Need a Landscape Budget? What Will Your Landscape Cost?

Customers share there dream landscape with me all the time.  I usually ask what there budget is.  Most respond with "I don't know what it will cost." Or, "I have no idea what landscaping costs."  Truthfully this a difficult question to answer, especially without a full site survey and elevations.  I will do my best to explain some general pricing guidelines and what can contribute to the cost.

It may be helpful to compare buying landscape to the purchase of a new car.  I recently went online to see what a new Jeep would cost.  I was thinking of a Wrangler Unlimited.  I saw the base price was around $27,000 and thought that is not too bad.  Then, I started building the new Jeep online and said yes I want the premium sound, leather interior, and Bluetooth connectivity.  This is a Jeep Wrangler so you want to have the canvas top so it can be a convertible. I live in Wisconsin so a hard top is practical too. I own a landscape company, so yes I should have the trailer package.  The next thing you know the cost of the Jeep is over $42,000.  I recently did purchase my jeep.  Yes, I had to make some compromises.  But I love it and was able to get the upgrades that are important to me.  Like most Americans I spend a lot of time in my car.

Like buying a vehicle and selecting options, there are many upgrades in landscape too.  I believe there is much value in exploring your options prior to purchasing landscape to insure the final product fits your needs and you love it for years to come.  When you work with Landscape Architecture, LLC we believe it is our job to make sure you understand your options.  I would feel I have not done my job if a customer ever said, "I wish I would have known I could have that 'name your product'...".  In the design phase of a landscape project it is our job to educate the customer on the possibilities.  Then as we work through the design and pricing, the customer needs to determine what is important to have and how much they are comfortable spending.  Many parts of a project that I think of as landscape, other may not, for example a driveway.  All elements are interconnected.  They all are part of your experience outside.  As a Landscape Architect and landscape contractor we get involved in everything outside. The most common upgrades are:

• Patio, Driveway or Front Walk.

• Brick, Stone or Concrete.

• Retaining and seating walls.

• Lighting.

• Pergola.

• Fence.

• Swimming pool or hot tub.

• Fire pit or fire place (gas or wood burning?).

• Built-in grill or outdoor kitchen.

• Front yard and back yard work?

• Deck

 Each property we work on is unique and has it's own set of complications.  When Landscape Architecture, LLC provides a bid, we live it by it.  Very rarely something completely unforeseen happens that can add cost, like discovering buried concrete or old footings.  We analyze every property and take careful grade measurements with a GPS or a transit.  Please feel free to contact me if you want to discuss your landscape project.  Some items that can contribute to cost are:

• Is there access for machinery?

• Is a retaining wall needed in order to have a flat space for a patio?

• Does soil need to be added or removed?

• What is the quality of existing soil?  Should the soils be amended?

• Do plants need to be removed?

• Is there any concrete removal?

We do small projects for a few hundred dollars and we do large projects in excess of $300,000.  We will work with our customers to make a project as affordable as possible.  We do offer design services for those of you that like to do it yourself.  Or, we are happy to do the hard work like the patio or the large trees while customers do some of the other work themselves.  Either way, we feel all successful projects start with great design. Our landscape designs are produced by a Licensed Landscape Architect.  Cost for a typical landscape design will vary from about $500-$3,000 or more depending on complexity and elements being incorporated. Some landscape contractors offer free design, but are you getting quality design for free?  Please read What is the Difference Between Landscape Architects, Landscape Designers and Landscape Contractors to learn more about the professions and what is best for you and your project.

If you hire Landscape Architecture, LLC to construct your project the cost of the landscape design is included as long as the design fees associated with the project are less than 10% of the construction cost.  In most cases the installation cost is enough that the design fee is waived.

The total cost of landscape will depend on the size of your home and property.  New homes often cost more since the entire yard needs to done while retaining walls and lawns need to be installed.  It is easy however to phase landscape projects.  We are happy to help you through a phasing plan.

A breakdown of some typical cost ranges are:

Front yard planting for most homes range from $2,000 to $10,000.  This will depend on the the size of plants and the size of your home/ property and other related work such as existing plant removal and regrading/ lawn repair.  Front yards are very important for the curb appeal of your property.  Click on the following link for a great example of how landscape can affect curb appeal.

