Garden Design

Garden design, factors affecting the price

No matter what the house looks like, the garden design will have an influence on the whole property. The key to achieving a perfect garden is to plan everything carefully, paying attention to prices. There are many factors that influence the cost of an outdoor space such as the size, the place, the entity and the type of project (for example the construction of a roof garden or a natural open space) in addition to the professional to whom addresses.

Indicative prices for designing the garden

Usually, the actual construction of a garden of about 150 ft² costs between 1750 $ and 4500 $, for a project that is detailed and accompanied by technical drawings. The latter are generally included free of charge in the cost of creating the green area where the company is chosen. Below you can find the average cost of the technical drawings only.

Garden design	from	to
3D study and realization	80 $	120 $
Draft of the project	40 $	80 $
Completed design	150 $	250 $

PLEASE NOTE that prices may vary due to the type of work to be performed, the quality of its execution and the region in which you are located.

To the cost of design and labor, we must also add the purchase of materials, garden plants and also the price of outdoor flooring as well as extra accessories such as the kitchenette.

Cost of materials for garden design

There are many materials that come in handy for garden design, most can be delivered directly to your home, although all the necessary material can be found in any shop that has a dedicated section outside. When designing gardens, try to use only the best quality materials, as these will often be exposed to the elements. Obviously, the costs of the materials vary according to the use and the quantity that you want to do. For example, the costs of laying stone for outdoor flooring will be higher than those of wood. However, wood will need more maintenance and waterproofing.

How much does it cost to build a roof garden?

The roof garden is a green space created on a roof or terrace. This alternative is very popular because it gives the possibility of living in the city, without giving up a green space in which to relax. The roof garden should not be applied directly to the roof; It will be necessary to mount a substrate that allows to give the right thickness to the surface, without however excessively increasing the cost. The price of the roof garden varies according to the type of surface to be used and the desired vegetation. An element that greatly affects how much it costs to build a roof garden is the drainage, which will have to be adapted and built to measure according to the type of home. The hanging garden is also a very versatile space.

Garden plants, types more suitable for various spaces

Garden plants are a key element for outdoor decoration. This type of work might seem simple, but in reality it is very complex and for this reason it is always advisable to contact a landscape architect who takes care of the layout of the environment and a gardening company to take care of the green. The plants to choose also vary according to exposure to the sun. If the external environment is directed towards the south, then it will receive a lot of sunlight during the day. You could thus opt for higher vegetation, which can create some shade. On the other hand, if the space is directed towards the north, the exposure to the sun will be less and for this reason it is possible to opt for a lower vegetation, which does not obscure the natural light.

The choice of trees and plants will have an influence on how much it costs to build the garden. It is therefore good to contact a gardening company so that you can ask for a detailed cost estimate.

How to make a garden using your outdoor spaces

Find out how to make a garden yourself and get a result worthy of a skilled gardener thanks to the guide below, which will clearly explain the key steps to be taken and the preliminary considerations.

How to make a garden: global design considerations

Select the portion of land and the type of flowers and plants to plant
Prepare the soil and dig holes for planting
Bury flowers and plants and sow grass
The lighting and irrigation system
The choice of furnishings

Here are the steps that will explain how to make a garden in your outdoor spaces at home

1. Select the portion of land and the type of flowers and plants to plant

The first thing to evaluate before explaining how to make a beautiful and lush garden in your outdoor spaces is to know how much land you have available for this operation and how you want to divide it: in fact you could decide to create simple flower beds with flowers inside, inserted within a beautiful English lawn.

Another solution could be to plant small flowering trees, which over time will grow and create the right amount of shade to be able to install a gazebo, a dining table, a small sofa or a swing underneath.

Once you understand which areas to allocate to the construction of the garden and what to plant inside, keep in mind that each tree species is affected by factors such as:

The climatic conditions;
The exposure to sun and wind of the areas you will use as a garden;
The type of soil, which based on its pH may or may not harm certain plants;

The possible difficulty of cohabitation between the various species. As for the specific types of gardens, you can choose between:

The classic variant, that is the one consisting of hedges, trees, flower beds and lawns well balanced between them;
The garden with rocks, with the insertion of stone boulders within which to grow species that adapt to an arid and hostile environment such as the rock;
The Zen garden, of oriental inspiration, which cannot ignore the creation of an artificial lake in which to grow aquatic plants and carp with spectacular colors;
The country one, in which the flower beds and colored flowers are the masters, interspersed with walkable paths and flanked by a relaxation area furnished in a shabby chic style.

