,
Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|
