DESIGNERS CHALLENGE!

I think we should have a forum called "Designer's Challenge!" to assist newbie landscapers. It'd work like the "Landscapers Design" program on HGTV. Newbies would submit photos and related specs of their area to be landscaped. Experienced landscapers would submit specific design ideas for that area and the newbie would select their favorite design. The selected designer would agree to work with that newbie to complete the specific area.

The winning design and designer of the Challenge could be spotlighted with a published pic somewhere on the DG site (created for the winning designer) ^^. Maybe a "Designer's Challenge" page in the newsletter?

How about it, Dave?

Do I need to solicit votes from the newbies on the Beginner Landscaping forum?

Linda

I don't know if your idea will fly, experienced landscapers charge a heck of a lot of money for what you are asking them to do for free.
I went thru a LD class, and the amount of work that needs to be done to create a design is incredible, even once all the plants or hardscapes are chosen, it takes hours to create the drawings like the ones you see on the show. I think our instructor told us she charged $500 just to sit with a person and discuss what they need and make the drawing.
Maybe it will work for a once a year contest, so the designer can add it to their credentials, but it doesn't sound like something they would do on an ongoing basis.
Sorry, I'm not trying to be mean, just my opinion!

Cute idea, but yes, it would be pretty time consuming. And what happens if 100 newbies line up to post project threads? I don't think there are hundreds of "experienced lancscapers" waiting in the wings. When HGTV does their shows, they choose only a few applicants from probably thousands.

We used to have a forum called "Curb Appeal" which I think is now "Garden Design." People do post threads there when they're looking for ideas & suggestions for new garden areas, even for entirely relandscaped yards. I've taken photos into my photo program several times so I could draw out suggestions for paths, shrub placement, even paint colors... but I'm not sure I'd want to spend the additional time to create a "professional" design, and I'm not sure it would be all that much more helpful if I did so. I'd rather come up with some creative input for more projects and spend less time on each.

You do mention "photos and other particulars," and there's a good point in that... It's much easier to give input if people post the dimensions of a space and give some information about how much sun, etc., the area gets. Photos are good to get general impressions, but when I sit down to do a design (I'm not a professional, BTW, I just like to do this), it's easiest to work from a measured drawing.