Do you want to have a beautiful garden, but you don’t have a green thumb? You definitely need the services of a landscaper. Also called professional gardener, this specialist will arrange your green space to reveal all its assets.
But before arriving at the garden of your dreams, there is a whole creative process. Landscaping is indeed assimilated to art. What steps do you go through to design a garden?
Create a garden thanks to the expertise of a landscaper
To create a pleasant garden, it is not enough to plant flowers here and there. Just like the construction of a building, the design of a garden must also follow certain rules.
Indeed, some people have a gift for this task, others learn it. If you fall into the first category, you will be able to design your garden on your own. If this is not your field, the services of a landscaper could well be useful to you.
To design a garden, you must not skip the steps.
The first is then to visualize the land to be developed. To do this, measurements must be taken.
Once this is done, it’s time to start drawing up a plan of the garden. A landscaper will make a rough plan first. This will be a rough sketch.
Then comes the basic plan which takes up the drawing of the coarse plan, but to scale. From the basic plan, it will be necessary to establish a creation plan. In it, the locations of the hedges, the wooden or concrete terrace, the garden furniture, or the elements making up the garden will be indicated.
Finally, there is the planting plan which will indicate the plants that will make up the garden.
From these plans, if they are validated, it is possible to start the practical part. It will be enough to follow the indications on the plans to shape the garden.
Sometimes reality beats theory. Along the way, some ideas can be modified according to the desires of the client or the designer.
Usually, we start with the major works (reconstituted stone or dry stone wall, fence, fence, layout then creation of garden paths, etc.). This step requires space. The material used could damage the plants.
Once the big works are finished, it’s time to take care of the plant part. As such, it will be necessary to trace the flowery areas. The composition of the perennial plant beds will be determined by the landscaper.
Finally, we will finish with the lawn so that it is not trampled on throughout the work.
Designing a garden: what is the role of the landscape designer?
You could say that designing a garden is easy, you just have to draw up the plans and you’re done. It is true that an individual can design his own garden, but the expertise of a landscaper is a real plus.
The landscaper is considered an architect first and foremost. Depending on your requests and the terrain, he will design a tailor-made garden . His work will therefore begin with the plans.
For the creative plans, he will try to integrate your ideas and his to give a harmonious whole.
Similarly, for the planting plan, he will know which plants to put side by side, which to separate. The last word will of course be yours.
The landscaper does not only take care of the arrangement and the choice of plants. It also takes care of the design of the garden in every corner. The layout of the terrace, the location of the garden shed, the type of paths … are all details that he must provide.
Today, landscapers have technological tools that allow them to create 3D plans. This will give you an overview of the project.
A landscaper does not just design the garden, he realizes it. He will thus supervise the work, whether at the level of the plants themselves or the layout of the garden.
The landscaper will not take care of the maintenance, whether it is creation or renovation. However, he must master the basics of gardening to design the projects. Thus, the landscaper is a versatile agent.
What type of garden should you choose?
The style of your garden will determine the soul of your outdoor space. Several types of gardens can be considered. Everything will depend on the space available, but also on the environment.
The French garden
The French garden will undoubtedly be the most familiar. Inspired by Italian gardens, it will be easily recognizable by its royal aspects. It can also be enjoyed in castles.
Well pruned shrubs, begonias, roses , all surrounded by gravel and terracotta. Without forgetting the fountains and the statutes which will mark a certain romanticism with your installation.
This type of garden will stand out for the accuracy of its lines and the combination of colors.
The English garden
Less sophisticated, the English garden will be more scattered, even irregular. The colors will be mixed while the paths will be more difficult.
The English garden seems rather inspired by a well-lit artistic painting. Here, make way for natural aspects, reminiscent of freedom, but still structured. Lavender, roses, climbing plants … will be preferred.
The Mediterranean garden
For more joy and gaiety, opt for the Mediterranean garden. It recalls the atmosphere of holidays in the sun and the sea, under an azure blue sky. Conifers, lavender, laurel or rosemary will be the kings there.
It is best to opt for this type of garden if you have a mild climate and no harsh winters. The Mediterranean garden adapts very well to the microclimates present on the French coasts.
If you like colorful pottery, you can create an Andalusian garden . It is a type of Mediterranean garden where water, fragrant plants and ceramics take center stage.
The Japanese garden
The Japanese garden will be centered around water as Japanese culture wants. Its true objective will be to reproduce nature even if it means miniaturizing it. It is also in Japanese gardens that you will find bonsai and niwaki.
This type of garden will mainly consist of fountains, pebbles and lanterns. It is also similar to the Zen garden which will be especially beneficial for relaxation.
A Japanese garden will generally be composed of gravel, pebbles, rocks, but also mosses or shrubs.
The mineral garden
As its name suggests, the mineral garden leaves plenty of room for rocks, stones and pebbles to create a pleasant atmosphere and offer a very neat decoration to your garden.
Its design usually has a geometric shape as its starting point. It can be a spiral, a polygon or any other shape that is then decorated with stones, gravel and gravel alternating with perennials or shrubs.
It is also possible to bring relief by playing on the unevenness of your garden or by adding beautiful rocks. The creations and staging can be very original and, once installed, this type of garden requires little maintenance.