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My family and I are considering buying a lot and building a home.
The lot in question is rolling Ohio farmland, 8.3 acres. There is not a single blade of grass or trees on this lot, so it's a blank slate (it's a cornfield now).
The general idea I have is to enclose the lot in a "natural" looking ring of vegetation, largest trees near the property line, and smaller plants closer in, for the best 3-D visual effect. Of course there will be some other large trees planted elsewhere within the lot. Rather than straight-line hedges and rows of arborvitae (not that I have anything against that), I'd rather have something looking more natural but still creates a "living fence" around the house.
While a landscape architect may be our best bet, I find they tend to "push" their own suppliers, ideas, etc, and when we used one at our old house in MA, they ended up making us look like every other place in the neighborhood, even though we started off with a far different goal.
I'd like some type of software or web-based designer that can take the custom topography and orientation of my lot, including all the hills, and where the house will be, to create what I'm looking for, and even provide some renderings of now, 10 years from now, etc...?
Does anyone have some good recommendations to accomplish this?
I'd also prefer less lawn and more areas that look almost like a semi-woodland, or at least have more low-maintenance (native if possible) ground-covers. Maybe just some lawn in front of the house on the street side.
What your looking for is CAD design software and VERY expensive. There is pho-CAD software but I don't think you will enjoy using it. Most of my clients toss it in the drawer never to use again after they call me.
A great design build landscaper can fulfill all your needs. With the Internet and paper you can also design your own.
Are there landscape designers who will do ONLY the layout/design part, and let me actually buy and plant the plants?
I enjoy that part of it, I just can't always "envision" how things work together, and that's where I need the help.
Well any "hardscaping" or areas where actual "construction" needs to be done (such as building retaining walls, hardscaping, etc) can be contracted, but I want to handle the actual planting part.
Your paying for it so yes a Landscape Designer will do whatever you want. To that point a Landscape Architect will as well as long as it meets all building codes.
None of the Landscape Designers or Architects that I work with buy any materials or plant that's my job as the Contractor and they always incorporate mine and my clients desired design elements into their plans.
I think you might be confusing a Landscape Contractor that designs landscape plans and builds them versus a straight Landscape Designer or Landscape Architect that just creates the plans.
I think the Designer/Architect route might be the way to go.
I found a few locally and will research them.
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can fulfill all your needs. With the Internet and paper you can also design your own.
