Landscape Design Process

Landscaping increases the value of your home and provides you with years of enjoyment.  Whether you plan to install yourself or have your landscaping installed by professionals, a plan is vital to ensure successful results. If you choose a professional  landscape designer, there are several steps you can take to prepare for your initial meeting. These steps will help you organize your thoughts for any landscape project from new home construction to a re-design of an existing landscape.

Provide the designer with a survey of the property and take an inventory of the site. Try to decide what you would like the function of your site to be and think about any existing features that you would either want to keep or get rid of. The designer can help you with these decisions.

Also you should be aware of your budget. Keep in mind that the project does not have to be installed all at once. Installing your landscape in phases allows you to spread out the expenses and the amount of time you commit to the project. The big picture provided by the design plan will help you prioritize the project.  The Design Process involves a series of important steps where designer works closely with client.

Site Analysis:              

The designer will walk the site with you to identify and document any likes or dislikes you may have about the site and go over your needs with you.  They will discuss different landscape styles and plantings with you to get a sense of your personality.  The designer will then take measurements of the site and record information about the layout of the property, slope, drainage concerns, etc.  Digital images may also be taken of your site.  The designer will then draw up a conceptual plan using this information.  

Conceptual Plan:

The designer will meet with you to review the conceptual plan. This plan will provide an overview of the project and will include a layout of functional areas, plant masses and hardscape. You should check this plan against the list prepared in the Site Analysis process to determine if the plan meets all of your criteria. 

Master Plan: 

Upon approval of the conceptual plan, the designer will then prepare a scaled to size master plan (or blueprint) which will show the layout of plantings and hardscape as well as a listing of plant material, sizes and quantities and specifications on hardscape, etc.  Some designers will even provide you with a computer image of your landscape showing before and after photos so that you can see what your installed landscape will look like beforehand.
 

Implementation:

At this point you may proceed with installing your project.  You may decide to hire out all or some of the elements of your project and your designer can help you with this.    After that all you have to do is enjoy your new landscape!

Sample Design Plan (Click on to Enlarge)