Landscaping help

acommondisaster

Active Member
Our backyard brick patio and backyard and one side yard are a real mess. We'd like to start some work on them this spring, but neither of us are very good at design or landscaping. I've looked at a couple of landscaping programs, but the reviews are poor and/or some of them look like I need a degree in landscaping (and an eye for design) and I have neither.

Do nurseries/landscaping companies offer a service where they draw up plans and suggestions (at a price) that we can do ourselves? We enjoy the work, we just don't know where to start.

Anyone have a recommendation? A referral?
 

acommondisaster

Active Member
Do they do hardscape as well? We'd like to rip out the patio and redo it (it really is hideous red brick) but need some design ideas as well. We've got a lot of trees and we can't cut them down (HOA wont approve cutting down anything but dead trees)
 

acommondisaster

Active Member
What we have now is embarrassing; actually, we have nothing right now that will remain - other than trees that have to stay.

newpics121.jpg
 

grn-thumb

New Member
I am pretty sure wentworth nursery will do a design and you pay a by the hour design fee. It's been a few years so that may have changed but I did landscaping for 15 years before I finally had enough of it. I would suggest that you think a little bit out of the norm. There is no need to put the patio back where the old one was. I would say move it out in the yard a little ways and take advantage of the trees. You have ac units there close to house anyway. Why not put some screening in front of those and block the noise of them. You could get a much more organic feel and get a better design if you could free form it out in the yard a little ways rather then just sticking it back in the corner. Good Luck.
 

acommondisaster

Active Member
I am pretty sure wentworth nursery will do a design and you pay a by the hour design fee. It's been a few years so that may have changed but I did landscaping for 15 years before I finally had enough of it. I would suggest that you think a little bit out of the norm. There is no need to put the patio back where the old one was. I would say move it out in the yard a little ways and take advantage of the trees. You have ac units there close to house anyway. Why not put some screening in front of those and block the noise of them. You could get a much more organic feel and get a better design if you could free form it out in the yard a little ways rather then just sticking it back in the corner. Good Luck.


Thanks, that's exactly what I'd like to do. The noise from the AC's makes it impossible to have a conversation. We'd talked about moving them, but really, there's nowhere to move them without a major expense. Convincing my husband is a different story. ;)
 

Rommey

Well-Known Member
I've used Ed's Plant World in Brandywine for several projects. I just gave them the basic ideas and they ran with it and gave me the hardscape and landscaping that worked. They didn't charge to come out and give a basic design, but if you want a detailed plan, I'm not sure they offer that (they might...I just didn't need it).
 

betty99

New Member
Chesapeake Bounty is offering free landscape advice. Their site says bring a picture or email it and they will provide suggestions.
 

owenharrod

New Member
DW Services

If you live in Calvert or St. Mary's, D.W. Services will come and share ideas and give you a free quote. (410) 231-0212

Our backyard brick patio and backyard and one side yard are a real mess. We'd like to start some work on them this spring, but neither of us are very good at design or landscaping. I've looked at a couple of landscaping programs, but the reviews are poor and/or some of them look like I need a degree in landscaping (and an eye for design) and I have neither.

Do nurseries/landscaping companies offer a service where they draw up plans and suggestions (at a price) that we can do ourselves? We enjoy the work, we just don't know where to start.

Anyone have a recommendation? A referral?
 

acommondisaster

Active Member
If you live in Calvert or St. Mary's, D.W. Services will come and share ideas and give you a free quote. (410) 231-0212

Southernmost Charles County, unfortunately.

Thanks for all the helpful advice from everyone - we do have a daunting job ahead of us. There are a lot of obstacles (the AC's, the grade, having to work around trees). I pour over pictures in magazines of people's DIY backyards and wonder how they ever got to the point where they look incredible.

The yard was uninspiring when we bought the place and remains that way, though I do like the idea of moving the patio out way from the house. If anyone has stamped concrete, I'd love to see how that turned out. I'm not sure we can get it approved, but I'd like to see some ideas.
 
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