Garden landscaping can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a well-designed space. And garden designers will charge by the hour to design your dream outdoor retreat.  So it pays to think about garden design before you talk to the professionals. That way, when you do sit down with the designer, you’ll get your money’s worth.

Here are some of the things to consider:

• What do you want in your garden?
• What does your dream garden look like?
• How much time do you have to maintain a garden?
• What’s your budget?

What do you want?

Make a list of all the things you want your garden to do. Consider the following:

• Car parking
• Outdoor dining
• Lawn
• Vegetable patch and compost bins
• Garden shed and/or potting shed
• Cubby house and play equipment
• Trampoline
• Concrete for ball games
• Flower garden
• Bird attracting garden
• Fruit trees
• Shady outdoor rooms
• Swimming pool

Depending on the size of your garden, you will be able to plan for some of these, or just one or two. An inner-city courtyard might accommodate a car, and perhaps some espalier fruit trees along the fence line. A medium sized suburban block might support play equipment, a trampoline and a vegetable patch.

What do you already have?

The next step is to study your site with a critical eye. Which way faces north and gets the most sun? Which areas are shaded; which are exposed? Is the block sloping or flat? Consider issues that could impact design such as rear and side access, fences and neighbouring trees. For example, you won’t install a swimming pool in a dark, shady corner of the garden, and nor would you want it directly underneath a neighbours’ window. Do you have any assets that you want to incorporate into the design, such as trees, garden beds, existing paving, or a swimming pool? Do you need to incorporate screening to block out the new townhouse next door?

Maintenance – how much time have you got?

Maintaining a gardens is hard work. Think about weekly mowing, weeding, watering, sweeping, pruning, composting, mulching and fertilizing… So have you got the time and energy for intensive garden care? Or is low maintenance the way to go? Vegetable gardening, for example, requires constant maintenance, while a Mediterranean-style garden can happily grow with just occasional watering and an annual feed.

What style of garden do you like?

What sort of garden appeals to you? Formal, cottage style, native or low maintenance? Perhaps you dream of an edible garden, a lush tropical space or Japanese-style minimalism. Do your research – look through garden design websites, books and magazines to discover what styles you like best.

Consider the style of your house too – the strong lines of modern architecture call out for formal gardens and bold planting, while an informal cottage garden looks great paired with a pretty Victorian home.

While you’re doing your research, make a note of plants and gardens you like, and start a Pinterest board to share with your designer. The more detailed your brief, the easier it will be for a designer to design a space that meets all your needs.

What’s your budget?

Ultimately though, it all comes down to budget. Landscaping is expensive. Landscaping a medium sized garden may cost tens of thousands of dollars.  So your budget is the best guide to what’s achievable.The really big expenses involve hard landscaping such as retaining walls, paths and pergolas.

Done professionally, these elements give shape and meaning to a garden, and transform it from a muddy mess to a functional space. So it makes sense to spend money on these structural elements, and save money elsewhere. However, you might be able to save money by using cheaper materials – a slate path is more expensive than a brick one, for example. If costs are a consideration, prepare to compromise on materials. You could also consider doing the work in stages; or do some of the hard labour yourself. You can read more about garden landscaping in our handy guides. 

When you’ve sat down and had a good think about your garden design, the next step is to call in the experts. You can find a garden designer near you, here.