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Why is landscaping so expensive


Why Is Landscaping So Expensive And How To Reduce Costs? – LawnCareGrandpa.com

Getting your property spruced up has never been easier thanks to the sheer number of landscaping companies and door-to-door yard workers available to you. Of course, all the good work comes at a cost…but how much exactly?

Landscaping is expensive mainly because of labor costs to the company hired to do the job. Other expensive pieces are the materials and machinery used. The number one way to cut down on these costs is to buy your own equipment and do the work yourself.

That is what we’re taking a look at today, as we dive into the individual costs that add up to your landscaping bill. We will also talk about the most expensive parts of landscaping, as well as the general amounts you can expect to pay. We will also look at steps you can take to trim the total landscaping cost.

Contents

What Makes Landscaping So Expensive?

The days when you could pay a neighbor’s kid $15 to mow your lawn while you watch Sunday afternoon football are pretty much ancient history.

Nowadays, if you are unable to tend to your property yourself, you will probably have to enlist the services of professional landscapers…and that isn’t always cheap, especially if you are starting a landscaping project from scratch.

Landscaping costs are expensive because of the labor, materials, machinery, as well as the insurance for professional crews. The ever increasing costs of running a landscaping or lawn crew is passed on to the customer. Different companies have different pricing, but most stay in the same range.

You see, landscapers are well aware that the practicality and aesthetic benefits of their work can significantly increase your home’s property value. If the site is used for commercial enterprise, well-manicured grounds could also attract more customers/clients to you. As such, these landscapers are prepared to take advantage.

Factors That Contribute To Expensive Landscaping Fees

Several factors contribute to the total cost of landscaping. Some may have greater influence than others in certain scenarios, but we must examine as many as possible.

Greater Lot Size Equals Greater Cost

The size of the site is perhaps the biggest factor behind the landscaping costs. Naturally, the larger the work area, the more you have to pay. Bigger yards, parks, campuses, etc. will require more manpower, tools, and other resources to develop and maintain. This is why mowing a golf course, for instance, is more expensive than trimming a one-acre public square.

Landscaping Labor Costs

Labor is another major factor. Most landscape workers are paid by the hour and your property might need a lot of man-hours to be complete. Additionally, bigger projects will likely require more workers if they are to be completed on time.

One cost-contributing factor that is related to labor is your location. Labor costs across different cities, counties, and states are known to vary drastically. Landscaping work done in California, for instance, might be much more expensive than an equally difficult project in Alabama.

Landscaping Machinery Upkeep Increases The Bottom Line

Next, we have machinery. Landscaping machinery can range from simple push mowers and edge trimmers to commercial zero-turns and earthmoving equipment. Typically, a landscape contractor will charge you for the fuel required to run these machines, as well as the skill required to operate them.

Materials Cause Landscaping Fees To Rise

Materials are another consideration. Depending on your tastes, this can easily be the most expensive part of a landscaping project. An exotic marble countertop for your outdoor grilling station would be much more expensive than locally sourced rock, for example.

Your taste in grass and vegetation also impact landscaping costs. Rare and exotic grasses, trees, and flowers can cost a pretty penny. There is also the level of care required in planting certain vegetations. You can also expect to pay a premium for artificial grass if that’s your cup of tea.

Environmental Laws Play A Part In Rising Landscaping Costs

Waste management is one thing that is growing in significance…and cost. As environmental laws become stricter, the crosshairs have been shifted on to how private and corporate entities dispose of garden/grounds waste. If you are unable to compost or mulch your garden waste, you may have to enlist the services of a garden waste management company…and that’s not cheap.

Terrain Can Affect The Amount You Pay For Landscaping

Although the size of your yard or plot is a major part of landscape costs, you cannot forget about the overall difficulty of the project. Difficulty factors in things like access, the intricacy of tasks, weather conditions, time of the day, and project timeline.

If the project involves cutting down massive trees that are dangerously close to buildings, for example, you can expect to be charged a higher price. If your contractor gives you an expected timeline for a project, but you insist that it be completed sooner, you will have to pay for additional workers or overtime hours.

