our process

A great landscape design begins with you, the client.

First, we listen. What are your requirements for the landscape? What are your landscape desires? Who will it serve? What’s your style inside the house? What colors push your buttons? What do you like in the landscapes you’ve seen? Dislike? At this point I’m a facilitator, helping to define your direction and program for the landscape to come. Don’t forget humor, art and whimsy. The landscape should be a reflection of who you are.

Next is understanding the site where the landscape will reside. After physically measuring the location, we’ll step back to assess and analyze the site to fully understand the factors that will play into the developing landscape. Sun, shade, soil, wind, water, weather and ecology are just some of the site elements that help determine the final design.

After developing a base plan that locates all the major physical elements on a scaled drawing, we’ll begin to overlay the client’s program, site assessment and architectural dictates into a rough scheme from which the new design elements will emerge. There may be several valid conceptual approaches to a landscape design, and it’s our job to bring the options to you. Your ongoing input is an essential part in the evolutionary process of design. The best designs are developed as a team: the client and designer are at the core with additional experts in various areas called on as needed.

After settling on a clear approach, we’ll fill out the preliminary design into a detailed landscape plan that’s fully presented at a final meeting, along with a proposal for installation of the completed design. From that meeting we can determine how you want to proceed: installing all or part of the project, or installing in phases over several seasons or even years.

Fees:

Our landscapes are design driven: we strive to evolve the best design we can, taking into consideration all the elements of the built landscape. Our design fees are quoted independent of any installation costs associated with each project.

After our initial discussion, on-site visit and a general agreement to continue, we will settle on design fees and payment schedules. Typical designs fees start at $1200 per project. We will also supply you with a separate installation quote on the final landscape design. Our designed plans are complete, including material listings. You can shop our plans with any competent landscape contractor.