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As homeowners, you’re likely aware of landscape design and what it means for your home’s yard. However, residential landscape design most often refers to the work done to individual private properties. When it comes to the public landscaping done throughout your neighborhood or residential complex, that’s where Austin Engineering comes in. In addition to traditional landscape design, Austin Engineering delves into landscape architecture. While both landscape architecture and landscape design share many of the same concepts, they are different services in what they offer to clients. Allow Austin Engineering to help explain the difference and why you might need both.

What’s Landscape Design?

Professional landscape designers help reshape your property by increasing its aesthetics, functionality, and environmental value. A landscape designer will incorporate natural elements, such as flowers, shrubs, trees, and more, into your outdoor layout. Additionally, landscape design encompasses hardscaping, which uses features like paths, retaining walls, fountains, porches, patios, etc., throughout a landscape design. Primarily, landscape design focuses on homeowners’ personal properties, but can include public residential spaces and commercial properties as well.

What’s Landscape Architecture?

Because landscape architecture is more technical than design, landscape architects must have a bachelor’s/Master’s degree and be licensed by the state. While design is still a component of landscape architecture, the process more closely focuses on implementing slopes, retaining walls, drainage systems, outdoor structures, and utility connections for a property. Additionally, landscape architecture isn’t focused on individual homes and is more relevant for public parks, gardens, cemeteries, subdivisions, etc.

Which Do You Need?

As a homeowner looking to transform your property’s layout, design, landscape and hardscape, you can rely on the services of professional landscape designers. However, if you require a more intricate landscape design for larger residential outdoor spaces (not private residences), Austin Engineering’s landscape architects can lend a helping hand. Our team can manage both the design and architecture aspects of your property’s landscape.

How Landscape Architects Make a Difference

Landscape architects are also knowledgeable about certain aspects of landscaping that are not always known to traditional landscape designers. Using their education and experience, landscape architects implement smart outdoor designs to:

• Counter Environmental Concerns – The best landscape architects can create beautiful designs that aren’t only aesthetically pleasing but beneficial to the environment. Austin Engineering utilizes green plants, trees, and shrubbery that works best to keep carbon dioxide levels and air pollution under control. Moreover, we understand what fauna is native to an area and work to implement landscape designs that won’t infringe or be invasive toward the surrounding environment. We aim to create a balanced ecosystem with every landscape project we take.
• Incorporate Greater Stormwater Management – The tools, materials and landscape methods utilized by landscape architects are more effective than what a standard landscape designer can provide. For example, Austin Engineering excels in creating efficient stormwater management solutions for any piece of residential property. Whether through water basins, permeable pavement, etc., we help stormwater make its way into the water table faster, solving sustainability issues, water scarcity, potential pollution, and soil toxicity.
• Create Beautiful Landscapes for All to Enjoy – Residential design architecture doesn’t just impact one or two households but the entirety of an area. Cleaner air, less toxic soil, better stormwater management, and other environmental factors all impact the health and well-being of a residential neighborhood. Often, our most important residential projects are the parks, playgrounds, and public recreation areas we help create. While landscape design is beneficial for a few, landscape architecture is beneficial for everyone. Austin Engineering strives to create clean, beautiful, relaxing spaces for all to enjoy.

Start Your Next Landscaping Project

Ensure your community thrives with incredible landscape architecture and design provided by Austin Engineering. If you’d like to learn more about our landscaping work, even for commercial spaces, check out our spotlight on The Foundry in Bloomington, IL. Or, if you’d like to start a landscaping project of your own, give Austin Engineering a call today. The first consultation for your proposed project is always free, with no obligation. We presently work with clients throughout the country, with offices in Peoria IL, Davenport IA, and Chattanooga TN.

Illinois:
311 SW Water St, Ste 215, Peoria, IL 61602
Phone: 309-204-0694

Iowa:
220 Emerson Place, Ste 101-A, Davenport, IA 52801
Phone: 563-207-4605

Tennessee:
2115 Stein Dr, Ste 207, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: 423-379-2725