Brand Name Crews Cost More

Finally, we have the prestige of the landscaping contractors and designers in question. Like with most industries, the best operators can usually name their price since they are in such high demand. If you want the most reputable landscaping crew in your city or state, prepare to pay top-dollar.

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What Part Of Landscaping Is So Expensive?

Since landscaping projects vary, it is not always easy to point out the biggest cost contributor. In general though, what is the most expensive part of landscaping?

By far, the most expensive part of landscaping is the labor costs. Not only are dependable workers for this labor intensive job difficult to find, their hourly wage is just the start. There is liability insurance, social security payments, worker’s comp., and health insurance.

A project on a small yard might be more expensive than one on a much larger one because of access. Likewise, contractors with more machinery might be more affordable than those who lean more on manpower alone. It all depends on the organization of the workers and their available equipment to speed up the job.

However, generally speaking, labor costs tend to be the biggest landscaping costs for both residential and commercial projects. The hourly rates can be dizzying and, if the workers are employed full-time, there may be health and insurance benefits to factor in as well.

That said, the scale of the project can be a catalyst to your overall cost. The same goes for the cost of materials if you have expensive taste. Machinery costs can also claim one of the top-spots, especially if we’re talking about reforming the landscape with earthmoving equipment.

Check out some of my other articles here…

What Should Owners Spend On Landscaping?

There is no fixed amount for what you should expect to pay because that can vary depending on the factors discussed above. However, I can give you a general “skeleton” guide of what you can expect to pay. 

Work on small yards can range between $5,000-$15,000. Medium yardwork can range between $10,000 and $30,000. Work on larger areas can be as low as $10,000 and exceed $100,000. These ranges exist because things like terrain, access, materials needed, crew size, and deadlines matter.

Again, these figures are very rough estimates.

Keep in mind that small, medium, and large yards refer to:

Average cost of landscaping

Landscaping JobU.S. National Averages
Softscape
Small yard complete landscaping work$8000
Small yard lawn care$2500 per year
Medium yard complete landscaping work$20,000
Medium yard lawn care$3500 to $5000 per year
Large yard complete landscaping work$20,000 to $100,000
Large yard lawn care$10,000 – $24,000 per year
Hardscape
Above ground pools$3000
Below ground pools$30,000
Decks$10,000
Retaining walls$7000
Patios$6000
Fencing$3000 to $12,000

The cost of landscaping is highly dependent on the work area, labor, difficulty, location, and a host of other factors.

Contractors are known to charge between $50-$100 per hour or $4-$12 per square foot.

The U.S. average cost is around $10,000, with a minimum cost of about $3,000 and a maximum cost of just over $20,000. 

According to industry leaders, Special features like patios and swimming pools can set you back anywhere between $2,000-$60,000.

It is not unheard of for a pool and spa setup to exceed $100,000.

Outdoor lighting can also be quite pricey. This feature can range between $2,000-$10,000 depending on your needs.

One of the most tedious tasks in the lawn care and landscaping business is weeding flowerbeds. It is an expense that can be avoided with the right gardener’s cloth under the mulch and the proper amount of groundcover in the bed.

Weeding varies by area and crew, but generally it will run you around $30 per hour with workers usually working at a medium to slow pace.

Expert tip: Most workers on landscaping or lawn crews despise weeding flower beds. They see this as a ‘low man on the totem’ type of job which may cause foreman or company owners to quote higher prices for these types of bids. The cheapest way to get this done is included in a seasonal or yearly contract.

How Can You Reduce The Cost Of Landscaping?

Some of the figures highlighted above may certainly be daunting for some but, luckily, there are some penny-pinching strategies you can employ to lower your overall costs.

Here are some of the best ways to make landscaping more affordable for you:

Family friends and neighbors will at times like to talk about their plants, shrubs, and trees. Some see it as a hobby will be complimented if you show interest. You can persuade garden and lawn enthusiasts many times to share some of their seeds, clippings, or even whole plants.

To avoid the costly yearly seeding of high trafficked areas of your lawn, designate specific paths for people to walk on using stone, wood, fencing, and obvious manicured flower bed areas. Some areas in a lawn can also be more susceptible to foot traffic if it is overly shaded or has poor drainage.

