This Landscape Architecture Firm Can Help You Achieve Your Dream Garden
Turn tiny vertical spaces and sprawling outdoor areas into your own piece of paradise
When visiting homes, we can’t help but admire the pretty gardens that complete the space – whether it’s a quaint indoor nook or a spacious outdoor area filled with trees, bushes, and flowering plants. A well-maintained garden complements and completes the look of a home. “We saw that there are a lot of nice houses in the country but the landscape, most of the time, doesn’t fit the style of the architecture. We wanted to address that by aligning the style of the landscape with the architecture and the interiors in a way that the story flows and the lines are blurred between the inside and outside. There were a lot of things that I thought we could improve aside from the landscape design,” says landscape architect Erick Yambao, who heads Plontur, a landscape architecture firm.
Plontur, which is Icelandic for plants, does more than fill a space with plants and trees. They follow a design process to make sure that a home’s landscape suits the theme and our country’s climate. “We’d like to say that we are a landscape architecture company that’s very rooted in design. We find ways on how marry design and construction because right now there’s a huge gap between the two,” adds Erick.
Curious as to how Plontur turns concepts into captivating areas? Erick shares a peek into their process below:
1. Getting to know the space.
Surveying the land is of utmost importance to help the team know what needs to be done. They take photos and get to know the people living in the home as well. “For residential projects, we do everything from concept, creation, and care. It’s a fancy way of saying we do design, build, and maintenance. We also advise the client on what furniture to put aside from softscape and hardscape design. It’s basically ‘interior design outside.’ Meanwhile, for bigger projects, we do master plan, landscape architecture design, and consultancy. We like working with architects and clients, and explore how they think. We want to know the reason why they do things and put the essence into the lansdscape,” Erick explains.
2. Coordinating with fellow professionals.
Since Plontur wants you to achieve your best space yet, they are open to collaborating with architects and interior designers to create a seamless design. “My wife is an interior designer so I get to absorb her way of thinking in term of how things work together. I get to appreciate colors, textures, furniture and materials that she uses in her interiors, things that are beyond what we use I landscape architecture. What I normally do is bring the essence of the architecture and the interior in the landscape in a way that’s very cohesive and nothing looks out of place. Sometimes, I get inspiration from the client’s accessories and I bring the colors to the landscape as an accent. There are instances when it’s the material used in the architecture and I try to play around with it and use it in the landscape. We do not limit ourselves to planting, but we use a lot of hardscape elements in our projects to tie everything together,” the landscape architect shares.
3. Choosing plants goes beyond what's pretty.
The team takes into consideration our climate, the season, and the availability of the plants. Your suggestions come into play when finalizing the elements that will be added as well. The good thing about Plontur is if they feel like one plant seems out of place, they will replace it with a green wonder that complements the overall look.
4. Finalizing a design involves maximizing the space and giving you not just a lovely garden.
“What we do when we design is that we extend the rooms outside. We do a lot of space planning which means you get to have areas in your garden that you actually use, not just greens or planting. We really maximize the area of your real estate. Landscaping greatly adds value to the property, especially now that open areas in the Metro are limited. Maximizng green spaces is such an advantage for a homeowner,” Erick shares.
5. They can help improve small spaces and work within a strict budget.
If you have a set budget, it’s best to let the team know about it so they can think of ways to make the most of it and help you achieve the space you’ve always wanted. Landscaping is not limited to big, sprawling spaces. “We’ve done small spaces and put vertical gardens instead of planting on ground, Although, sometimes, making smaller gardens are a bit more expensive since you have to make sure that the details are all on point and cohesive,” he relates.
6. Maintenance can be a breeze, too.
After the turnover, Plontur offers free maintenance for a month (two to four sessions) which includes using fertilizers and pesticides to ensure the growth of the plants. Homeowners who need help in keeping the plants healthy may inquire about their monthly maintenance service as well.
Ready to achieve your own paradise? Learn more about Plontur by visiting their website. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram. For inquiries, you may also get in touch with them through mobile at (0917) 513-6010 or email hello[at]plontur.com.
