A Landscape Architect is a highly trained design professional, with either a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture, who is registered with the state after passing a rigorous licensing examination. Landscape Architects can be contrasted with Garden Designers and Landscape Designers, who have no standard of training and do not take a licensing examination.(Brooks Kolb is Washington licensed landscape architect #676; he has a masters degree in landscape architecture from the University of Pennsylvania 1979.)

Advantages of Working with a Licensed Landscape Architect

• Emphasis on strong design: A Landscape Architect can help you define your needs, offer insights and ideas you may not have considered, and work to oversee the final installation by qualified contractors. People who work with Landscape Contractors and/or garden installers may find that the project is built before all the design issues have been resolved, resulting in a landscape that does not meet their needs.
• A Landscape Architect is as interested as you are in achieving a successful project. Your landscape architect will listen to you and develop a plan that reflects your specific needs and desires. The design process is collaborative, allowing you ample flexibility. You can be as involved as you wish while enjoying the security of professional guidance every step of the way.

• Landscapes grow and mature over time. You’re working with living materials and a landscape architect is trained to foresee how the space will change and to account for that change in the initial design.

• A Landscape Architect often saves you money by bidding the construction installation among several highly qualified landscape contractors rather than presenting you with a “take-it-or-leave-it” price. Brooks Kolb maintains long-standing business relationships with local contractors noted for their high-quality work and fair pricing.

• A Landscape Architect acts as your advocate and representative in interactions with the contractor or installer. He or she advocates for you to ensure that the project is built on time and on budget as well as to high standards of quality and design.

• A Landscape Architect should readily provide a resume, a portfolio of work, personal references, and be active in professional organizations such as the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). This information provides peace of mind that the job will get done right, the first time. Landscape improvement is an important and worthwhile investment; you have a right to make an informed decision.