Reaching your outdoor living goals

Four areas to think about prior to the design

By Snow Creek Landscape Services

There is no doubt that many around the world are eagerly embracing a

new year. As a local landscaping company in Western North Carolina,

we’ve seen a definite increase of homeowners that were looking to

expand their outdoor living space. Whether to host small gatherings or

just have additional space away from the family, the need to fully utilize

every inch of one’s property is trending - and rightfully so!

Creating more functional outdoor spaces on your property is an

excellent goal to have. It increases property value (if done correctly),

the amount of usable living space, and promotes an overall healthy

outdoor experience.

What’s happening on the property currently?

Many clients call us with an idea in their head, but aren’t comfortable

with the process to reach their goal. During our consultation sessions,

we often discuss the steps it takes to get their dream landscape, which

sometimes means heavy modification of the current land. The best way

to really start an outdoor project, is to really understand the property.

The topography of your property is extremely important in a landscape

design, as proper drainage and grading is essential for the safety of

you and your home. The best design and implementation will successfully

promote water moving away from any foundation or high traffic

area. Additionally, retaining walls and slope management can provide

extra usable space if your property isn’t flat, which is common in WNC.

The amount of sun and shade an area receives will significantly

impact the microclimate that is your property. Breaking down your area

into four categories: full sun, partial shade or deep shade; will help you

identify the plants that will thrive or struggle in those areas.

Additionally, you can alter your property to either enhance

one or the other to tailor to your preferences.

What’s my overall theme of my project?

The theme of your design is ultimately the driving force

behind your investment. It’s the reason you’re taking time,

money and energy to alter the land. A theme could be the

need to host larger outdoor parties, or the desire to brighten

up the neighborhood with seasonal colors.

In most cases, the outdoor area should enhance and reflect

certain aspects of your home. Identifying if a symmetrical or

asymmetrical design will work is a mix of personal

preference and what’s capable with your land.

Point out key characteristics around your home that you’d

like to be focal points, like entrances or views from inside,

then work out from there. Many of our clients want use

plants that compliment their interior and exterior colors,

patterns and textures. This also includes architectural

structures and hardscape features, like patios and pergolas.

We often suggest driving through the neighborhood, or

searching examples online, that can help influence your

design. If you decide to use an outside party for both

design and installation, this information is great to bring to

your consultation sessions.

While your landscape design is meant for you to enjoy, take

into account who will be enjoying the property in the future.

If you see yourself selling the property eventually, think

about how that could translate to a new homeowner down

the road. If you plan on growing a family in the home, think

of future plans that might involve more activities.

What do I want the most out of my investment?

Being in the industry for over 30 years, we’ve worked

with clients at all stages of home renovation projects.

More often than not, we have to really center people

back to the beginning steps and overall process. After

you developed your theme and style, it’s great to look at

the each step it will take to achieve your goals.

Once you recognize what’s important, you can allocate

resources, like time and money, appropriately. If a

retaining wall is needed to achieve a much desired

paver patio, then look at different styles and techniques

to help fit it all within your budget.

There are so many different types of materials and

techniques. Sometimes it just means playing around with

different products to get the most out of your

investment.

How much privacy do I want?

Western North Carolina is an extremely desirable area,

which inevitably means more homes being

constructed. Depending on your property and where

you live, you may be subject to surrounding properties

being developed on. It’s often overlooked as part of the

design process, but taking into account your

surrounding properties can really benefit you over time.

Privacy is very much an individual preference for many

homeowners. For some, they don’t want to hear, see or

interact with their neighbors, while others are an open

book.

A common design is more about aesthetics in the front

yard and privacy in the back.

If you are looking to create more of a private area in your

outdoor living space, there are ample opportunities for

both natural and custom built fencing. With a natural

fence out of trees and shrubs, we typically suggest

layering to create depth within your yard. Utilizing

fencing material in a landscape design is also a great way

to take advantage of your property, especially if you have

kids and pets.

If you’re looking to invest in your landscape this year,

don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of experts. We’ll

walk you through the process, solidify what’s going to

bring you true happiness, and help you achieve your

outdoor goals.

About Us

Snow Creek specializes in understanding what you

want and how to get it in both a sustainable and

environmentally friendly manner. Our team is ready

to help design an individualized landscape that

enhances your home or business. Whether it’s your

back yard for relaxing, company entrance, or front

yard that will make your neighbors jealous - we can

help! We want to encourage you to engage with the

natural world in a manner that brings you joy.

Our full service includes:

Consultation and design packages that are

individualized at any level. Packages include image

rendering and scaled drawings.

Installation process that is personal. Our designers

work hand in hand with their team.

Specializing in outdoor living areas with patios,

walkways, retaining walls and more.

Proper planting of regional and native plants that

thrive in WNC.

Estate Management for residential and

commercial properties tailored to your needs.

Talk to our team today and see why we’ve been

the largest locally owned company since 1989.