8 Tips for Choosing the Right Landscape Designer for Your Florida Home

Hiring a landscape designer isn’t like choosing a melon in the produce aisle. You can’t thump it to see if it’s good. At least, we don’t recommend it. At all.

So, how do you find a great landscape designer? Call the number on the prettiest landscaping company truck? Wait for a coupon to show up in the mail? 

Again, no. (Wow, it’s a good thing you’re here.) 

Hiring a landscape designer involves a bit of homework and a few good questions to ask. 

Here you go: 

1. Check Their Google Reviews

This is a great place to start when hiring a landscape designer.

Look for not just lots of stars, but lots of reviews. Four reviews doesn’t tell you much. If more than 50 customers love them, plus they have close to five stars, they’re doing a lot right. 

2. Look at Examples of Their Work

Then, ask them questions about it.

Why did they include that retaining wall? Why a circular patio and not a rectangle? Are all those hibiscus shrubs going to need a lot of maintenance? 

Their answers about landscape planning will give you a peek into their design thought process. 

Impressed? Their work at your place will likely impress you, too. 

3. Talk to Their Clients

Ask to talk to a couple clients whose yards or challenges are similar to yours. What do they like about their landscaping? What can they share about their landscape planning process? Would they hire their designer again? 

4. Do They Ask a Lot of Questions?

 When your 4-year-old does it, it gets kind of annoying. But when your landscape designer does it, it’s a good thing. It means they really care about creating the perfect design for you and your needs — not just designing a pretty plan. 

They should ask all kinds of things, from your favorite colors to how many people you usually entertain to what kind of patio furniture you like. 

Lots of questions means a lot of details that add up to your perfect, personalized landscape design. 

5. Are They Interested in a Long-term Relationship?

Don’t worry, no rings will be exchanged. But you don’t want to hire a landscape designer who will design and dash. You want them and their team to stick around and help you care for your cool new landscaping as it grows and evolves. 

When they show you their completed design plan and it includes eight flowering shrubs, you want them to be there with experience, knowledge and pruning skills to keep them healthy and blooming for years to come. 

Make sure they’re in this for the long haul, with a plan that includes a long-term vision for maintenance as your landscaping grows and changes. 

Speaking of maintenance…

6. Make Sure They Consider Maintenance, Too 

New landscaping! It looks amazing! It still looks amazing the next week! 

As time passes and your crotons get bigger and your palm starts shedding, you still want it to look amazing.

If your landscape designer did their job right, it will.
Ask about their plan for maintenance BEFORE hiring a landscape designer. 

How should you take care of this magical outdoor space?

Most landscape architects have never worked in landscape maintenance. Sure, they’ll design a magnificent plan, but are they considering future maintenance as they fill your yard with fantastic plants? 

You don’t want a yard packed with plants that are so high maintenance it becomes an aggravating obstacle down the road.

7. Are They a Full-Service Landscaping Company?

When you hire one company that can handle all your landscaping needs, things go super smoothly. 

Sure, they’re pros at planning a landscape. Do they also do irrigation? Not all landscape design companies in Sarasota Fl do. 

When your landscape design company can also handle your irrigation, it’s a seamless fit, from the initial planning right through to expert irrigation that keeps everything in your backyard tropical oasis healthy and thriving. 

Do they install landscape lighting? Can they take care of your water features? Do they have a top-notch turf care program? Will they smoothly transition from designing and installing your Florida landscaping to taking care of it with a comprehensive landscape maintenance plan? 

8. Ask How They’ll Make Things Easy for You 

You have a lot going on in your life already. A new landscaping project is a big deal. 

You want to hire a Sarasota FL landscape designer who will make this easy, so you don’t have another hassle on your to-do list. 

Our consultation and design process will take the guesswork and apprehension out of your big plans.

We’ll meet you at home, on your schedule. Initial consultations let us get to know your property, and you’ll get to know our team. (We’re super nice!)

We’ll chat, stroll around your yard together, ask all those questions we mentioned earlier and answer all yours. 

From there, we’ll hand off the details and measurements to one of our dedicated landscape designers. The team will produce high-quality drawings or 3D renderings, complete with plant lists, stone and hardscape selections, and a detailed proposal.

When all looks good and you’re ready to get started, your design heads to our production teams as they prepare to get your new landscape renovation underway.

Easy peasy. Prepare to be wowed. 

Ready to Hire a Sarasota Landscape Designer? Talk to Us 

Even after multiple thumpings, you still don’t know for sure if that grocery store melon will be great. 

Be sure about hiring a landscape designer. We’d love to tell you more. 

Give us a call or fill out our form today! Our team of Sarasota designers can’t wait to help you create a backyard tropical oasis for your home or vacation rental property.