There are many things that can be used in a yard to cut down on costs. Old tires can be used as raised beds for a unique look. Found stones can be used as bed and garden boarders. Larger boulders on the property can become focal points and utilizing existing trees rather than clearing the lawn can save a lot of money.

Some of the most expensive types of landscaping tends to be hardscaping. This is using concrete or similar materials to make patios and pools. The expenses on these jobs top the list for any property size.

This may sound simple and it comes with the upfront costs of mowers and other materials, but the overall cost is usually significantly lower than hiring out the work. On the other hand, this also depends on how much time it takes and what other things you do to make money or save money during that time.

An example of someone this might not work for would be executives, some business owners, and CEOs that have high stress jobs that need all the ‘down time’ they can get. It is not always the case that doing it yourself will pay off in the end.

Like with most quotes, don’t go with the first one you get simply to save time. There are many things to consider and if they are not taken into account, you could be overcharged for your area or receive a hastily done, subpar service. Compare prices, reviews, recommendations, ask for examples of their work, and make sure the company is insured.

This would be a more practical suggestion for smaller yards, but it can be a great one especially in harsh climates or in extreme shade. The cost of keeping up even small lawns can be excessive if extremes like continual standing water, blazing heat, or deep shade are present.

Not all areas will have this option, but road crews have to do something with the trimmed branches and underbrush that they clear from the sides of some roads. Many grind it into mulch for sale. Call your city officials to find out about availability. Prices for this mulch are generally lower than gardening centers, though the quality is a bit lower.

If you are handy at all, parts of landscaping are much more forgiving than house building or other trades like car mechanics or plumbing. Take on smaller tasks and teach yourself as you go. Soon you may find that you like the challenge and are saving money with each new task. You may also surprise yourself on what you can accomplish.

This is an old landscapers trick for very large estates with large out of the way grassy areas. To cut down on the labor cost, herbicides are sprayed along edges, around trees, and along riprap and shorelines. Homeowners can use this trick as well to their time or money paid to landscapers.

I mentioned before that weeding flower beds is a dreaded job by many landscapers, but there is one other that tops is on some people’s list. Stick pickup before a mowing, especially when there is lots of debris is seen as a menial task even for a new laborer. This takes more time that it seems it should for most crews. Do it yourself and it can reduce your cost.

Many times when there is hardscape work to be done, deals with contractors can be struck if you agree to do much of the prep work and cleanup before and after a job. Clearing bushes and beds, taking out sod, removing debris, and other tasks can help before work begins. Cleaning up afterward can also save a lot of money.

The Final Touches On Why Landscaping Is So Expensive…

Hopefully this overview of costs associated with landscaping helps you better understand the jobs you have in mind. It is always important to count the costs of any endeavor before starting.

With the right attitude, preparation, and knowledge, you can definitely save money on what can be a very high installation or maintenance cost in your lawn.

To read more about this and other topics, see my articles…

References

https://backyardway.com/why-is-landscaping-so-expensive-cost-included/#:~:text=Landscaping%20is%20expensive%20because%20of%20many%20factors%2C%20such,costs%20include%20a%20patio%2C%20outdoor%20kitchen%2C%20and%20pool.

https://www.fixr.com/costs/landscaping

https://mikesbackyardgarden.org/why-garden-landscaping-is-so-expensive/

https://www.thespruce.com/landscaping-tips-to-lower-costs-2131966

Why Is Landscaping So Expensive? (Cost Included!) – BackYardWay

Landscaping is a process that consists of modifying the existing design of a piece of land or garden, making it more attractive. Landscaping offers a host of benefits; one of them being the opportunity to make good use of your land. Apart from that, it also adds more beauty to your property, thus increasing its value.

Another benefit of landscaping your property is that it helps protect the environment. However, that is only true when you introduce natural habitats or native plants to the process.

Furthermore, it’s also worth noting that there are a few disadvantages to landscaping your property. First, it requires a lot of your time and effort. But that’s not all. Indeed, landscaping your property also requires a financial investment, which could be worth up to tens of thousands of dollars depending on what you want. That said, here’s a burning question: why is landscaping so expensive?

