F EATURE ARTI CLE
A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS
PETSCAPING BY TOM CRAIN
While a third of homeowners will make updates to their yards to accommodate their kids and grandkids, pets are now getting even more attention. Knowing that more than two-fifths of homeowners will make pet-related upgrades to their outdoor spaces, there’s no denying that dogscaping is a new trend in landscape design requiring designers to plan their clients’ backyards based on their dogs’ habits. “The best way to go about setting up a pet-friendly landscaping plan with your customer is to first lay down the fundamentals, get paid for that on first installment and, later, add the gravy, which would be plant material, special hardscapes such as boulders and other decor,” says Elizabeth Bublitz, Paw Friendly Landscaping, Denver. The cost for her services ranges from $1,000 for smaller projects to more than $50,000 for high-end landscape makeovers. Over the years, several landscapers have joined Paw Friendly in this specialized niche, including Lazar Landscape Design
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and Construction in Oakland, California; Landscape Design in a Day in Portland, Oregon; and Sublime Garden Design in Snohomish, Washington. When it comes to the top considerations for designing pet-friendly landscapes for clients, Bublitz identifies the following: placing paths, structures and barriers for animals’ running, patrolling and observing habits; providing the right items and places for nature’s call to be answered; adding proper shading and sheltering; using safe and practical hardscape, mulch and planting materials; and including high-functioning, low-maintenance lawns.