Do I need a landscape designer or something else?

[TBM]

And how would I go about finding whoever it is I need?  We need a ton of work done, but I don't know where to start.

Our house needs some serious curb appeal, including painting the house, maybe screening a section, creating a driveway and planters.  We would like to come up with a plan for the courtyard too...replacing the deck with something less rickety and less creepy critter friendly, extend it and maybe put in a wall instead of a fence.

We also need to have someone take care of trimming the trees so that our new roof is safe(r)from falling branches, and possibly remove some trees that are hazards.  Eventually we would like to clear some of the lot. Ours is the most heavily wooded lot in the neighborhood, because the former owners liked it natural, but it makes it pretty much useless, and entirely too friendly to snakes for DH's liking.

I did get the number of the tree service/arborists when they were working next door.  The guy took a quick look and pointed out a couple of things that need attention, and said to call him and he could come up with a plan for us.  He was most concerned with doing the things that are safety hazards (dead stuff, low branches, etc.), first.

So do we take care of safety and general clearing out (leaves, ferns, jungle mess, half dead shrubs that we know that we don't want) first, or do we start with a master plan?

[SusanBAnthony]

I would start with the arborist, and have him identify all the safety things, and remove any trees that need to be completely taken down for safety reasons. Then I would find a landscape architect, and have them come up with a plan. Then I would call the arborist back and have him trim whatever trees you are keeping.

I wouldn't have the arborist trim everything to start with, because why pay him to trim a tree that you are going to turn around and chop down once the LA comes up with the plan?

To pick a LA I would probably scope out yards you really like and ask people who they hired. That and Angie's list. I have no other ideas.

[munkii]

I would take of safety and general cleaning out just because starting with a clean slate may give you a better long-term vision of the possibilities.

[treedimensional]

May 28, 2013 19:50:19 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

I would start with the arborist, and have him identify all the safety things, and remove any trees that need to be completely taken down for safety reasons. Then I would find a landscape architect, and have them come up with a plan. Then I would call the arborist back and have him trim whatever trees you are keeping.

I wouldn't have the arborist trim everything to start with, because why pay him to trim a tree that you are going to turn around and chop down once the LA comes up with the plan?  

Make sure she (or he) is a Certified Arborist (you can verify certification online).
I would call the Certified Arborist after the design consultation, to critique it, because landscape architects and designers are notoriously uninformed about arboriculture and biology. Plans drawn by LAs/designers often reflect this lack of knowledge. I'd trust a Certified Arborist more for tree and shrub recommendations, unless you can find that uniquely qualified individual who bases her (or his) designs on science.
You can certainly INSTRUCT the designer or architect that you will retain all the healthy trees. If they draw up plans that clear cut healthy trees for no reason, send them packing!