Landscaping is expensive because of many factors, such as the size of your yard, its location, and your taste in materials and plants. You’ll also pay local laborers to do the essential weeding and edging. Speaking of taste, some of the features that affect landscaping costs include a patio, outdoor kitchen, and pool.

No doubt, landscaping requires a lot of upfront financial investments. However, in the long run, you’ll achieve a massive boost in your ROI. In this post, I’ll share everything you need to know about the cost of landscaping your property, including the cheapest way to do it.

 

What Makes Landscaping So Expensive?

As stated earlier, many factors affect the cost of landscaping. Some of them include the size of your available land, your taste, required materials and their source, plants, local labor costs, location, and many more. Let’s take them one at a time, and see how each factor affects the price of landscaping your property.

1. Your taste

One of the main factors that affect the price of landscaping your home is your taste. If you have high taste, you’ll automatically have to pay more to get the job done.

For instance, having different features such as a pool, outdoor kitchen, patio, gas fire pits, and much more can affect the landscaping project’s cost.

If you didn’t already know, having a custom patio may cost you between $5,000 and $15,000. Of course, this depends on the type of materials used, such as steel, wood, or aluminum. The same price range also applies if you’re planning to install a gas fire pit.

As far as building pools and spas are concerned, they require more upfront financial investment than the first two features. For a standard pool and landscaping, you can count between $30,000 to $100,000.

2. Property size

Apart from your taste, another factor that affects the cost of landscaping is your property’s size. If you’re planning to work on a bigger size, you’ll have to invest more money.

Although the property’s size often affects landscaping cost, it’s worth noting that this isn’t the primary determinant. Indeed, a small-sized property may cost more than a big one if what you’re looking for is special attention.

3. Labor cost

Labor cost is another factor that affects the overall cost of landscaping. The size of the site and your needs will determine the number of laborers that you need for your project, as well as the time each of them will spend on it.

That said, if you have a big site, you should expect many laborers to work on it. For instance, let’s say you have seven people working in your yard for 8 hours daily for five days. It means you’ll have to pay each of them between $10 to $20 per hour. That’s about $5,600 ($800 × 7) for laborers to complete the job.

4.  Maintenance

Landscaping requires many maintenance services as well. These include mowing, edging, blowing, integrated pest management, and tree and shrub pruning. All these services require different equipment and personnel, whose prices can vary.

 

If you want to improve the overall appearance of your yard, you should consider landscaping. While this process typically costs a lot of money, there are some things that you can do to lessen your expenses. Read our article to find out how to cut down the cost of landscaping. 

 

What is the most expensive part of landscaping?

Let’s face it, every aspect of landscaping is expensive. If you’re not considering building a swimming pool and spa, I’ll say that the local labor cost is the costliest of all of them. That is because you’ll have to pay the worker hourly for the number of days spent doing the landscaping.

However, if you require special attention, including creating a pool in your yard, then I’d say this is the most expensive part of landscaping. As mentioned earlier, you may have to spend between $30,000 and $100,000 to get the job executed successfully.

 

Is Landscaping Worth the Money?

There’s no denying that landscaping is costly to perform. But is it worth the money? The simple answer to the burning question is yes.

According to experts, landscaping adds up to 10% to the value of your house. It means you can expect a massive boost when trying to resell your property. However, this will vary depending on the type of landscaping and the original value of the property.

Apart from ROI, other benefits attached to landscaping your property include the following.

1. Cooler temperatures

By landscaping your home, one of the many things in it for you is cooler temperatures. In case you didn’t know, a grass lawn can provide you with a more favorable temperature than concrete or asphalt floors. With better conditions around your home, you’ll only have to rely, to a minimal extent, on the usage of air conditioning. The indirect benefit of that is that it will save a few bucks when it is hot.

2. Shades and better views

Landscaping tends to provide shade around your home, especially when it is hot. It means you can always sit outdoors in the shade and achieve better views.

3. Aesthetics and health benefits

Another benefit attached to landscaping is that it helps improve the aesthetic of your home. Furthermore, this also helps improve your quality of life. Staring at beautiful nature around your home can help you get rid of stress, which is good for your health.

 

How Much Should You Spend on Landscaping?

