Who is the best person for your project?

This is a question that I have heard from people many times. Often a landscape project might require someone with expertise but who do you choose? Read on to find out!

Many landscape designers practice their profession in a way that suits them and their skill set, in contrast to other vocations such as teacher or pilot, where the roles and tasks are clearly defined. This results in some people being confused about the role of gardeners vs landscape designers, and this confusion is warranted as many landscape professionals do have their feet in both worlds. Depending on the company, a landscape professional may provide design services right through to the installation and maintenance of the finished garden. So how do you know who is the right person for you?

When you employ a landscape designer, it is the beginning of a relationship, one where the client and the designer work together to put on paper the design plans for contractors who will then build your garden. Designers will work with you to realize your landscape vision or unearth the one you didn’t know you had! A key part of our job is taking your comments and interpreting them visually in a way that makes sense functionally in the landscape. Budget also plays a key role in determining the finished product.

3d model to help visualize a new back patio and garden. 3d models can solve crucial space challenges while giving clients a realistic view of their future space.

Designers have been trained in horticulture and design

Landscape designers have been trained in both horticulture and design, and often have a diploma or degree in landscape design. Training will have included technical and artistic aspects related to the profession. Designers create scaled illustrations of your space, technical drawings, and detailed masterplans of your landscape. Solving tough layout problems, plant placement, and privacy issues are a few of the challenges landscape designers can provide creative solutions for. Our drawings provide the necessary documentation needed to utilize your space in the most effective and beautiful way possible.

Aerial perspective drawing of a sloping country garden. Aerial drawings help clients understand the overall vision.

Often a homeowner can no longer see the possibilities that their landscape offers. Or they just need a designer’s knowledge of space and materials to come up with a plan that will work in reality. With a designer you get drawings with measurements, plant lists, and moodboards that accurately convey how to build the garden, what materials to use, and what it should look like in the end. This is a valuable road map that any contractor can use to quote for the installation. Alternatively, the homeowner can use the drawings and specifications to build the garden themselves.

A planting plan for a drought tolerant and sunny site. This technical drawing shows where to plant each individual plant which is represented by a coloured circle and labeled.

How is this different from a gardener? A gardener will do the labour of building and maintaining a garden. They are often trained in horticulture, or have been mentored by someone who has. They will either install a garden based on a landscape designer’s drawing, or if you are lucky enough to find a gardener with a good eye for design, they can design and build the garden for you. Some gardeners will design your space, usually not on paper, but “on the ground.” Designing on the ground works for some landscapes where the project is small enough or the gardener is talented enough. There have been some incredible gardeners throughout history who have created masterpieces! Finding a gardener with a good eye is key to this situation. Often they will come recommended as finding a gardener who can create and tend your garden over time is gold. If you find this person, hang on tight!

There are many situations where I believe working with a gardener is the better option. If you would like garden maintenance long term, and are ok with your gardener creating incremental changes to your garden, I think a gardener is the better option. If your budget is low, or you just want to change up the planting in small ways here and there, a gardener is perfect for this situation. Some gardeners will also build pathways and hardscape features, and like any contractor, they can get the job done and offer input as needed.

At the end of the day, every landscape designer and gardener will have their own process and methods. Some designers will be involved in the building of the garden and others will pass the finished drawings to the client and let the contractors and gardeners take over from there. It’s the relationship between the client and the service provider that leads to the success of the project. Do your research and find the person that works for you. Creating a garden is equal parts art and science, and finding someone to help you is the first step. I hope that brings a little clarity to the job of landscape designer vs gardener!

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