Category Archives: Landscape Design

Questions to Ask a Landscape Design Consultant Before Hiring

Hiring a landscaper is a pretty big decision. Not only because of the amount of work involved, but also the scope of work and the required timeline.

As part of your landscaping project, you would need to hire a landscape design consultant to come up with how best you can utilise your space and what designs would best suit your property.

Now, choosing one can be pretty difficult when you don’t know what you are looking for. This is why you need a baseline or a foundation of sorts to serve as benchmark for your assessments.

So, as expert landscape designers who are also specialists in sustainable gardening in the Macedon Ranges, the following are some of the best questions we know will help you weed out the suitable from the unsuitable.

How long have you been in business?

It’s a seemingly simple question,but from where we stand and what we know, asking this question helps you immediately qualify the designer and saves you a lot of time.

As a rule, go with designers who have a lot of experience and years under their belt. Seasoned landscaping designers will often have the manpower, skills and experience to come up with great designs that you are more likely to love.

How many previous projects have you completed?

Every smart landscape designer actually expects you to ask them the number of projects they’ve completed and what they look like.

More importantly, ask for references from your immediate area as terrain and topography does play a role in the final outcome of your landscaping efforts. For instance, as experts in landscaping and sustainable gardening in Macedon Ranges, we have worked with clients locally.

As a result of these projects, we understand the unique nature of the terrain and often factor that into all our designs. More importantly, prospective clients can easily access our portfolio of readily verifiable completed projects.

What’s the time frame for the project?

Well, this largely depends on the size of the project, extras and complexity. Most landscape designers will have to consider these factors before giving you a time frame for the completion of the project

The important thing is to never assume that they automatically know what you want. If youneed the project completed in two weeks, let them know what your expectations are and see if they can work with that timeline without compromising the quality of the project.

Who will work on the project?

Clients should have a clear expectation and knowledge of who to contact if they have any complaints, questions or need clarifications. Therefore, you should ensure that you know who will be working on your landscaping design.

This is what we do at TGB Outdoor Design. We know and understand that clients need consistency in personnel. That’s why all client projects are supervised by the same specialist from beginning to end.

What’s the best concept and design for my space?

Sometimes, clients have ideas that may not work as well given the available space and property size. So, what we recommend for clients is to approach the design consultant with their ideas and then ask for input.

Remember, consultants have a lot of experience and tend to easily spot major anomalies that could impact the final outcome of your project. So, ask us what we think about your ideas and we’ll be able to give you a fair assessment and possibly improve on your concept.

For more information on all we have to offer as outdoor designers in the Macedon Ranges, Melbourne, Greater Geelong District, and Dandenong Ranges call 0419396809 or find out a general overview at www.tgboutdoordesign.com.au

Choosing the Right Landscape Gardeners

Easy Gardening Tips From An Expert

Outdoor Garden Designs on Limited Spaces

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small graden with patio furniture

Just because you have a small outdoor space doesn’t mean you can no longer give vent to your outdoor gardening. There is actually no need for an elaborate residential landscaping. There are many ways you can create on your own out of a dull empty unused space. In fact, you can come out with a luscious greenery of vegetables and flowering plants if you are resourceful enough.

Just remember that plants grow vertically. This enables you to maximize the horizontal space available for gardening. That means you have your whole vertical surrounding as your garden plot. If you are creative enough, you can make use of this to achieve a more beautiful garden. However, if you are growing a tree which could occupy a huge space on the ground when it grows, all that a single plant will need from the horizontal space is a dot on the soil literally.Highlighted below are some outdoor garden design ideas that you can try in the limited spaces in your garden.

Vertical Gardening

If you have an outside wall that is bare, you can liven up this area with fresh green decorative plants. You can even use your favourite herbs. To make it more artistic, you can grow such plants in plastic bottle containers and arranged them creatively alongside each other in the same direction.

Alternatively, you can assign a corner portion of your wall to be used exclusively for your favourite orchids. These orchids can be arranged side by side, with some space in between. Provide a narrow sunscreen on top to lessen the effect of direct sunlight on them. Eventually, this wall area could later be teeming with abundant herbal produce and your little corner will be filled with vibrant blooming flowers.