Rear yard planting for most homes range from $2,000 to $20,000.  Again this will depend upon the size of plants and your home/ property.  Rear planting is more than hedges and plants along the house.  The plants can help with the heating and cooling your home. There are many items we consider with planting design as outlined in this link.

A new Front Walk could vary from $1,000 to $18,000 or more depending on if it is concrete, brick pavers or if you need any steps.

A patio will vary from a $3,000 to $50,000 or more depending on the size, materials and amenities such as a pergola, seat wall or fire pit. There are many considerations to patio design. A patio with a simple outdoor kitchen area, pergola, seating wall, lighting and a fire pit could range from $40,000 to $130,000 or more.

Fire pits have been one  of the most requested elements in the past 5 years.  If considering one, we follow these fire pit guidelines.  Building a standard size (42" exterior dimension) wood burning fire pit will cost $1,500-2,500.  A gas fire pit will add about $2,000-3,000 or more depending on how difficult it is to run a gas line.  Proper sizing of a gas line is essential as gas fire pits can use 65,000 BTU's or more.  These prices are for the fire pit only, any patio around the fire pit and associated repairs of the yard will add cost. 

Landscape lighting has also been very popular in the past 5-10 years.  Homeowners like to enjoy their yards into the evening hours.  Lighting helps create a mood, provides the ability to see and way find, and can add security to your home.   A simple lighting system will start at about $1,500.  Most of our lighting projects range from $3,000-$8,000.  We have done lighting projects exceeding $15,000.

As you see, prices for landscape have a tremendous range.  Much of this is dependent upon the uniqueness of your property but also upon your tastes and desires.  One great thing about landscaping is it is easy to phase work in.  You can build a patio one year and do planting the next.  Hopefully this information will help you with your next landscape project.

Landscape Design

One of the best compliments I can get from someone about a project of mine is when I am told they love their yard.  We love the spaces.  We love to be outside and use the yard.  There is always something flowering. Our house/ yard looks great.  We love our patio.  Etc.!

This does not happen by accident.  I do believe garden design or yard design needs to be done holistically.  A designer needs to consider how the yard will be used and to create harmonious functional spaces incorporating all elements including patios, pergolas, swimming pools, front walks, driveways, yard space and plantings.

As a licensed Landscape Architect and a Horticulturist, what is the process I follow to develop a landscape plan?

How do develop an accurate base plan of my yard?  If you hire us, we will do this, but what if you want to do it yourself?

The answers to these questions are in A Brief Guide to Landscape Design.  Download a copy.  If you have any questions please contact me.

My Favorite 3 New Landscape Products for 2018

What is new and exciting for 2018?  Although maybe not as hip as what you might find at the Consumer Electronics Show, a few of the new products at the landscape shows I have attended are quite cool.  After seeing hundreds of new ideas it was difficult to narrow down my list.  I want to share my 3 favorite new landscape products in reverse order.

1.

My 3rd favorite new product has to do with lighting.  Technology in landscape lighting has skyrocketed in the last 5 or so years.  After the introduction of LED lights came controlling LED lights in zones or rooms just like in your house.  Then came the introduction of RGB (commonly known as color changing) technology and the ability to dim light fixtures.  LED lamps are improving too, not just the color but also the brightness and the angle width of light.  For my customers, I am really excited about some new fixtures like the Silhouette Collection by Dauer Manufacturing.  From the picture below you can see what the lighting bollard looks like during the day but also see how the light coming through the cutouts creates interesting silhouettes.  This is  a lot more exciting than a typical path light.

2.

My second favorite new product is a new wall from Unilock. Unilock manufactures concrete and stone pavers as well as concrete block retaining walls.  Paver products have been improved dramatically in the last few years.  But, retaining walls have changed minutely in the past 15 years.  The Ucara Wall by Unilock is a game changer.  The structure of the wall is a plain concrete block that has ledge hangers on it (if you follow the Ucara Wall link the pictures tell the story).  Then, you pick the wall finish that you hang on the interior block.  Not only does this provide an amazing array of quick design opportunities for me and my customer but also a reduction in labor in since cutting time will be reduced.  And, the structure will be stronger as the blocks that hang interlock with multiple interior blocks creating a larger super structure.

