Finding Inspiration for Your Landscape Design
If you have spent enough time gardening or landscaping. Then you know that there may be times when you just need a little inspiration to get yourself back out there.
In my experience, with working in the landscaping industry for over a decade. I am always looking for new inspiration to keep me motivated. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, sometimes though I just need something to remind me about why I do what I do.
Making a living off of caring for plants, crafting landscapes, and and being outdoors is hard to beat. But, as with anything that you do everyday, sometimes it can seem like you are just going through the motions. When I get those feelings, I have to find a little creative boost.
So after a decade in the lawn care and landscaping industry, how do I stay motivated?
Here's the deal, one of my favorite ways to find new inspiration is to look at awesome landscape design blogs. Recently GreenPal released a list of the 35 best landscape design blogs on the internet. On this list I found a lot of amazing blogs, including Gardenzine, which have long helped me find inspiration. Sure, I have my share of landscaping and gardening books as well.
However, there is nothing quite as inspirational to me as a great blog post. There is just something about being able to share that experience with someone else that is so inspirational to me.
So what inspiration can you find in landscape design blogs. Let's take a look at a few!
Look, in a world whose neighborhoods and landscapes are getting closer and closer. It is harder than ever to find privacy, even in your own backyard. I love being able to maximise the use of my small backyard, and make my own hidden paradise. If it weren't for the inspiration I have found over the years. I wouldn't even know where to begin. But that is one of the great things you can find in landscape design blogs.
Three of my favorite articles on these topics are:
When I think about it, I am always amazed with how many plants I don't know about. Between you and myself, we probably know of well over a few hundred plants found in landscapes and gardens. Yet, with over 391,000 plant species learning about new plants is a never ending quest. It is simply astounding when you stop and think about just how many plant varieties there are. Some of my favorite landscape design plants would have to be Alliums and Echinacea, but there are still so many I have yet to see.
Here are some of my favorite blog posts on these topics:
As one of the few lawn care and landscaping professionals in the states that realizes the importance of environmentally friendly gardening. I find myself in a precarious place between customer expectations, and keeping a competitive rate for my services.
People often don't want to pay more to use an organic fertilizer or pesticides in their lawn. But, as I talk to them about the benefits of using native plant species, and organic products when possible, the process gets easier with time. However, I have to stay up on my game. Ready to explain my stance on a moments notice.
To do so, I am constantly searching for inspiration, and here are some of my sources:
It's no secret, there are a lot of landscape design blogs out there. Only a select few made GreenPal's list of the Best Landscape Design Blogs for 2019. One of the select few was of course, Gardenzine. Gardenzine is loaded with great information on landscape design, gardening and even lawn care. When you are looking for inspiration for your garden or landscape design, my advice to you is to visit your favorite blogs.
Douglas Dedrick is a landscaper with over a decade of experience. Owner of Natural Landscape Designs in northeastern North Carolina, his writing can be found at Mother Earth News and HealingLaw.com
Fences separating gardens image by Colin Brough
Butterfly on buddleia image by Betty Wolverton-George