Hanging Plants in Cluster

Another concept in vertical gardening is plant arrangement in groups or clusters. If you are to grow herbs or decorative plants, it would be beautiful to have clusters of different herbs arranged in circle, in rectangle or any other shape you can form on your wall. In fact, this principle of growing similar plants in cluster has its practical uses in terms of its visual impact, in the harvesting of the produce and in the maintenance of the plants. Remember that plants need human touch as much as they need association among their kind. You will notice that clustered plants are more robust than those growing alone.

Tiered Pot Garden

If the horizontal space in your front yard is flat or level, such as the unused driveway or the space clearance from your fence to your house, you can create a multi-level garden using different sizes of pots as plant holders. Working on the cluster concept, you choose a corner space where you can arrange three lines of empty pots upside-down, with the line close to the wall made up of the bigger pots, followed by the smaller then by the smallest. You will then have a 3-tiered setup where you can arrange your growing plants on top. If this flat space is in front of the wall that you have converted into a vertical garden mentioned earlier, this tiered pot garden will provide a perfect complement to the hanging greens.

There are endless creative ways of designing your outdoor garden, regardless of the limited space you have. In your search for better ways to make the most of your outdoor space, trust your creativity and your desire to be with nature. In the end, you may discover that bringing nature’s beauty in your garden is not that difficult to achieve.

If you need more help in making an inspiring outdoor garden, check out TGB Outdoor Design. We are an outdoor gardening design company specializing in creating beautiful gardens and outdoor spaces. We are expert at making a concept that harmonizes with the interiors and the owner’s lifestyle ideals. We also design and execute residential and commercial landscapes, sustainable gardens and even mini-farms.

To know more about creating great gardens for your other smaller and larger residences, please call us on 0419 396 809

Creative Outdoor Design gives you the Best Relaxation Space in Your Home

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The outdoor spaces of your home can be the best and relaxing place to unwind and spend a valuable time with your family. Hence, it is essential that your outdoor spaces should have creative outdoor designs. This can enhance and create a more relaxing ambiance as well as a compatible outdoor environment. Thus, it only makes sense to hire a reputable residential landscaping company with skilled designers.

The best landscaping company such as TGB Outdoor Design will be able to turn your outdoor space into a natural environment with beautiful concept and outstanding workmanship. They can surely maximize your outdoor spaces to its full potential with quality and cost-effective craftsmanship.

The outdoors usually gives a feeling of relief, release from tensions and instant relaxation. This is basically because of the different feel we can get from nature and the fresh air that is generally good to our overall well-being. In fact, various studies have been made including the one conducted by the Harvard Medical School on the effects of nature to one’s health. It has shown that the time spent outdoors reduced the blood pressure and induced relaxation. This results to a healthy well-being. That is why most residential landscaping designers incorporate creative designs to their concept focusing on the beauty of nature.

In this modern day and age, there are a lot of factors that can burnout and distress us. Hence, it is very ideal that the outdoor spaces of our homes should have creative designs. This is where we can find total comfort and free ourselves from various constraints. TGB Outdoor Design is an exceptional landscaping company in Australia who has incomparable knowledge and expertise in residential landscaping. For over 20 years of service, we have learned the art of creating an oasis of relaxation out of a backyard, irrespective of its size. We combine the element of a natural sanctuary within the security of your most prized possession, your home!

Relaxation in Nature

Getting close to nature is an integral part of a relaxing and peaceful outdoor environment. TGB Outdoor Design can create this atmosphere with the highest standards of residential landscapingcraftsmanship. Our creative outdoor designs include plant designs in natural beds and sweeping grassed areas including steps. They are simplistic natural landscape that will harmonize any theme and shape of the house or property. Our holistic landscaping approach creates an environment that is restful to look at and induces a calming aura.

We also take into consideration your family lifestyle ideals in designing your residential landscaping requirements. We are directed at a particular aspect that offers you and your family maximum pleasure. Whether you opt for large pots or small planters with flowers or shrubs, we understand that your choices have a particular meaning for you. At TGB Outdoor Design, we believe that it is the projection of your personality that counts the most in our designs!

