If you plan landscaping your garden, the first thing you need to decide is whether to hire a professional landscape designer or to do it yourself. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, so there is no "right" or "wrong" answer to this question. Find out when it is better to use the help of a landscaper or try your hand in a landscaping.

It is best to hire a professional landscape designer if:

1. You want to make big changes and the aria to work with is large. Larger is the property - the more planning the landscaping will involve. Even though it might seem that hiring a professional is very expensive, you will probably spend more trying different things yourself. Just imagine that you install a waterfall in your garden, but its look and placement is not quite right, reinstalling it will cost you a lot. It is better to hire a landscape contractor to save yourself from disappointment.

2. You don't just want a beautiful garden, but a garden of a particular style - an English garden or a Japanese one, for example. Creating such a garden requires lots of experience and is much more difficult than it looks at first. If you want it done just right, you will need to find a landscape designer.

3. Similar thing can be said about "natural looking" or Zen gardens. If you want your garden to look like it was created this way by nature, this also involves a lot of work and preparation. Even though the design looks natural, it doesn't meant that it needs any less work, than let's say an English garden.

4. You are not sure what is possible to do with your property and you want to explore your options. What do you want from your garden? An easy to care for place where you can relax after work, or do you want a combination of flower beds and vegetable and herb garden? You don't have to hire a contractor to do all the work, but to help you with initial planning and to get the general advice on what can be done with your land.

Do it yourself landscaping is more appropriate if:

1. You don't want dramatic changes in your current design, just to make it a little bit different. For example installing a fish pond or a waterfall can change the look of your garden without a big investment.

2. You have only a small backyard and you are prepared to spend some time learning the art of landscaping yourself. Even if you know nothing about plants, flowers or herbs, there is so much information on the internet now, that you can find everything you need to landscape your garden yourself. Landscape designers aren't cheap, so by doing it yourself you will save a considerable amount of money. Also it will be a great fun to create something unique and beautiful.