Landscapers are normally hired to make an outdoor space look beautiful. This can be a garden from a private property but also a park or even a roof terrace. Landscapers in general work outside, but indoor gardens or interior green walls gained more popularity in recent times. This inside area can also be designed or taken care of by a landscaper. The services a landscaper can perform are extensive and now professional landscaping companies offer a lot more services than gardeners. Gardeners tend to focus on lawns, pulling weeds, planting and other activities which are in direct connection with vegetation Landscapers on the other hand offer the design and construction of an entire outdoor space. This includes the walling, paving, decking, or installing water features, as well as the vegetation. You can hire professional landscapers for a one time project or for reoccurring tasks like hedge trimming. Landscapers are hired for private or commercial projects. For commercial projects you should think of parks, hotel area, mall planting and even cemeteries. Some landscapers or special greenkeepers take care of golf courses, since this requires a detailed attention for turf keeping. There are several courses to become a landscaper, but most countries and states do not require a specific degree. Most learn the skill on the job. That said, landscapers should be proficient in handling equipment such as lawn mowers, chainsaws and weed eaters. Next to this, landscapers work with pesticides and for this a certificate is mostly required. To become a landscape designer or architect you do require a degree.
How much should landscaping cost?
The costs for landscaping can vary quite extensively. It depends on the scope of the job, but the general rule of thumb is to keep a budget of 10% of your home’s value. So if your house is worth 200,000 pounds, 20,000 pound is appropriate to spend on your entire outdoor area. This will allow you to redesign and execute your garden project from top to bottom. This sounds like a lot of money, however investing in professional landscaping will add greatly to your home value. Quite often landscaping companies do not need to remoddel your entire garden, but just upgrade it or change certain parts of it, so you will not reach the 10% of your house value. For smaller projects you could count on a an average hourly rate of 10-20 pounds excluding material.
What does A landscape design include?
A landscaping project starts long before the planting of seeds. Landscapers follow various stages before delivering a well-manicured solution. And each of the stages has multiple components that landscape designers must artistically combine. Keep reading to discover the main stages that a landscaping project undergoes.
Planning: Before you start any landscaping groundwork, you must have a plan elaborating on what you want to do. The plan has various components, such as the scope, dimensions, budget, and finer details about the project. A landscaping project plan enables you to assess the materials you require for the task and their corresponding prices. The plan also helps you to undertake the project in an organized manner.
Ground preparation: before you start fixing the landscaping components, you need to prepare the ground. Part of the preparatory work includes clearing of grass, removing stones, and flattening the ground. Generally, the preparation steps depend on your existing yard's status and the kind of landscaping you're undertaking.
Installation: once you’re through with ground preparation, you can go ahead and install the landscaping features. Features like patios, walkways, and fences that define the landscaping space should come first. After installing the features mentioned above, you're now ready to start planting seeds and seedlings. Maintainance: the upkeep needed depends on the kind of landscape you fix. Plants may require additional irrigation, weed removal, and trimming. Indigenous plants may demand minimal upkeep because of their compatibility with the local environment. For wooden structures, you should occasionally wash and repaint them.
What types of landscaping styles are there?
Various kinds of landscaping designs exist in the market. So it's upon you to evaluate your needs and choose the best plan that meets them. If you have a challenge in coming up with the best design, here are some styles that can inspire you.
Tropical landscape: you can relive your sweet memories of your trip to tropical areas by adopting a tropical landscape. The tropical landscape may feature various plants that belong to the tropical regions like palm trees and paradise birds. The design makes your property stand out.
English Cottage Landscape: this is another option that adds shade to your home without overdoing each landscaping element. Flowers are the main feature in the English cottage Landscape, but you can add more features like ponds and bridges. Japanese Garden Landscape: Homeowners can create a relaxing atmosphere in their backyard using the Japanese Garden Landscape. This design features a combination of greenery and water. Through the design, landscapers plant minute trees in the entire yard to create a comfortable atmosphere. The Koi ponds create relaxing rivulets.
Formal: this design has straight lines and simple geometrical forms. It stresses orderliness instead of placing the landscaping elements randomly.
Oriental: this style is commonly found in small gardens. It mainly features rocks and water. Adding various plants adds fascinating perspectives to the style.
Although many people may find a landscaping career challenging, it’s nevertheless a fulfilling vocation. A landscaper uses their imagination to deliver an eye-catching backyard that many may admire looking at. From designing a project to its eventual delivery, the landscaper must work hard to ensure that each step moves smoothly and uses the right elements. After designing the project, most of the landscaping work is manual. This means that you must be ready to touch dirty as you prepare the ground for planting. Specific projects also require that landscapers should use their energy to carry and put rocks in the right position. Depending on the project type, you may also require to dig holes and remove soil. Once you dig out the soil, you must use the right tools to load it into wheelbarrows. So the work entails constant movement of specific body parts like hands, feet, and bending of knees. To overcome manual work challenges, landscapers can use machinery that delivers work fast and with minimal straining. Machines like bobcats and mini excavators can minimize the body effect of doing the tasks by hand. So if you're looking for a fulfilling career that transforms homes and businesses, you should consider landscaping.
