You see some ideas pics,read comments in this forum,you will find many designers you like.many their suggests are shared.

I'm not in your area, but I had good luck with a suggestion someone else on this forum gave me last year. Visit a few of your favorite garden centers (or any reputable garden centers or nurseries in your area), and you can ask if they have any business cards of landscape designers. I found that some centers hardly had any, but one in my area had dozens. You can narrow your choices by looking at the area(s) of specialty each person (or company) is advertising, and from there set up a few interviews and get a feel for who would be a good match for your style and your needs. I was able to find an excellent match and have been really happy with our experience. Good luck!

As a designer one thing you do want to look at their portfolio of pics from previous clients and ask for references. You can also goto Angie's List online and see if there are Designers there for your area. Start a with few you like for price comparisons also.

Scott

Why some gardeners come here from local professional designer's office?there haven't any other different opion.
Here,there are Tons different style pics and comments and experience and plant's database and professional designers and landscapers and native and exotic and Inspiration.it can inspire you and tease out of you what you are really looking to do.
Now,You really need to post some pics that show the context and situated and conditions and the property line and the perimeter
of the yard and You need one that shows the overall yard from the street(They are not too close up).
first upload photo to any photo-hosting site.Photobucket and Flickr are examples . While at that photo on the site,
look for a link to "share." Then look for a way of obtaining "html code" (don't select the thumbnail version.)

designoline6, if you carefully read the poster's request, they are looking for someone locally to both design AND plant. While one can sometimes get some decent ideas via an online forum, it is NOT at all the same as an in-person site evaluation and drafted and executed plan. Context and conditions are very difficult to assess accurately via just a few photos. And manual labor via the Internet just sucks!! :-)

Interestingly enuf, you seldom ever see any of the regular, professional participants in this forum providing anything more than a few words of wisdom or general advice.....why do you suppose that is?

gardengal148-I have carefully read the poster's request,just many people don't agree my opinion.
If I think "the Internet just sucks!!" I never stay here long time.
Context and conditions are very EASY to assess accurately via just a few photos and DATABASE and EXPERIENCE.You know,I have done it for many years.I have helped some people many times.except some non-cold tolerant plants, world are not so different.tired native,love exotic.
It is time to CHANGE.Trust our "design forum". it will be accepted by more people.

I am a garden internationalism.I am sure "design online" will come.

You can't possibly have read very carefully, else you would not have missed the part about planting and laying sod. Please explain to me how you can accomplish this online......a magical feat I have yet to see achieved digitally.

And if I may be so blunt, if the visual representation of your design suggestions so far is any indication, the need for an onsite, inperson assessment/evaluation of the setting and context before making suggestions is abundantly clear. How can you possibly determine from the one or two distant and somewhat blurry photos provided the sun/shade situation, soil condition, any drainage issues, prevailing wind direction, need for privacy screening or enhancement of views, etc., etc., etc. Or does your "EXPERIENCE" also make you landscape psychic??

Online landscape labor and psychic design skills......what next??

Sorry to all but sometimes my irritation at the utter nonsense this forum can generate just gets the best of me.......

Calm down."irritation" is not good.You could ignore any " nonsense".
"you seldom ever see any of the regular, professional participants in this forum "Right,I,never touch some people and comments.but it isn't "Interestingly"
If we show different opinions politely,I would continue.
I never promise and find anyone demand me accomplish"planting and laying sod" online.
Here only is a "ONLINE" design forum.I know that my designing and suggests sometime don't work.So I always contral myself,limit to show two sheet of white and black pics to post,goal is accept other opinion to improve my design.
But I believe and love this "online" design forum.I often see some suggests of drainage WORK.
The database of soil PH.and climate and sun light time answer is not landscape psychic,but

suggests+unskilled labors+DIYers=nice gardening.often HELP and WORK.

I met NY designer Rebecca Cole a few years back and thought she was wonderfully talented and would be great fun to work with on a project.
Here is her web address : http://www.rebeccacoledesign.com/gardens.php

As a side note, I think it is essential that the designer that you work with have a deep working knowledge of your local climate, horticultural and local code ordinances.
I think it is wonderful that people from around the world are engaged in offering design ideas but having in field local working experience is really quite essential when the project goes from concept to reality.

Design and build landscape is a great landscape design firm and they work all over Long Island.

Here is a link that might be useful: Long island Landscape designer