What exactly do you want in your garden?
Most of what you want can be quantified and itemized. That way you can tell from the start if your plans are within your budget.
What decorative features would you like to add?
Trees always add charm to a garden, as do various kinds of garden omaments. None of them are absolutely necessary, but it won't hurt to use a few.
How can l stay within budget?
Designing a good garden isn't just a matter of cost. Your ideas need to be good and you need to think about value for money when inplementing them. Good planning will save you plenty of pennies. If the sequence is right, you won't waste either time or materials. On the other hand, if you decide to bring in a professional, make sure the quote covers all the materials and labor and not just the advice and supervision.
Should you go it alone or place yourself in professional hands?
Ask yourself this question before you do anything. Your decision will have a major impact on your budget as well as the final look of your garden. Here are some pros and cons to weigh up as you try to decide...
Do it yourself
Pride
You'll feel great at the end if you treat your garden as a labor of love.
Savings
You'll save quite a bit of budget if you chose to forego the services of professionals.
Unlimited creativity
What if you hire a professional then change your mind about the design half-way through? You'll probably end up with something you don't want. But if you go it alone, you can indulge your fancy as you go along. You only have to please yourself. If you make a mistake, go back and do it again. Who cares about the time? In the end, you'll get exactly what you want and it will be a pleasure forever.
Calling in a professional
Expertise and experience in garden design
Designing a garden may look easy on paper but once you get going, the challenge can be tremendous. Lack of training and experience can land you in all kinds of problems. That's expecially true when doing the basic landscaping, a task which greatly genefits from the kind of thorough planning professionals are best equipped to provide.
Budget and time saving
As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. With a professional, it may cost you more than you expected, but it could save you money in the end by avoiding mistakes. Plus you can expect a professional to do the job quickly and finish on time, something you may be pressed to do yourself, especially if you are busy with other things.
Decision time
Whether you do it yourself or go to an established garden design company, BE PREPARED! IF you do it yourself, read up on basic garden design elements such as tree planting, space management and plant selectinon.
If you decide to go the professional route, before you sign anything, go into the details of the proposal, right down to the materials and the time frame. And don't forget to ask about the warranty!