How to Inject some Modern Design Elements into Your Backyard

One thing we absolutely LOVE about landscape design is that there is no limit to what is possible. Sometimes we feel like we are in the business of making dreams a reality! So let’s take a little garden stroll to look at some design elements that can modernise your backyard.

There is often space that gets neglected in a garden, even in small gardens, and clever design is one way to change that. The use of different textures and materials adds interest and can make your garden an extension of your indoor living area, particularly with doors that open right up. The image below shows a clever use of grass as “carpet”, as well as a combination of decking and pavers to create entertaining areas.

Adding ornaments, or a special sculpture can help add a little pizzazz and help keep a simple space from looking boring. Such a focal point also serves to slow the eye down, so it doesn’t take in the whole garden too quickly.

Contemporary art enhances and enlivens any space, and you’ll notice that a quality piece of art can totally change the mood and atmosphere of a garden. You can see below how the curved shape of this moon gate fits harmoniously in landscapes of all kinds and makes entering the garden a memorable event.

Sculptures or artwork can also bring special meaning to your garden. We find that some of our clients enjoy using sculptures that they’ve brought back from a favourite holiday destination to be incorporated in their garden design, adding a personal touch.

The key to all stunning gardens in modern landscape design is great planting that is chosen, arranged and settled well. One way of doing this is by keeping palettes minimal, which provides an overall restrained and architectural look, as shown in the below image.

Your choice of plants, colours, artwork, and water feature styles really does stretch as far as your

imagination can take it. If you’re not worn out by our little garden stroll, perhaps you’d like to take a look at some of our recent projects for some further inspiration on how you could modernise your own space using landscape design. Or you could just take a moment to enjoy this outdoor shower.

For more inspirational makeover ideas for your outdoor space, call the team at Valley Garden Landscapes on 02 9548 6024. We’re happy to help!

Using Landscape Design to Help SELL Your Home

When selling your home, you want a competitive edge to secure the best price possible. Boost your property value with clever landscape design! Here’s how:

Make your home ‘the’ house of the street

The first impression potential buyers will have of your property is from the outside – the garden. A well designed garden that complements your home and takes pride of place in the street scape will be sure to have an immediate impact. There are a number of qualities that can raise a property’s value:

• Level of care taken and garden maintenance at the property
• An eye for detail and design in crafting the garden
• Money and time have been invested to beautify the property
• It’s a desirable place someone could proudly call home!

A garden speaks volumes about your lifestyle

When home buyers are inspecting, they are picturing themselves and what their lifestyle will be (or what investors will market to potential tenants), and this is your opportunity to excite!

Landscape design can create both open space and shelter from the elements – great for entertainers – as well as quiet nooks for relaxation, beautiful large or varied plants for an avid gardener to care for, or a low maintenance, yet luxurious backyard for the time-poor professional. To appeal to lovers of cooking, an outdoor kitchen or veggie patch could be ideal!

Highlight your property’s best points

Landscape design can really help to capture the imagination of a potential buyer, by incorporating a number of design elements into a garden, perhaps framing and highlighting a view, or capturing and making the most of afternoon sunlight with clever, considered garden design.

Something unsightly in your backyard? Maybe the neighbour’s house is an eyesore, or there are utility metres you want hidden. Perhaps your home is near a busy road and you’re tired of the noise. Landscapers can soften the impact of these or obscure them from visibility with smart landscaping and clever planting solutions. Turn these perceived blights into opportunities to innovate!

 

Do it for YOU!

Most importantly – consider your needs in making any upgrade!

Investing to capitalise upon your property’s great appearance is a good idea, but isn’t it smarter to make that investment earlier so you can really enjoy your outdoor space in the meantime? You’ll be prepared with a considered and established garden should you decide to go to market in future!

Give us a call on 02 9548 6024 to discuss what we can do to upgrade, modernise and beautify your outdoor space, be it to sell or for you and your family to enjoy!

Lighten Up - 6 Inspiring Ways to Use Light in Your Garden This Winter - Garden design Sydney

Gardens are places to enjoy for relaxation, escapism and entertainment. What better after a day at work in hectic Sydney than to retreat into your own private paradise?
With winter setting in, the outdoors is becoming a less attractive option with cooler weather and the sun disappearing earlier.

