Hiring a landscape architect NJ is one of the best investments you can make for your home. A landscape architect’s professional experience, design creativity and extensive plant knowledge will provide numerous benefits for your Bergen County home.
Designing a new landscape or garden can be an overwhelming task, especially for the average homeowner with minimal plant knowledge. Without proper knowledge about plant care and maintenance, growth patterns, fertilization and pest control, you could spend a lot of money on landscape trees and plants that may not survive.
Working with a landscape architect in NJ will ensure a beautiful landscape that will thrive year after year. Take a look at some of the benefits of hiring a landscape architect in NJ.
A Well-Planned Landscape Design
A Well-Planned Landscape DesignLandscape architects are trained to think about landscapes as a complete property design that’s laid out in a well-designed, well-planned grid system. The landscape design will focus on outdoor areas that enhance the architectural style, features and materials on the house. A professional landscape architect can help you select the perfect styles, materials, textures and colors for your landscape projects.
In an initial site visit, the architect will discuss your landscape wants and needs and possibilities for the property. Existing landscape conditions and features will be discussed to see if changes need to be made. After the site visit, the architect will make conceptual drawings that show new landscape plans. Plans will be reviewed and discussed to get approvals and go over landscaping costs.
When working with a landscape architect in NJ, you can be sure that your property will be thoroughly assessed for existing soil conditions, sun, light and wind conditions, irrigation and drainage problems and pest control before final plans are executed.
Increased Property Value
By hiring a landscape architect in NJ to design your home’s landscape and outdoor spaces, you can increase your property value by 15 to 20 percent compared to comparable homes in your neighborhood. A landscape architect is educated in horticulture and experienced in creating outdoor spaces that will enhance your home’s overall beauty and property value.
In addition to designing stunning landscapes, NJ landscape architects often design, build and install many great outdoor features that can quickly add beauty, function and value to your home.
Outdoor features include:
- Patios and terraces
- Built-in seating areas
- Outdoor fireplaces and fire pits
- Outdoor kitchens
- Outdoor ponds
- Outdoor fountains and waterfalls
- Swimming pools, spas and hot tubs
- Retaining walls and fences
- Landscape lighting
Low-Maintenance Landscapes
Low-Maintenance LandscapesWith today’s concerns for water conservation, low-maintenance landscapes are popular with Northern New Jersey homeowners. By working with a landscape architect, like Mark Borst at Borst Landscape & Design, you can create a low-maintenance landscape that requires less water, care and maintenance.
Whether you’re designing a low-maintenance landscape for your front yard, backyard or both, there’s a wide variety of drought-tolerant, low-maintenance trees, shrubs and plants that are native to Northern New Jersey. By selecting native plants, you will reduce irrigation needs and prevent certain problems with insects and outdoor pests because these plants have already adapted to local conditions.
By landscaping with native plant varieties, you can create a sustainable landscape that conserves water, reduces air and water pollution and provides an environmentally sound environment for local birds and wildlife, as well as your family and pets.
Lower Energy Costs
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, properly placed trees can reduce your energy costs up to $300 each year. Planting shade trees and windbreaks in the right landscape areas can reduce winter heating bills by up to 15 percent and summer air conditioning needs by as much as 75 percent. A landscape architect in NJ can help you select the right trees and shrubs that will help reduce your home’s monthly energy expenses.
With extensive plant knowledge, a landscape architect understands sun and shade requirements, growth patterns and maintenance needs for trees and shrubs. When planting young trees, it’s important to fully understand growth patterns so you know how large they will be when they reach maturity.
A tree that gets too tall or has a large canopy that hangs over your roof can cause roofing problems if it isn’t properly trimmed and maintained each year. Trees and shrubs along your property line or driveway that spread out to your neighbors’ yard can cause boundary disputes and problems with your neighbors.
A landscape architect can plant varieties of trees and shrubs that reduce your energy costs, require less maintenance and grow to sizes that don’t cause landscaping problems.
Rain Gardens
Rain GardensA rain garden is a specialty garden that’s designed to take advantage of rainfall and storm water runoff with design and plant selection. Typically, a rain garden is small and designed to withstand excessive moisture and heavy concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen found in storm water runoff.
A landscape architect can design a beautiful rain garden for your landscape that prevents drainage and flooding problems and creates a natural habitat for birds and beneficial insects. Rain gardens help to filter rainwater runoff away from lawns, driveways and sidewalks by filtering water back into the ground.
They can be built in stunning designs that blend naturally into the landscape or create quiet meditation areas within a garden. Although storm drains and French drains may be less expensive, they serve a strictly functional purpose. Rain gardens serve the same functional purpose, but create beautiful garden areas in your landscape.
Drip Irrigation Systems
Drip irrigation systems water plants at the root level and serve as an efficient alternative to sprinklers. They allow water to seep slowly into the soil one drop at a time. Very little water is lost through evaporation or surface runoff, and soil quickly absorbs and retains moisture needed for plants.
The soil surface between the plants also remains drier, so weed growth is discouraged. A drip irrigation system provides a convenient, easy way to water your lawn and landscape, but it must be installed properly to prevent over-watering which can kill grass and landscaping plants very quickly.
Over-watering is a huge problem in many Bergen County landscapes, but one that can be easily avoided by hiring a landscape architect in NJ who’s familiar with drip irrigation systems. When properly installed, drip irrigation systems provide a highly efficient way to water. Studies show that well-designed drip systems use at least 30 percent, and in some cases 50 percent, less water than conventional sprinkler systems.
Regulations and Building Codes
A landscape architect in NJ will deliver a finished project that complies with Northern New Jersey regulations and building codes. You won’t have to worry about pulling necessary permits or completing landscape projects that the local building inspector will approve.
A NJ landscape architect will oversee all of the details and handle your landscaping projects from start to finish to ensure that all work is done properly and in a timely manner. All you have to do is enjoy your landscape design for years to come.
