There are many landscape professionals who work in the landscape industry. From landscape contractors to horticulturists to landscape designers and landscape architects. What are the differences between landscape architects and landscape designers? Which professional is best for you?
In Minnesota and most states, Landscape Architects are licensed and certified to use the title “Landscape Architect.” First, an advanced degree such as master’s degree in architect is needed to be a landscape architect in Minnesota. Secondly, the required minimum amount of 3 years working under a licensed Landscape Architect must be met, as well as passing the Landscape Architecture Registration Exam. Further, continuing Education Units are required every year.
Landscape Architects have been trained in architectural landscape design, civil engineering, horticulture, conservation and environmental structures. This broad and comprehensive knowledge that landscape architects have provides the ability to understand not only top-notch unique landscape design; but landscape structures, plants and the environment. Most often landscape architects make a high-quality drawn landscape plan using computer aided design (CAD). Many Landscape Architects produce 3-D drawings as well as 2-D plans. Landscape architects typically work on a variety of projects such as residential design, healing gardens, bioremediation, green roofs, city planning, park design and almost anything to do with our environment.
The biggest benefit of hiring landscape architects for your home or community landscaping project is that the landscape architects are trained to think about landscapes as systems, which means they will assess your property’s problem areas as well as possibilities and make a plan to address both the big picture (conceptual landscape design / rendering) and detailed landscape design such as exact details of how your landscape will look. They will also help you choose the proper materials, styles, textures, and colors for your landscape project. Hiring landscape architects saves you time and stress, since they handle all the details.
On the other hand, often, landscape designers have no formal training or education requirement although some have both. Formal training that landscape designers have may be from a technical college in a related field such as horticulture or landscape design. Some landscape designers may have bachelor’s degrees in Landscape Architecture but are lack of landscape design experiences or have not passed the board exam. In Minnesota, there is no regulation defining what a landscape designer is.
When you contact landscape companies be sure to ask if they have a Landscape Architect, since few landscape contractors employ Landscape Architects. In another word, most landscaping companies in Minnesota or Minneapolis MN have either a landscape designer or a horticulturist, but don’t have landscape architects. To know about the advantages of hiring a landscape architect, read the next blog.
