A landscape designer costs $50 to $150 per hour with a minimum consultation fee of $100 to $200. The design plans cost $700 to $3,000 according to the project size and the number of revisions. Some landscape design packages include videos with computer imaging to illustrate the finished look.

Hiring a landscape designer is especially worth it when you have a large yard that needs a detailed plan to manage maintenance costs. However, a designer's fees can be excessive if you have a small lawn and want a simple plan.

The benefits of landscape designers include:

• Practical plans to raise the home’s value and boost curb appeal
• Cheaper yard maintenance with a local-climate friendly design
• Preventing DIY landscaping mistakes that waste your money

A landscape designer's services include any of the following:

• Consultations at your home to explore design options
• Planning out budgets for each landscaping plan
• Producing landscaping sketches, conceptual computer-generated plans, and basic drawings
• Revising the plans as many times as needed
• Consulting with contractors to help convey your vision

However, each designer offers different things according to the level of their training and whether they work with a design-and-build firm.

You should hire a landscape designer when:

• You want a new garden installed with a special plant scheme tailored to your needs.
• The home you're selling needs more curb appeal to stand out in the neighborhood.
• Your landscaping has been neglected, and you don't know how to fix it because you have no design or landscaping experience.
• The new home you’ve moved into has a yard that doesn’t suit your lifestyle, pets, or children.
• You have lots of new landscaping ideas but can’t decide which one will work.
• The local climate has watering restrictions that you need to design around.

The biggest differences between a landscape designer and landscape architect are that the architect must have a degree and typically works on bigger commercial projects. Hiring a landscape architect costs $100 to $250 per hour minimum. An architect makes official building plans required to get permits for bigger landscaping projects.

Important: Landscape designers don’t have all the qualifications to make detailed construction plans to get permits from the building department.

The most common landscaping projects are a combination of:

• Landscaping costs $4 to $12 per square foot for all types of general work on the property.
• Sod installation costs $1 to $2 per square foot to get new grass instantly.
• The cost to plant flowers is $10 to $30 per pot.
• The cost to plant a tree is $200 to $700 per tree.
• Hedge planting costs $10 to $45 per linear foot.
• Bush and shrub planting costs $25 to $85 per shrub.
• The cost to build a pond is $2,900 to $15,600.
• A retaining wall costs $40 to $300 per linear foot.
• Landscaping lighting costs $80 to $300 per fixture.
• A pergola costs$10 to $65 per square foot on average.
• A fire pit costs$325 to $2,000 on average.

You can find a nearby landscape designer by searching through our list to compare services in your neighborhood. When hiring a design consultant, remember to:

• Compare multiple quotes from companies with 5+ years of experience.
• See if your state requires designers to have licenses in horticulture services, home improvement, or landscape contractor credentials.
• Ask if they have training from the NALP, the APLD, or local landscaping and construction associations.
• Verify that they have a current business license, insurance, and surety bonds.
• Read their reviews on HomeGuide and Google.
• Collect an itemized estimate and contract upfront.
• Beware of the cheapest bids that often yield low-quality results.
• Don’t give a full payment until after the job is complete.

• How long have you been designing landscapes?
• Can I get a free first consultation, and if so, then how long is it?
• Have you done more hardscaping or gardening projects?
• Do you offer designs only, or does your firm also build landscapes?
• How long will it take to make my designs, and do they include a 3D digital design or scaled drawings?
• What are the fees for plan revisions?
• Can I see a list of your references and design portfolio?
• Does the city building department need to approve these designs with permits?
• Which features of this design are the most expensive and why?
• Can you make a design that minimizes yard maintenance?
• What’s your payment schedule, and do you offer payment plans?