The answer to this question depends on what you want to achieve. If you’re only interested in introducing retaining walls, you’ll spend about $50 to $150 per square foot. For a solid hardscape, however, you should budget about $15 to $50 per square foot.

On the other hand, custom patios are a bit expensive. One should cost you between $5,000 to $20,000. And if what you’re looking for is to create a pool (source) and spa around your home, get ready to spend between $30,000 and $100,000, depending on the size.

Overall, the price of having permanent landscape lighting around your home should fall between $2,500 to $10,000. Again, the type of materials used will determine how much you’ll be spending on the project. Furthermore, if you’re considering creating customized seats on the site, you shouldn’t spend up to $15,000.

 

Aside from plants and outdoor furniture, when planning the budget of your landscaping project, you also need to consider the hardscape elements that you want to build, such as fences, walkways, and gazebos. To help you gauge how much money you need to set aside for these projects, read our guide to backyard hardscapes’ cost and plan you budget accordingly. 

 

What Is the Cheapest Way to Landscape?

The best and cheapest way to landscape your property is to avoid using expensive materials or adding costly features, such as a patio or pool.

There are several different ideas that you can use if you have a tight budget for landscaping your home. Check out some of them below.

1. Mulching

Mulching offers a host of benefits during the landscaping process. One of them is that it helps mitigate the amount of water and weeding required by your garden. However, the process itself is expensive.

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to landscape your property, I advise you to utilize mulch alternatives, such as grass clippings, pine needles, and compost. These processes are cheap and effective in reducing water and weed in your garden.

2. Use old tires

Another cheap and practical idea for landscaping your property is to use old tires. One of the many ways to do that is by using them as hanging containers. Doing so will help you save a few bucks required to get hanging baskets of flowers.

You can also use tires if you’re looking to build seats outside your home. Doing so will save you money as well.

3. Use cheap natural perennial ground cover

Perennial ground covers are also great if you’re considering the cheapest way to landscape your yard.

Some of the cheapest ground covers you can consider using for landscaping your property include creeping periwinkle, walk-on-me thyme, moss phlox, violets and pansies, and early snow glories. Interestingly, all these plants sell at a very affordable price — about $5 or less per plant.

4.  Build an outdoor fire pit

Gas fire pits are quite expensive as they cost between $5,000 to $15,000. One of the best and cheapest alternatives is to build your own fire pit using concrete retaining wall blocks. This approach shouldn’t cost you more than $1.25 per block. Other options include using cinder block caps, concrete fire bowls, or dirt floor fire rings.

 

Conclusion

You can consider landscaping as a form of investment. You will need to shell out money now to get it done, but in the future when you plan to sell your property, you will earn a profit because the landscaping that you did increased the value of your home. 

The cost of landscaping varies depending on a couple of reasons, such as the size of your property and personal taste. To figure out an estimate cost for your landscaping project, list down the things that you want to get done and use the information that we shared in this article to come up with a budget.  

Landscaping is generally an expensive process, but if you are on a budget, there are a couple of things that you can do to lower the cost of this project. If you are aiming to landscape on a tight budget, make sure to go for good quality alternatives to not waste your efforts in making your yard beautiful.

Expensive landscaping from Melardi

If you are interested in stylish and expensive landscaping, use the services of MELARDI LLC. The company's specialists will perform work on the arrangement of landscape design on sites of any size and purpose - country, garden, house adjoining. A complex, correctly implemented project solves several problems at the same time: it makes the territory well-groomed and harmonious, the landscaping is combined with the house, the space becomes organized and functional.

Features of expensive landscape design

In the process of designing, designers pay attention to the combination of all the main parts of the landscape: water, relief, vegetation, compositional base. At the same time, it is possible to implement any wishes of the customer for future improvement. Style preferences are taken into account - it is possible to organize the territory in Japanese, English, French and other directions.

Specialists pay attention to the location of the site, choose areas for planting plants and trees in accordance with climatic features. Based on a thorough survey, an expensive landscape design project is created.

How is the cost of elite amenities formed?

The price of complex works will depend on several factors:

One of the biggest expense items is engineering and the complexity of the control system. In this case, much depends on the terrain and the wishes of the customer.

Benefits of expensive landscaping

Call or immediately invite a specialist to the address for advice and ordering expensive landscape design.

