Planning Great Landscapes

Cooler Months are Perfect for Booking a New Spring and Summer Retreat.

It’s hard to imagine sitting around a new poolside patio as you are raking up leaves or shoveling snow, but fall and winter are the perfect time to begin planning your new spring landscapes.

In fact, these are the critical months for the landscape design industry.

Dwight Andrews, a landscape designer based in Bay Shore, knows all too well how the municipal permitting process can put a damper on Springtime enhancements.

“Traditionally, when we get into March, people start to say, ‘Let’s do something.’ But by then, it’s really too late. The north shore villages, for example, require review boards that can take months to get on the calendar, go before them, and if you are denied for any reason, you have to start the process over again. This alone can take 3-4 months, sometimes even more,” says Andrews.

“This type of permitting process certainly makes it hard for any spur-of-the-moment decisions.”

Andrews, who likens his work to that of an architect—but for the exterior of a home—notes that besides the permitting process, there are three other important variables to consider when thinking about spring landscape projects.

The first is the need to book a contractor that gives good value for their pricing. Andrews says that many of these quality firms, including Dix Hills-based Donno Landscaping for which he consults, are booked until May and June once the first of the year comes around.

Beyond that, there is a certain amount of time needed to think about. This creative process starts with meetings with clients to learn about their needs and expectations. Then follows an initial site evaluation, detailed measurements of the property, and either a design for a single area or an entire site plan, which includes current and future projects.

Typically, these designs are created using computer software that can be exchanged between the client, designer and contractor.

Lastly, and possibly most important, is budget.

“Clients come in with all sorts of goals and then when the plan is created, it sometimes exceeds their budget. So we need to reevaluate their needs, and go back to the drawing board to make the necessary changes,” says Andrews.

Photos: Dwight Andrews

Connect with Donno Landscaping: www.donnolandscaping.com

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