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A Vision of Well-Designed Outdoor Living for Every Homeowner: The Style, the Substance, and How VisionScape is Making it Happen

By Annabelle J. Stewart, VisionScape

We all imagine growing up, getting a job, buying a house, and settling down. When we think about the future, it often happens that an image of a plain, white picket fence springs to mind. Maybe that white picket fence represents everything we’ve always wanted, or maybe it represents everything that scares us about 'getting old.'

Either way, for some reason, the white picket fence is where we stop. Beyond a vague fantasy of kids or a dog romping through a lawn sprinkler, we don’t tend to put a lot of thought into what our property is going to look like. And generally, we don't consider it again until the moment comes that we need to do something about that patch of grass, those tangled bushes, and the crumbling pavement around the pool. We know that we need to change, to allow our property to evolve, but the question of how to do it seems impossibly daunting.

And so the search begins. We ask our friends, our family, and Google: what do I do about my lawn? We find that many people are, in fact, very serious about what to do with lawns. They call it landscape design, and some people do it all themselves, while others (usually the “others” we see smiling out at us from Better Homes & Gardens) pay fancy design firms to do it all.

But how are we supposed to do it ourselves, or hire pros to do it for us, when we’re not even sure where to begin? Luckily, there are a lot of people like us, and thanks to our old buddy, Technology, there are simple, affordable solutions.

Solving the Design Dilemma

The solution that more and more homeowners are turning to is to get connected with a service that works with you, and within your budget, to help create the landscape you are just now realizing you’ve always wanted.

These services include everything from online forums where professionals post to help you brainstorm ideas, to graphics experts who design using computer software, to horticulturalists who help you choose plants fit for your property and your climate zone. But how are you supposed to sift through so many options?

In order to make the entire process as simple and enjoyable as possible, VisionScape Landscape Design has brought together all these services, and many more, creating a comprehensive resource that homeowners can use along every step of the way to their new backyard oasis.

VisionScape’s goal is to make the landscape design process as simple and affordable as possible. A well-designed landscape where you can spend your free time (or work time!) enjoying fresh air and sunshine significantly increases your quality of life. That's why VisionScape believes that an ideal outdoor environment should be available to everyone.

Way Beyond White Picket Fences

VisionScape helps you get started by brainstorming with you to figure out exactly what you want out of your property. Imagine having areas in your backyard for physical activity (maybe a half-court?), for relaxing (a pond-side arbor?), and for entertaining (outdoor kitchen, anyone?). VisionScape introduces you to the huge range of potential just waiting to be uncovered on your property, and the team of experts assigned to your case helps you figure out how to do it on your budget.

But don’t worry, at VisionScape, you won't have to deal with a million different professionals trying to get you to see things their way. When your design process begins, VisionScape assigns a Master Designer to your case. This Master Designer works with you to make your dreams come true within the framework of strengths and weaknesses possessed by your property.

Understanding your property, and working with it, is key to a successful landscape design project. This is where your Master Designer’s years of field experience come in handy. Designing without this expertise can lead to disasters. Picture goldfish flopping around in the driveway after a rainstorm floods them out of the pond, or peach trees that don't bear fruit because the climate's not right, and you'll get the idea.

Once your ideas, your property specs, and your budget are all working together, VisionScape works with you to create plans for hardscape, softscape, water features, lighting, irrigation, and even acoustics.

All these layers come together to create a detailed richness in your landscape, making it beautiful, functional, and easy-to-maintain in ways that a one-dimensional landscape isn’t.

During the design process, you will gain an in-depth understanding of your design, so that you know exactly what the finished product will look like. You don’t have to put in your whole landscape in one expensive shove. With phased planning, different elements can go in gradually as time and budget allow.

A Long-Term Investment

Complete landscape design services go way beyond helping homeowners with designing idyllic outdoor environments. VisionScape connects clients with contractors and other landscaping services that represent the best of the industry today.

A major mistake made by many first-timers is going the box store route. This usually involves buying inexpensive, mass-produced plants, fixtures, and hardscape features. These seem like a great deal at the time, but inevitably prove to be the source of much trouble and expense as they fail and are in need of constant repair and replacement.

VisionScape points homeowners in the direction of landscaping materials and services that combine the best of quality and affordability. This is because a major part of the VisionScape commitment is that our relationships with clients are for life. While many services seem to be looking over your shoulder at the next client in line, VisionScape is always happy to hear from clients with questions, concerns, and of course, success stories!

To that end, VisionScape includes many service guarantees that homeowners who are careful about where they invest their money appreciate. Not only are you directed towards the best contractors, nurseries, and garden centers in the business, you also come out of the process with several handy tools and resources:

• Detailed renderings and images of what your property will look like. These help contractors get their bearings, and they don’t look too bad in a frame, either.
• Complete materials lists that outline exactly what you will need for every phase of your project.
• A custom bound Landscape Maintenance Handbook that details how to care for all the features of your outdoor environment.

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