I’m having lunch with my husband, Dan. We’re dining on the outdoor deck of a local restaurant, surrounded by a flourishing garden.
“Look how lovely the gardens are,” I say, a note of wistfulness set strategically in my voice.
Dan, well trained after 19 years of marriage, correctly translates my comment to mean: Unlike our yard, which looks like a compost heap.
He responds accordingly. “Since we’re not taking a crazy vacation this summer,” he says, “I think we can afford to spend a little on improving our yard.”
I am equally well trained. So I don’t say, “It’s about time! Why couldn’t you have said so in May, not in the peak of summer!”
Instead, because I embrace any hope for home improvement that trickles forth, I say, “Great! I’ll getsome plans to fix up that dreadful patch in the front yard by the street.”
“Actually,” he says, “I was thinking we’d fix up the backyard around the deck.”
“And we should. But first we owe it to our neighbors to make the front look better.”
“I want to sit on the deck after work and enjoy my backyard.”
“But they have to look at our house when they go by.”
“I don’t care what they see. I care what I see.”
“Fixing up the front yard is a public service.”
“This isn’t about altruism.”
“How is everything?” The waiter asks.
We screw up our faces to form unconvincing smiles.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
“Besides, if we were to fix up the front,” he continues, “not saying that’s the priority, first we need to replace the two trees that died.”
“Trees! We have plenty of trees. We need more color.”
Dan makes a sigh, like a bus pulling up to the stop. “I can’t believe we don’t agree on this.”
“I can’t believe we’re going to waste the rest of the summer arguing about this.”
“Maybe we should take that vacation.”
In the end, like most arguments, this one proved pointless. The one area we did agree on was that we needed a plan. We both know better than to landscape kamikaze-style. So I called a landscaper and asked what he would charge to draw plans for the front and back areas. The cost for plans pretty much consumed our budget. But now, at least, we’ll know what to do next — if, that is, we ever agree.
Syndicated columnist Marni Jameson is the author of “The House Always Wins” (Da Capo). You may contact her through .
Garden governance
Dean Hill, a landscape designer based in Indianapolis and member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, says Dan and I actually are off to a good start. “Whatever money you spend on a landscape plan is well worth it. I know it’s not an instant new yard, but it’s your road map for when you do have more yard money.” Here are more ways Hill suggests to get the most out of your landscape dollars.
Plant with a plan. “Many homeowners go to a big-box garden center, see many beautiful plants in bloom and buy one of each,” says Hill. “They go home and plant them all and wind up with a hodgepodge. Nothing correlates to anything around it.” A good landscape designer will know what will work in your yard, how to organize various components, and integrate them so your yard coheres. A good plan can run anywhere from $500 to $5,000, depending on the landscape designer’s experience and the size and complexity of the yard.
Be up front about costs. Many landscape designers will waive the plan fee if you use them for the project. But don’t be fooled. That fee is buried in the cost of the project. If, like us, you can only afford the plan at first, say so.
Don’t feel pressured to do the whole job at once. “It’s a rare client who can pay for everything right away,” says Hill. “Most do a bit at a time and do some work themselves. If a contractor gets put off by that, find another contractor.”
Do some jobs yourself, and leave others to the pros. Hill recommends having your landscapers do anything that involves construction (patios, retaining walls, fire pits, gazebos), complex irrigation systems, and bed preparation. But homeowners can save money by buying and planting the trees and plants themselves, and by running basic sprinkler systems. Homeowners can also save if they buy and spread their own mulch. “You’ll save 50 percent or more, and all you need is a weekend and a wheelbarrow,” Hill says.
Shop end-of-season sales. In spring and early summer, it’s tempting to buy up the garden center. But wait. End-of season sales are just around the corner. Come August and September, those $20 plants will be $12 or less. Plus, fall is an ideal time to plant.
