John Lay Perspectives Landscaping
The Art of Landscape Design
By John Lay
Landscaping is about relaxation. Whether you take care of your home yourself or hire a professional, taking in the sights, sounds and aromas of a picturesque healthy garden will go a long way toward relieving your stress. Sound nice? Then start thinking outside the bag of mulch. Creating your beautiful outdoor environment takes more than a trip to the home-improvement store. Landscaping is an art – a delicate balance of science and creativity. Consult with a professional landscape designer and you’ll soon be kicking back to admire your beautiful new surroundings with a chilled, minty mojito.
Before you pour, though, allow us to give you some things to think about, beginning with color, texture and harmony. ArtisTree treats every project as an original work of art (hence our name), and believes great landscape design should be a personal experience that excites your senses in unexpected ways. As a valuable property investment, it should also reflect your lifestyle. Wish your landscape looked more like the tropical destinations you visit every year? Miss your Northern digs and yearn for evergreens? Or maybe you think your sleek, Mediterranean-style estate looks like it landed smack in the middle of an English garden. These are all important considerations, and if your landscape designer dismisses them or races through your initial consultation, find another.
Of course, as they say, looks aren’t everything. Under every color and style preference – and literally under every leaf – is science whispering in our ears. If a plant or tree is placed in the wrong location in relation to the sun, the resulting stress can cause all kinds of problems leading to pests, disease and death. Poor choices in growth characteristics can also be a problem. If you’ve requested a low-maintenance landscape, and fast-growing shrubs are installed, be ready to deal with unpleasant labor and cost issues. Soil conditions, drought tolerance, Florida native and fertility requirements are also crucial factors to consider when selecting trees and plants for your yard.
While artists have used nature to inspire their work for hundreds of years, landscape designers spend every day trying to replicate nature. Louis Sullivan, a well-known architect who helped create modern design, believed that our physical and mental health required having a personal relationship to the natural world around us. ArtisTree fosters that belief with every work of art we carefully install.
Cheers.
General Manager John Lay oversees the design and installation teams for ArtisTree Landscape Maintenance & Design and has more than 14 years working with builders, Realtors®, decorators and homeowners. www.artistree.com, (941) 488.8897
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