On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 20:17:04 -0700,
(paghat) wrote:

[...]

Orig. poster: What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but
most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

Paghat:

More likely for a big fee. If there's someone in your neighborhood whose
garden looks great, you could knock on their door & praise their garden to
high heaven & when they're good & buttered up, walk them over to your
place & take notes as they dream up what THEY'D do with that much new
space to garden in.

Fee might not be that onerous. Check with several local nurseries.
They usually have lists of landscape folks whom they recommend because
they have delivered in the past. They wouldn't want to antagonize a
potential customer by recommending a loser.

I got my lady through local nursery. She was very reasonable and gave
good advice. I didn't follow every single suggestion, but at least it
stimulated me to start thinking and creating whereas I was frozen with
fear g at first after I decided to take the plunge.

Before you go the consultant route, however, absorb the wisdom Paghat
has dished out, and do a LOT of reading on your own. Libraries and
bookstores bulge with reference works on landscaping. I looked at
some books at Home Despot, and tend to agree with you that many of the
popular magazines are kinda lightweight; like they're geared to
pricey situations. Also, they show the plants in full, mature,
"filled-in" pictures, whereas you will need to leave space in your
installations for plants to grow & fill in.

I'd say your first task is to decide what look feels right for you.
Japanese? New England? Tropical? Succulents? Eclectic?
That's where extensive reading can help.

Send me a plane ticket. I dig a mean hole!




--
Polar