With landscapes, this feeling also arises. These are the elements that make up the image of a high-quality, in a good way expensive garden.

Smart Garden

1. Pl Animation Solution
The structure of the garden is crucial - it is the basis that allows you to create a truly high-quality design.

When the concept is based on an idea, it is always captured, even if the person has nothing to do with landscape design. He just understands that this is how it should be, everything is in its place. Paths not only lead from point A to point B, they invite you for a walk, lead to beautiful viewpoints, turn past unsightly places. The sites not only provide an opportunity to accommodate a large company, they create an atmosphere, allowing you to admire the garden, feel secure and comfortable.

That is why it is so important to think over the location of all buildings on the site, all road connections, all sites and utility places even before construction begins. Then even in the situation “while we are living in a bathhouse, we will save up money and build the main house” there will be a clear action plan, and even in 10–15 years, the garden will look structured, with understandable logic and easy navigation.

Jensen Landschaftsarchitekten

In the photo: the correct structure of the garden - the path does not split the space, people relaxing in the gazebo do not look at the walkers - they have their own view

ARCADIA GARDEN Landscape Studio

In the photo: an impressive mixborder and a group near the path are separated by a strip of lawn; the composition looks smooth and picturesque, but at the same time it is clearly built and has clearly visible boundaries note gardens with complex relief. Here the saying about “measure seven times” is more relevant than ever, because a well-planned site is not only beauty, it is a huge cost savings. Ill-conceived backfilling or undercutting of the soil will lead to the construction of randomly located retaining walls, short stairs or strange slopes. This can result in erosion, undermining of foundations and other unpleasant consequences, which certainly have nothing to do with a high-quality respectable garden.

Tom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping

2. Space, air
An important component of a truly expensive garden is the feeling of spaciousness, when there are no visible boundaries of the site, the eye does not stumble upon buildings, and when moving you do not have to dodge trees or squeeze between buildings. It seems that such an effect can only be achieved on large lands, but this is not so. If the layout is done correctly, then even in a small garden it will not be crowded (example in the photo above).

NSPJ Architects

Photo: interesting entrance group and attention to detail; the path is not pressed against the fence or the building, the perspective long view is supported by the sculpture — gracefully and very beautifully

It's all about proportions, scale and eye movement. For example, if you direct a person along the long side of the site, then the perspective view will be farther, which means that the site will appear larger. And if at the end of this type the fence is closed with multi-tiered decorative plantings, the dimensions of the garden will visually become even larger. When the rules for building long and interesting views are neglected, then even a large garden can turn into a set of small clearings and unsystematic plantings, in which everything will be cramped and uncomfortable.

Julia Namestnikova

Advice: If the path runs along the house, it is better to move it away from the walls. The blind area can be perfectly arranged by filling with pebbles or rubble, as in the example in the photo. The feeling of tightness will immediately go away, the necessary space will appear, and with it comfort.

Neave Group Outdoor Solutions

In the photo: the plants are arranged in a composition, and not randomly arranged in the garden — such a garden stricture is more advantageous in appearance and much more convenient to care for

3. Large elements
The feeling of space is well influenced by large elements: a wide lawn, shrubs planted in massifs and curtains, long lines of flower beds, a comfortable area and terraces, spacious stairs.

It often seems to garden owners that there is simply no room for large-scale solutions, but this is not at all the case. It is enough not to split a small garden into small components, not to lead paths in the middle of the site and arrange the buildings to make the garden more solid and presentable. For example, instead of a gazebo, make a large terrace next to the house. Or arrange a barbecue area not in a separate place, but in combination with a gazebo. There can be many such decisions - the main thing is to think them over in time.

Liquidscapes

In the photo: a spacious area, massive plantings, clipped hedges, a classic flowerpot - and this corner of the garden looks very representative; if there is an untidy flower garden and a platform on which a table can hardly fit, the impression will be completely different longer; the trees on the left will grow, the fence will not stand out so much, and the boundaries of the site will expand a little more

Sallie Hill Design, Landscape Architect

In the photo: a well-planned lawn creates a cozy free space - if you cut the lawn with path lines into small pieces, then a long perspective line towards the bench will not work, the site will immediately become scanty; a transit route with a reliable surface can be launched closer to home, to the left

HrH Architecture

In the photo: wide stairs make you feel like a king

Kreitinger Design

In the photo: if the paths are smooth, their radii should be clear, regular and logical; notice how the tile layout accentuates the curve line

4. Materials
It seems that the more expensive the materials you use, the better the garden experience will be. But it's not. The materials may be the most average, but they must be used very competently.

