The role of a landscape designer is to utilize their professional training and experience in creating a plan for your outdoor spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Landscape designers consult with clients to develop either hand sketches or computer-assisted design plans for outdoor spaces. Landscape designers produce plans for residential front and backyards, water gardens, parks, and more that are functional, decorative, and enjoyable based on their client’s requirements. Good landscape design improves curb appeal and property value.

Landscape designers must be knowledgeable in horticulture, layout, topography, construction principles, and materials. To achieve the desired results, they must consider factors such as climate, soil type, and the hardiness of plant life in the region they are designing. They should also understand drainage, hardscaping materials, and other site-specific issues. The role of landscape designers does not necessarily include overseeing installation of your project.

There are landscape design specialties such as water conserving xeriscaping and Florida Friendly Landscape Design. “Florida-Friendly landscapes are designed to be functional, cost-efficient, visually pleasing, environmentally friendly, and easily maintainable,” according to the University of Florida. “These characteristics improve marketability and help to create healthy vibrant communities for Florida residents to enjoy.”

The role of a landscape designer at Earth Works includes meeting with clients at our garden center to provide a first-hand view of plant and hardscaping material options and completing site visits at client properties to get a first-hand view of existing slopes, the orientation of the property, structures, and proposed landscaping to the sun and take measurements. Earth Works landscape designers oversee the installation of the design plan and complete walk throughs with clients upon completion to ensure customer satisfaction

We encourage clients to have a list of goals, a vision, and a budget in mind for their landscape design and installation. Take the time to research different landscape designs you like and don’t like and prioritize your ‘must-have’ features from those that would be ‘nice-to-have.’ Examples of ‘must-have’ features, for example, could include palm trees and a hedge for privacy screening with a patio and fire pit. ‘Nice to have’ elements could consist of a recreational pond and outdoor lighting. We encourage clients to dream big. Must-have items would be the basis of the design to include ‘nice to have’ items that fit your budget. Additionally, your landscape design plan can consist of everything including ‘must-have’ and ‘nice-to-have’ features to be installed in separate phases over months or years as your budget dictates. 

Do your research on the landscape design companies available to you and look for examples of their work, check their reviews for an indication if they are best suited to fill the role of landscape designer for your next project.

GARDEN CENTER
12501 Beach Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32246

LANDSCAPE OPERATIONS
(not open to the public)
St. Johns Bluff
1057 St. Johns Bluff Rd. N.
Jacksonville, FL 32225

Monday-Saturday 9-5
Sunday 10-5

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS
New Year’s Day • Easter • Memorial Day
July 4th • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve • Christmas Day

GARDEN CENTER
12501 Beach Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32246

LANDSCAPE OPERATIONS
(not open to the public)
St. Johns Bluff
1057 St. Johns Bluff Rd. N.
Jacksonville, FL 32225

Monday-Saturday 9-5
Sunday 10-5

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS
New Year’s Day • Easter • Memorial Day
July 4th • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve • Christmas Day

For freeze and frost damaged plants is it worth the effort to continue protecting them when more cold weather is in the forecast? Yes, don’t give up on your damaged plants. We recommend protecting plants even if damaged from past freezes and frost like they experienced here in Northeast Florida in December 2022.

Be sure to use a reliable weather forecasting source such as the National Weather Service.

Learn to recognize the difference between plants that will die back and produce new stems and foliage in Spring and those that won’t come back. Freeze and frost damage on herbaceous plants can be noticeable immediately, while the damage to woody plants and palms will take longer to show. The soft, flexible stems and foliage of damaged herbaceous plants may turn from green to brown or purple and become mushy.

To complicate matters, if Winter temperatures rise to over 70F between freeze and frost events, fungus can attack those mushy areas causing further damage. Treat mushy parts of the plant like an infected wound. Remove as much of the mushy parts as possible to reduce the risk of attracting pests to the affected area. A fungal spray application can be in order.

Additionally, freezing temperatures will impact your sod. “Freezing is not good for sod root growth, so while freezing may not kill the sod, it will basically stop root growth meaning a longer “grow in” period where more water and care is needed, and other factors may be the culprit of problems, (Fungus etc that are common in our mild winters)” according to Lance Roberson of PLance.org.

Although Christmas 2022 was one of the coldest in Northeast Florida history and the area plant damage is extensive improvements in freeze and frost damaged plants is possible with good cultural practices, mulching, and protecting them from the potential remaining seasonal damaging weather events.  

GARDEN CENTER
12501 Beach Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32246

LANDSCAPE OPERATIONS
(not open to the public)
St. Johns Bluff
1057 St. Johns Bluff Rd. N.
Jacksonville, FL 32225

Monday-Saturday 9-5
Sunday 10-5

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS
New Year’s Day • Easter • Memorial Day
July 4th • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve • Christmas Day