Landscape Design Advisor > Ask An Expert

Got Landscape Questions?

What’s the best way to soften your home’s foundation? What can you do with a small backyard that has a steep slope? Why do your roses refuse to climb?

Rikki and I have set up this page to handle the overwhelming amount of landscaping questions and gardening dilemmas that flood our inbox each day. We hope this will make it easier for you to ask a question and to get the answers you need.

landscape-questions

Whatever landscaping questions you have, you can ask them here. From landscape design questions to gardening advice – we will help you get expert solutions to anything standing between you and your ultimate outdoor paradise.

Just enter your question in the comment form below and add as many details as possible to be sure we completely understand your situation. Rikki and I do our best to personally answer every question we receive, but the advantage of asking your landscape questions here is that you can also receive advice from our contributing editors, landscape pros, as well as other readers.

Have a Landscape Question?

Ask anything you like – whether it is about landscape design, landscaping, gardening or just about anything else.

Allen Quay is a self-proclaimed blogger and founder of Landscape Design Advisor. He's traveled the world visiting famous gardens and their owners in the search for landscape design ideas that he can share with others. Click here if you live in Southern California and would like to meet Allen for a FREE landscape design consultation.
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  • Herbert

    I have a couple of landscape questions. I would like to become a landscaper. Can you provide me with assistance on how to become one and what is the best landscape software program to use?

    Anxiously waiting to hear from you.

    • http://www.landscape-design-advisor.com Allen Quay

      Good questions… I guess a lot depends on where you are located if you plan to physically attend a school.

      If you are going to physically attend classes then you may want to start by checking out our local community college. Many have courses on landscape design, plant identification, etc. and offer classes in the evening. If you want to study landscape design online, there are many good schools out there that offer online courses like the Oxford College of Garden Design in the UK. Here is their website address…

      http://www.garden-design-courses.co.uk

      Whatever direction you decide to take, you may want to hold off on buying landscape design software until you find out what the school uses and recommends. I have only touched on a few options here. Maybe some of our contributing editors, landscape pros or visitors can help you further by commenting on this post. We wish you the very best in your new career. It’s a career choice we took many years ago and have enjoyed every minute, well almost every minute.:)

  • http://www.landscape-design-advisor.com/ Allen Quay

    Hi Lisa, I’d recommend using our search box located on the top right of each page to locate specific information on our website because our site is so big and full of photos. Use keywords like Japanese gardens, pools, fruit trees, etc. to locate what you’re after. Also we have plenty of photos on Flickr that may help as well. Good luck and be sure to upload photos of your project when complete!

  • Glyn

    Does this site work? I sent in a question two days ago and nothing has appeared. Or am I impatient or probably pathetic with technology,

  • Glyn

    Now I’ve got it! My question is – I’ve been asked to go to Tuscany by some friends who have renovated some properties there for holiday rent. They know I look for inexpensive, low maintenance solutions in my own garden (about 2 acres) but it is in the north of England. My brief is to come up with a plan to landscape the communal areas around the properties and I’m thinking of native trees in a wild flower meadow. I suspect the meadow would need strimming in early summer as the meadow would flower in spring and autumn. For two small gardens I’m thinking of ornamental gravel with drought tolerant shrubs and ornamental grasses. The courtyards will need an irrigation system if I’m to suggest flowers and palms in summer. Am I thinking along the right lines? Any suggestions gratefully received.

    • http://www.landscape-design-advisor.com/ Allen Quay

      Hi Glyn, I think your on the right tract by keeping the larger areas of the property natural and low maintenance. Perhaps mowed paths through the fields leading to areas of interest would add functionality. You can check out our sustainable Italian garden page for more ideas along this line.I presume the two gardens lay closer to the residence. Gardens can be a lot of work but making them both low maintenance like you suggested is a good idea. The courtyards are typically connected to the residence and would be a good place to introduce a more lush and sub-tropical environment where palms, ferns and large leaf plants would thrive. Have fun designing it and be sure to let us know how it turns out.