by Deborah Mesher, Architectural Designer and Melanie Rekola, Landscape Designer
Deborah: What does a landscape designer do?
Melanie: A Landscape Designer designs outdoor spaces! We create landscape plans that places all things outdoors aesthetically and functionally. These features could include such things as a swimming pool, patio/path layouts, cabana + firepit + shed placements, outdoor furniture, lighting suggestions, and tree/garden plant locations. But generally, we don’t provide architectural plans, like the ones needed for deck/cabana construction or engineered site grading plans.
Deborah: Why is soft landscaping design important?
Melanie: Having a balance between the hard (like a patio or deck) and the soft (planting areas) has more impact on the successful outcome of an outdoor living space than people realize! Backyards without plants are both hot and cold. Hot because there are no plants to absorb heat and cold because they are stark with nothing beautiful or living to look at. Sure, a patio and sofa set can bring you outdoors, but it’s the lovely plant life that makes feel cozy and want to stay outside.
Deborah: What do you wish homeowners knew about plants?
Melanie: People often ask me ”how large will this tree get?” not realizing that trees don’t just stop growing: they grow until they die. And when the range of mature tree sizes are listed, that could mean 50+ years from now. If everyone considered trees for their long-term sizes, no one would plant any at all.
Deborah: What are you most excited about that’s emerging in your field?
Melanie: I love all the aesthetic native gardens that are being created! Our native pollinators and wildlife evolved with our native plants, and they need each other to survive. Many commonly seen garden plants have little to no ecological value and at a time when we are losing species daily, planting native could not be more important than it is right now. Native gardens (or even a mix of native and nonnative) can still be stunningly beautiful! But perhaps we need to think outside of what a traditional garden looks like.
Learn more about Melanie Rekola Landscape Design here.