Claim back your backyard and make it a space for all hours and seasons with some clever landscape design choices that incorporate lighting!

Liven up outdoor living spaces

Entertainment areas can be used beyond daylight hours with the installation of effective lighting. Inject life into your outside living space with lighting that will not just make it easier to mingle, eat and drink, but also give the space a sense of warmth and vibrancy. To address the winter’s cold, why not add an outdoor heater or fireplace too?

Show the pathway

Lighting serves a number of functions beyond the aesthetic. Arguably the most important is safety. Lighting provides safe guidance of where to walk, while also highlighting the texture and colour of your chosen paving. 

Set the mood

Lighting can be used to highlight some features, while casting shadows on others, creating a dramatic effect. Colour can also be added to add some fun, while timers, sensors and faders can be utilised to make a dynamic sequences that respond to how you use the space.

Create a sense of depth and space

Change your perception of a garden with strategic lighting. Want to make a feature of some mature trees? Want to make your courtyard seem larger and more dynamic? Sydney Landscape designers have the ability to use lighting to transform a space using lighting, such as this Paddington courtyard.

Bring your features to the forefront
 
Statues and artwork have great pride of place in a garden and give it a narrative while adding sophistication. Why not enjoy these from inside the warmth of your home?

Hardscape and water feature lighting
 
Show off the hardscape elements of your backyard- retaining walls, feature walls, decking and rails, any constructed element of your backyard can be light to serve both functionality and add visual appeal. Water features can also inject interest and energy to your garden.

Tailoring a lighting solution to make the most of your garden isn’t an easy process. Call Valley Garden Landscapes on 02 9548 6024 for more information and advice.

http://valleygardenlandscaping.com.au/

Stylish Garden Designing in Sydney

Landscape architecture is a multi-disciplined and collaborative profession. The Sydney landscapers are committed to the creation of meaningful and enjoyable outdoor places and to the sustainable management of their creations and the natural environment. Landscape architects use all their knowledge to provide creative designs and land management solutions to clients which are specific to individual sites. They are respectful of the broader landscape context and do everything possible to meet the clients particular demands and the environmental requirements. A registered landscape architect has the abilities to combine art and design and to integrate the physical, social, economic, political and cultural factors to generate ideal solutions for the clients landscape and natural environments. 

A good Sydney Landscaper has to have good knowledge across such fields as design, geography, science, engineering, art, horticulture, technology, social sciences, politics, project management and contract law. The main disciplines within landscape architecture are designing, planning, management, urban design and academics. The registered landscape architects are employed to plan, design, project and manage modern landscapers of Sydney public and private spaces such as single and multi-storey residential buildings, public parks, playgrounds, university campuses and government buildings, shopping centres, golf courses, waterways, public gardens, roads, highways and industrial parks. Some landscape architects are specialists in botanical gardens, heritage monuments, government projects and wildlife parks. They may also work on Sydney landscape design  projects which involve large or small sites, urban or rural sites as well as projects where integration of environmental, social and ecological issues is necessary.

A Good Garden design is the heart and starting point for all successful landscaping projects. A good garden design process includes the following steps:

Initial Consultation

An initial site visit is organised where the landscaping architect discusses the clients needs and ideas for the garden. Then a detailed design brief is created which forms a part of the client agreement along with a quotation outlining the design fees.

Site Survey and Analysis

Then a full fledged survey of the garden marking and measuring all the important and existing features, such as soil type and level changes. 

Outline Plan

The outline plan is made to show the main features of the proposed design. Along with the plan a written document to explain the design, together with photographs and samples of materials. Also a preliminary budget for the landscaping works is submitted to the client.

Final Presentation

This detailed plan provides full details of the proposed landscaping, including structures and features within the garden and is supported by detailed construction drawings where necessary. A detailed quotation of the complete landscaping project needed to implement the design is also submitted along with the final presentation plan. 

Planting Plan

The final part of the design process will be the preparation of a full planting plan. This will include a detailed planting layout, a colour elevation, sample plant photographs, explanatory text, and useful plant lists sorted by both plant name and plant type. A Fixed price quotation is also submitted to the client along with this planting plan for final approval of the client.