Signs of a Great Landscape Designer: What to Look For Locally

If you’re thinking about any sort of outdoor living project, then you might be wondering how to choose a landscape designer. Are all landscape designers the same or are there certain things that set the best ones apart?

As you might have already guessed, no, all landscape designers are not the same.

There are definitive ways in which some designers are going to be superior choices. In this article, we’ll explain what to look for in a local landscape designer that is going to set the bar high. Choosing a highly qualified landscape designer will give you confidence that your finished project will be everything you want it to be.

Jump to:

• Signs of a great landscape designer

• Landscape design mistakes to avoid

• Choosing Landscape design services in Memphis

Signs of a great landscape designer

Let’s talk about great landscape designer signs that you should be seeking as you begin this exciting journey.

Has a portfolio you’re impressed by

An excellent starting point when choosing a landscape designer is to look at their portfolio of finished projects. Are there pictures of projects like the one you’re looking to have done? And are you impressed by what you see?

Everyone has “expectations” of the quality level they’re looking for, and you should feel that those pictures meet that level.

One red flag would be if you don’t see any projects like the one you want to have done. We’re not talking about style as every project should be custom and unique. We’re talking about project type.

Say, for instance, that you want to have an outdoor kitchen or a fire feature built. If you don’t see anything like this on their website or in their gallery, it should at least raise a red flag about whether they’ve completed that type of project before. You don’t want to be the guinea pig.

Some other things to look for with a portfolio include:

• Customization: You don’t want all of the projects to look the same as you want to feel confident you’re going to get a unique design of your own. Not a “copy and paste” of what everyone else has.
• Projects that complement the architecture: Does it look well-integrated and does it complement the home?
• Mature landscapes: Not just same-day installation pictures.

Blends hardscaping with softscaping

Another important factor in choosing a landscape designer is finding one who excels at blending hardscapes and softscapes. It’s not uncommon for landscapers to be experts in one and not the other…but the best spaces have both!

That’s why one of the qualities of a good landscaper is horticultural expertise. That is, someone who can pick out the perfect plants for your space. You then want to make sure the hardscaping and the softscaping seamlessly blend together. They should complement one another in an aesthetically appealing way.

But horticultural expertise goes far beyond what “looks nice.” The best landscapers also understand which plants are going to be best-suited to your property based on factors like soil type, drainage patterns, local environmental conditions (like access to sunlight), and even maintenance needs. Choosing the best plants can be a complicated decision but the best landscape designers know exactly what they’re doing!

Solves problems creatively

Of the qualities of a good landscaper, this one can be hard to qualify as you don’t always know what challenges are going to arise with your project until it’s underway. But often, some properties have challenges that are expected from the start such as a slope, a drainage issue, or maybe even just harsh growing conditions.

A good landscaper is going to tackle those challenges head-on…and creatively! In fact, a lot of good landscape designers are actually excited by a challenge like a slope as it creates the opportunity to make your landscape even more unique.

Features like terraces, retaining walls, and steps are just some ways that landscapers can creatively address a slope.

Whatever the challenge on your property may be, you want to feel confident that your landscape designer is ready to face it.

Landscape design mistakes to avoid

An important outcome of choosing a great landscape designer is that they’ll avoid costly mistakes. We’ve written an article on common landscape mistakes to avoid. Some of the big ones that we talked about, include the following.

• Not working from a “plan:” Failing to work from a plan, or a “landscape design,” can be a detrimental error. The plan is what should be guiding the entire process. While it might sound counterintuitive that there are landscape designers out there who skip over the design phase, there are definitely going to be landscapers that don’t take this stage seriously. When choosing a landscape designer you definitely want to seek one that uses actual design and takes this process seriously.
• Failing to think about year-round appeal: You want to make sure that your property looks its best, no matter what the season. That even includes the winter with foundational plantings, like evergreens, that will still provide appeal even when other plants are not in bloom. When choosing a landscape designer make sure that they are providing a design that takes seasonality into account.
• Designing a cookie-cutter project: Ensuring that you end up with a customized, unique project is another reason why it’s so important that your landscape contractor is working from a landscape design. It is during the design process that a truly individualized project will be created. You do not want to end up with a cookie-cutter outdoor living space.

When you are smart about choosing a landscape designer you can make sure that these mistakes (and others) are avoided.

Keep in mind that, although critical, the design is just the beginning. You also want to make sure you’re working with a company that will follow through with expert installation.

We recommend finding a landscaping company that performs BOTH design and build work in-house. This allows for the most seamless experience possible and can help prevent a lot of mistakes and ensure the best results.

As you look for a landscape design/build firm, you also want to look for local expertise. There is definitely value to choosing a company that handles landscape design and landscape installation in Memphis as they will be experts in the local climate, conditions, and market in general.

Here in Memphis we can have some pretty intensely hot summers that can be tough on landscapes. Knowing the local conditions and choosing the right plant material (and smart irrigation) can make a huge difference in the success of your landscape.

Choosing Landscape design services in Memphis

No matter what type of landscaping project you’re having done, you deserve a finished result that you are proud of and that helps to boost your home’s value. By partnering with the best landscape design services in Memphis, you can bring your ideas to life.

While you have plenty of choices for landscape design/build firms, we hope that you’ll consider Mid South Irrigation & Landscape.

At Mid South Irrigation & Landscape, the process begins with a high-quality and customized landscape design that incorporates your wants, needs, and ideas. It is this detailed process that helps ensure the end result is exactly what you were dreaming of (and then some!).

After finalizing the design process, we move on to expert installation, including both hardscaping and plantscaping. By ensuring these items are installed properly, you’ll be able to thoroughly enjoy the final results.

There are plenty of companies in Memphis offering design/build services, but you want to make sure that you choose wisely.

One big difference when working with Mid South Irrigation & Landscape, is that you’ll work directly with our owner, Jesse Wisley, who only takes on 2 or 3 projects at a time in order to devote his full attention. It’s how we’re able to ensure that highest quality results with our landscape transformations.

Give us a call! We’d love to work with you on your outdoor living space.

Ready to design your dream yard? Request a consultation today.