What details can "cheapen" the space? Most often, this is an incorrectly selected format of paving stones or porcelain stoneware. For example, when using large-format slabs on curved paths with intersections, it is simply impossible to make beautiful joints. Or, conversely, too small paving stones over a large area can ripple unpleasantly. It seems like a small thing, but very annoying.

GREEN PLANET

In the photo: the paths do not have to be made of expensive materials, but it is necessary that they be comfortable, proportional and geometric, without unjustified turns and “dirty” lines

katie_shoemaker23

different types of paving, interesting layout and neat execution look chic and very expensive. With the correct calculation of the paving pattern, the paths and platforms will look neater and more graphic, and an additional bonus will be considerable savings, since you will have to lay an additional budget for trimming badly located tiles. A separate aesthetic, in my opinion, lies in interesting combinations of different coatings, when each paving element emphasizes the architecture and style of the garden. It always looks amazing, but it also comes at the cost of much thought, calculations and rebounds.

Rock & Rose Landscapes San Francisco

In the photo: even if the staircase has only a couple of steps, it can look solid; imagine in its place narrow high steps made of poorly built stones - the view will be completely different

An important component of success is the accuracy and quality of work. Concrete sags, side stones extending from the paths, inaccurate grouting, crooked trimming of tiles - all this spoils the appearance. I advise you to be especially meticulous about the quality of those types of work, the result of which remains with you for a long time.

Andrey__Lysikov

In the photo: nivaki (garden bonsai) and massive plantings of perennials immediately create a rich image of the garden

6. Filling the garden
Not only the location of plants is important, but also their quality, and, accordingly, the price. Because a garden that looks impressive must have structural dominants, and these are always expensive plants.

Nivaki, molded lindens and spruces, sheared hawthorns and euonymus - these are the plants that catch the eye at any time of the year, but a lot of money is spent on growing, transporting and caring for them. The smart approach is to strike a balance between an expensive experience and a big spend. Therefore, when placing expensive plants, we determine the main viewpoints so that the costs pay off with enthusiastic views. It is foolish to plant an expensive pine tree in the shape of a nivaki in that corner of the garden where no one will ever see it, is it?

IL NATURE landscaping

In the photo: sheared forms, arches and hedges - this is definitely a luxurious look; like it or not, it's a matter of taste, but it will never look cheap.

In addition to the use of structural plants, the composition as a whole is also important. If you haphazardly buy interesting shrubs and randomly arrange them around the site, a beautiful, and even more respectable garden will not work. Compilation of tree and shrub compositions is a separate and rather extensive topic. Therefore, I want to dwell on the main thing: all plants should be arranged in interesting groups. And if a tree or shrub is located separately, as a tapeworm, then the place for it should not be random - then the garden will look much more expensive. And due to the fact that plants in group plantings can initially be smaller and cheaper, an expensive look will not mean inflated spending.

BUGAEV Parks & Gardens

In the photo: clipped plants are harder to care for – this is an indisputable fact, but they create the mood and foundation of the garden, which will be visible at any time of the year

7. Well-groomed plants
The most valuable resource in our life is time. Therefore, any item (or service) that takes a lot of time will almost certainly be perceived as expensive. In the garden as well: those elements of the landscape that require quite a lot of labor are most impressive.

Clipped hedges, even lawns, lush flower beds, large rose gardens, ponds and structures painted with light paint are indispensable attributes of an expensive garden in general terms. Yes, there are “new wave” flower beds, there are landscape styles that allow the absence of strict forms, but this does not mean that such areas are low-maintenance.

Smart garden

A well-maintained garden is, first of all, attention to detail: flower beds are sprinkled with mulch, the lawn edge is neatly trimmed, plantings and the lawn are separated by a border tape or paving stones.

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