Dear Expert: I’m on the fence about hiring a landscape architect. Sometimes I feel like I should undertake my landscape projet on my own, but the details seem endless! When do I need to hire a landscape architect?
A: If you need advice on a horticultural level (when do I prune my shrubbery), you do not need a landscape architect. There are a variety of resources out there to answer those specific questions. If, on the other hand, your project is more complex and involves drainage issues, driveway layout, patios, walkways, swimming pools, tennis courts, retaining walls, lighting (the list is endless), then you need the expertise of a landscape architect: someone thoroughly trained in landscape design that can artfully assemble all the pieces and engineer a unified product that functions and performs well.
—Kevin Keenan, President
Keenan & Sveiven
www.kslandarch.com