3.

My #1 favorite new product....Out Deco panels.  With these you can create a chic stylish privacy fence.  The designs are such you could use them as sculpture in the garden or to help provide a backdrop for an ornamental tree.  They can be used on top of a pergola to provide shade.  They can create a contemporary privacy screen for your hot tub.  They are made from sustainable hardwood.  You can leave them natural to age and patina.  You can seal them to maintain the current color.  Or, they are completely paintable.  This is the un-fence fence.  Really, really cool.

There are many new products available.  Some are unsung since they are not meant to be seen like better edging for your patio.  I have chosen my three favorite because I think they are very creative and can make my customers outdoor space and more comfortable and more special.  Please contact me to help with your project.

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How to Choose the Right Crabapple Tree

I always tell my customers that the three main criteria that you should consider when choosing the right crabapple tree for your yard is flower color, berry retention, and disease resistance. You may find a cultivar that you like based solely on the color of its flower, but if you don’t consider all facets of my three criteria, you may just end up with an unhealthy tree   that lacks winter interest.

Flower Color

Flowering crabapples are known for the high impact of their flowers. They generally flower in May before the lilacs, and the flowers last for 1 1/2- 2 weeks. Crabapple trees come in an assortment of different colors and can provide a beautiful way to accentuate certain parts of your yard. You can find cultivars that flower in a variety of shades, ranging from red, orange, purple, and white. It’s up to you to decide what splash of color you’d like to add to your landscaping, but remember that it’s important to pick a tree based on more than just the aesthetic appeal that their flowers provide.

Berry Retention

If you would like a flowering crabapple but do not want berries, there are sterile varieties.  However, the flowers usually only last 1 1/2 - 2 weeks while the berries can last a lot longer and provide another level of winter interest. The fruits of some crabapples begin to color in August and others don’t begin to color until September. Additionally, some cultivars drop their ripened fruit while others hold their fruit until spring, which provides a great way for you to attract migrating birds to your yard.

Disease Resistance

Flowers for crabapples are generally all great.  Berry retention is important, but choosing a healthy, disease resistant variety is of greater importance. Different plants will stand up to diseases in different ways. When picking your plant, I’d highly recommend paying close attention to their respective abilities to resist common diseases, such as Apple Scab, Fire blight, and Cedar Apple Rust.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite cultivars and their respective colors and capabilities when it comes to berry retention and disease resistance.

Your Lawn: To Roll or Not To Roll

Often customers who want to remove bumps or ups and downs in their yards ask me about rolling their lawn. The assumption is that rolling lawns will achieve a more even and level yard space. However, this is not true. In reality, rolling your lawn will cause more issues than it will solve.

Rather than flattening out your yard, all rolling does is compact the top level of soil creating much harder layers of soil for grass to grow. Soil has a structure comprised of small particles with pockets of air space in between. If you roll your lawn, you are essentially removing the air space and pushing the particles tightly together. Those pockets of space are necessary if you want to maintain a healthy lawn. Without air space, water will not infiltrate the soil properly causing lawns to brown out to dormancy quicker during periods of drought.  Additionally, if your lawn doesn’t have enough air space to allow proper circulation during wet periods, it can lead to waterlogged roots that will eventually decompose. The most obvious necessity for empty space in your soil is that you need enough space for new roots to grow.

Furthermore, your soil needs enough space to allow oxygen to pass through. I often get asked questions about tree roots coming to the surface in lawn areas. Sometimes this is the nature of the tree; like with honeylocust. However, trees that do not typically grow this way will send roots to the surface if they cannot exchange enough oxygen in the soil.

What are alternatives to lawn rolling?  The easiest way is adding soil to the low areas or shaving down high spots.  You must be careful not to disrupt the drainage pattern of your yard.

If you are interested in discussing this further please feel free to contact me.

My guest said, “Funny, there are no mosquitos tonight.”

Whether you’re hosting a barbecue or just relaxing on your patio, the summer season has always been the best time to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors. Needless to say, most of us would much rather enjoy this time with our friends and family and without the threat of mosquitoes. Most people assume that the only remedy to this problem is to apply a heavy dose of smelly bug spray.  I don’t know about you, but I hate going in at night smelling like bug spray. In a perfect world, we would all be able to grill out on our decks or drink a glass of lemonade without the threat of being a mosquito’s very own “all you can eat” buffet. Luckily, I found that this “perfect world” could in fact exist with a product by Nutone called the Haven mosquito repellent system.