One aspect of a residential landscaping design that has achieved certain popularity is the extraordinary traditional Japanese gardens. It is a landscaping culture renowned for its aesthetically pleasing atmosphere ideal for contemplation and meditation. It involves idealised miniature landscapes being created in designs that offer surprises as your sanctuary reveals concealed ornaments or plants.

Benefits to the Well-being

Alleviation of mental fatigue is often achieved with the help of nature. This is due to its power in providing you with a relaxing and restorative peace of mind. Having a holistic residential landscaping design in your home induces a peaceful state of mind. This encourages a quiet, confidential and sincere conversation among family members about certain issues which if not shared, become serious problems. The natural and calming visual effect of a natural landscape helps in restoring focus. This can greatly impact not only on the improvement of a working career or performance at school, but also in the prevention of mental stress and illnesses.

As our towns and cities continue to expand with ever-increasing industries, green areas become rarer. It has become increasingly difficult for parents to find safe, open areas where quiet time can be spent with their children. This is because regularly establishing contact with nature benefits children in their development. It includes their emotional, cognitive and behavioural patterns. This makes natural residential landscaping a favoured option to be able to experience the huge benefits nature can give. Nature-related experiences are considered crucial in encouraging imaginative creativity, cognitive and intellectual development, as well as social interaction.

In today’s fast-paced world we live in, various harsh environmental factors can greatly affect our lifestyle, well-being and productivity. Whether it’s the demanding work, noises or presence of the crowd, they all have the potential to trigger fatigue and mental stress. However, with the natural residential landscaping design, your greatest escape from stress can be readily acquired at the comfort of your own home. The soothing presence of nature in your home’s outdoor space can give an ultimate healing agent to your burnout body and mind. So, be sure to have one of these creative outdoor designs in your home from a reputable residential landscaping company today.

The Basics of Residential Landscaping

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residential landscape

Landscape design is the process of consciously arranging outdoor space for your satisfaction and enjoyment. A home that has been well planned is more aesthetically pleasing and more functional. It enhances the look of the neighborhood, increases the resale value of a property and offers pleasure to the family. With a little planning and thought, you can make provide maximum use and pleasure to your home with the right landscaping.

An important aspect of any residential landscaping project is good planning, which is often neglected. The features within the plan must blend and support each other in enhancing the outdoor space. A lack of planning will make the project more expensive and the end result will not be as impressive. Taking a little time to plan will save a lot of time in the long run as well as effort and money.

When you start the planning process, think about the space as a whole and what you want to achieve. Your ideas should not be limited to the common features, you can include other features provided they blend in with the general look of the space. Here are some steps that you should follow when creating a landscape design.

Develop a plot plan

This is the first thing you should do before anything else. Make sure you accurately draw a plot that shows the boundaries and physical features that might affect your chosen design. The plan should have all the angles and property lines showing the position of the property and other aspects like driveways and utilities. It should include all the possible limitations.

Conduct a site analysis

The next step is to conduct a site analysis which will show you the environmental features of the site. The overall design will be largely determined by the way the sun affects the house and site to be designed. This will let you know the position of the sun at different times of the day. With this information, you can, for example, determine the type of tree needed to provide shade during the different seasons.

Knowing the direction of the wind will help you determine where to put the windbreak. Take a walk around the space and note down the good and bad views.

Assess family needs

Knowing what the family needs means you will create a design that will be great for all your loved ones. The family will play a role because they would use the space most of the time, thus they need to love it. If you have young children then the design must factor must cater for their needs. If the family doesn’t have a lot of spare time, then your design must be low maintenance.

Locate areas of use

You will need to refer to the needs of the family in order to provide enough space for each activity. You will then divide the space into separate areas serving a specific purpose but still combined in a single design. The private, public and service areas should also be defined.

Design, construct and plant

What you should always remember is that this is your space and you have the freedom to try things you think will help improve the look of your outdoor space. Choose features and plants that will enhance the area surrounding your home.