Dial it in Design
We’ve all seen it. The dial it in design. Whether the work of a builder, landscaper or overwhelmed homeowner these gardens are everywhere. Typical dial it in designs go something like this: put tall things on the corners, round things in the middle and add a few triangular things. This triangle/meatball design process is sad because it overlooks so much.
I enjoy designing gardens and I am proud to say that no two are ever the same. That’s because I want each garden to feel personal to my clients. It should reflect their style, their colors, their vision. I am sure there are programs out there where you can input dimensions and have a landscape created personally for you. But how personal is that? By spending time with my clients I understand what is important to them. If they are away a good part of the summer I will incorporate more spring and fall bloomers. If they want low-maintenance I will forego roses and delphinium. If they have shade I will focus on beautiful textures rather than lots of color. If they have small children (and even if they don’t) I will use native plants to attract birds and pollinators.
I recently took on a design job of a new build. The home was beautiful and I was excited to make the outside as wonderful as the inside. I met with the client and talked about style, maintenance, colors, etc. It was a good meeting and I couldn’t wait to get to work.
Imagine my surprise when I returned to the site a few weeks later to find that the builder had added plantings. They weren’t horrible – pointy things on the corners, round things in the middle and a few triangular things. And a lot of black-eyed Susans which I knew would not thrive in the shady garden. Large evergreens were planted adjacent to the patio for privacy. I was planning on planting for privacy but had envisioned more of a mixed border.
My design had called for the view out the window to incorporate a beautiful fastigiate beech in a plum color that would echo the beautiful painting of trees over the fireplace. Now the view was simply green.
Your home should reflect you. Why settle for cones and meatballs when there is a whole beautiful world of plants out there? If you don’t know where to start give me a call and set up a consult.
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