The Haven system works and looks just like a series of path lights. With a fixture set in place every 10-12 feet, you can be sure that your backyard will stay mosquito-free for the summer season. I use this system at my own home, and the difference seems like night and day. Before I had it installed along my patio, I would constantly find myself having to go back inside the house to reapply bug spray or simply stay inside. This really limited my use of our patio. Now that I have the Haven system, I never even have to think about mosquitoes, let alone swat one away from my neck. We had 8 people over the other night.  It had just rained and the air was still–typically a perfect recipe for mosquitoes.  After an hour or so of sitting around the fire pit, one guest said to me, “funny there are no mosquitoes tonight.”  I showed everyone the mosquito fixtures and told them how they work.  This also illustrates how the system is odorless and sound free as none of my guests new they were there until I told them. No smell. No annoying zapping noises.

The Haven mosquito repellent system uses an EPA approved chemical called Metofluthrin, which is the same chemical you will find in products from the popular brand OFF!. Furthermore, the chemical only takes about 15 minutes to activate, which means you can be 15 minutes away from enjoying your yard for hours on end at any given time. You will have to refill the chemicals every year, but that is a very small price to pay for the benefits that the system provides. The typical cost of this system ranges from $1,500 to $2,500 for a typical sized patio or deck which is much less than a screen porch.

If you are interested in discussing this further please feel free to contact me.

Autumn Blaze Maples Versus Other Maples

When people are shopping for a shade tree, they almost always ask me what I think of Autumn Blase Maples.  My first thought is always, WOW, another one.....those must have been marketed like crazy at some point!  Truth be told, it would be one of the last trees I would plant in my yard.  

First, a little science and a little history.  Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) and red maple (Acer rubrum) flower at the same time and can cross pollinate.  The resulting tree is a naturally occurring hybrid referred to as freeman maple (Acer x freemanii).  Before I get into the specifics of the Autumn Blaze Freeman Maple, it will help to understands it's heritage.

First the Silver Maple

• Fast growing.  

• They are often referred to as a soft maple because they damage easily in wind storms.

• Yellow fall color.  

• Easily grown in urban soils. 

  • Tolerant of higher alkaline levels.

  • Toleralnt of lower oxygen levels.

• Native to Wisconsin.

Red Maples

• Red maples are slower growing.  

• Troubles with low oxygen levels and higher PH of urban soils.  Soil PH above 6.5 will cause the leaves to become lighter in color.

• Less damage in wind storms.

• Red fall color.

• Native to Wisconsin.

Autumn Blaze Freeman Maple was the first freeman maple marketed which is one reason I believe it is so well known.

• It was believed to have the fast growing attributes of the silver maple but the stronger wood of the red maple.

• Will tolerate urban soils.

  • Tolerates the alkaline soils of urban areas and of Southern Wisconsin.

  • Tolerates low oxygen levels of urban soils and soils from recent construction.

• Red Fall Color

The problem is Autumn Blaze Maples do suffer from storm damage easily.  With the silver maple and the autumn blaze maple, this is not necessarily from weak wood but from acute branching angles that cause bark inclusion.  When bark becomes included, there is less wood in the connection between the branch and main stem causing a weakness (See the image below).  The branch on the left is closer to 90 degrees and is strong.  The branch angle on the right is narrow (acute), resulting in the bark becoming included resulting in a weak branch.  Proper pruning when the trees are young can limit this problem, but it will not eliminate it.

There are very good freeman maple alternatives.  The varieties Autumn Fantasy and Sienna Glenn  have the same fast growing attributes of the silver maple, but better branching habits and the fall color of the red maple.  They are both tolerant of urban soils.

Ultimately, autumn blaze maple is popular and well known.  Many of my customers inquire about them.  It does grow fast and has a nice, red fall coloring, but the narrow (acute) branching habit makes the variety prone to storm damage.  Varieties such as autumn fantasy or sienna glen have the same desirable attributes, but have better form and therefore incur less storm damage.