Most people have done some landscaping around their property that reflects their creativity, this is great but is often spontaneously inspired and not necessarily part of a “big picture’.
You might look around at the fruit of your efforts and say something like, “Yep that was 4 years ago when I played with some paving”…and “there we go that is last year’s herb garden” … and so on. There is nothing wrong with this – but consider the following. I came across this saying a number of years ago. “If you don’t watch out you will head to where you are going”.
Nothing stands still – including us humans. And a landscape will reflect your episodes of creation. So, consider for a moment: where is your landscape heading to?
We first met Olaf when he purchased a property through us. We then went on to sell his family home for a price significantly over comparable sales. We believe this exceptional result was in large part due to the gardens Olaf had created on the property. We have since recommended him to another client who in turn did well when they sold. I believe money well spent on the right landscaping returns you more than the cost of it when you come to sell. Not only that it grows over time so with a bit of care your property will become more valuable year after year.
– Sandra Power B Com/LLB
Crucial questions
Are these episodes of creativity integrated? Does the landscape feel as though it has a theme going through it? Or, does it have a feel of separate entities somewhat unrelated?
A landscape with separate entities un-related or not integrated tends to be less restful… the eye moves from one to the other and back again. The eye sees the landscape as separate parts and will rest on each before moving on. When there is a theme, or relatedness to what the landscape holds, then the eye tends to rest on the whole as one.
To the observer, there is less “busyness” and the scene feels more restful. So, it’s not about stopping your creativeness in terms of your landscaping, it’s about finding a theme you want to have and let your various creative outputs reflect that. “Ahhhh! but I don’t know what I want! I don’t know my theme!” A good starting point is to make a list of (1), “What I like”, and (2), “What I don’t like”, in a landscape. Now, when you do this, don’t think about your property.
Just begin listing, e.g., “I don’t like pavers, I do like lawn, I do like red, I don’t like palms and boulders”, and so on. You will be surprised at how this steers you and begins the picture you need and to have a theme develop.
I use this tool regularly in my consultations and get a good sense of what my client is looking for and get great clarity for them too. Finally, give yourself a wish list of two items that at some point you could see happening in the landscape. This will start you further down the track of painting your landscape picture.
By Olaf van der Beek
“I am writing for Bay Waka as I like the idea of a community connecting through community stories.”