But what you most need to consider before understanding how to make a garden is the specific type of plants you can grow in your outdoor spaces, namely:

Trees with even a considerable trunk;
Shrubs of various sizes;
Evergreens, which, as the name suggests, remain luxuriant throughout the year;
Climbing plants;
Flowers of various kinds;
Aquatic species;
Hedges in general.

Each of them has peculiar characteristics, to be known to perfection to ensure their perfect growth.

2. Prepare the soil and dig holes for planting

The first fundamental step is the preparation of the soil, which you will need to level and eventually fertilize before it welcomes the grass, flowers and plants that you have ordered in the nursery.

It will also be good that you remove any weeds that may be present, which do nothing but steal the nourishment of your future plants.

If the garden is already equipped with grass, a preliminary cut before the excavation phase is a good idea: in fact it will make the operation easier and at the same time it will make the lawn stronger and healthier.

As for the creation of the various areas, you can help yourself with some twine tied to wooden sticks, which will delimit each flower bed, or the part of the garden dedicated to the hedges compared to the grass.

As for the flower beds, make sure you dig a hole large and deep enough to accommodate all the flowers or plants you want to insert.

Once the soil is prepared, have the patience to wait a couple of days before proceeding to the planting phase; this will avoid biological stress to the soil and to the future species that will be included in it.

3. Bury flowers and plants and sow grass

At this point you can start removing the flowers and plants you bought from the pot, to do some general burial test: in fact you may have dug a hole that is too deep or narrow, and a simple check with the plants just inserted in the pits will help you. to correct these kinds of errors.

As far as tall trees and hedges are concerned, the planting phase is more delicate: in fact their size is considerable and it is necessary to proceed with caution, in order to avoid damaging branches and roots.

The flowers and smaller plants, on the other hand, only need a good dose of fertilizer and to be removed from the pot with care, with the roots that must be well covered by the ground once inserted in their hole: in fact, their exposure to the sun will harm the plant and will not be able to absorb neither the water nor the nourishment that comes from the soil.

A general advice, which concerns both the trees and the various plants, is to not proceed to their burial during the hottest hours: in fact the heat and the sun’s rays could create unnecessary stress. Therefore, take care to carry out these operations at sunset, in order to avoid future damage to your plants.

The planting phase ends with the sowing of the grass you have chosen to form the lawn, which you will manually spread on the land intended for this particular tree species.

Once all the trees and flowers have been planted, make sure you irrigate the soil abundantly, and then wait for the water to penetrate deeply to finish building your garden.

4. The lighting and irrigation system

Our guide on how to make a home garden ends with the phase of creating the lighting system and the possible installation of an automatic irrigation system.

As for the first, you just need to select the headlights that best suit you in terms of design and power and plant the support poles in the ground.

If the lights are equipped with batteries, you will not have to worry about the laying of the electrical power cables, vice versa you will also have to consider this aspect, taking care to lay cables that do not suffer damage as a result of exposure to humidity and water.

Usually it is enough to lay polyethylene pipes in the ground, inside which to run the electric cables, which will be protected from any risk of short circuit.

Finally, as regards irrigation, you can proceed as follows:

Use the domestic water network or an external well to connect the sprinklers, which will be located in the key areas of the garden, and which are usually equipped with programming timers and an electronic control unit;
Proceed manually with the watering can to water your garden.

5. The choice of furnishings

At this point of our guide on how to design a garden we can devote ourselves to the choice of accessories and furnishings, which are elements that will add comfort, style and personality to your new green area.

Also in this case you must always keep the proper proportions: in fact you cannot overload your garden with tables, seats and umbrellas, well yes, consider whether it is appropriate to insert, especially in the shaded areas, a cocktail table rather than a dining table.

Usually the most used and sold garden furniture are:

The gazebos, structures that offer sufficient shade even in the hottest hours and that go well with the climbing species, which find an artificial support on which to proliferate;
The outdoor sofas, available in different materials and sizes, which makes them very versatile and suitable for any style;
Swings and hammocks, two symbols par excellence of summer relaxation, which can be easily placed under a tree with thick foliage, to enjoy reading a book or simply find peace and rest during the summer;
The brick barbecues, very beautiful and functional, in case you want to carve out a kitchen area in the garden for lunch and dinner with friends and relatives. They go well with gazebos and very large tables and are easy to place in the garden, as there are different sizes available on the market. Alternatively, you could simply use a portable barbecue, to be placed near the dining table in a ventilated area, in order to facilitate the disposal of fumes and not create annoyance to your diners.

Depending on your financial availability and the extension of the green area, you will choose the option that best suits your needs.