Process

Initial Interview

I’ll set up an appointment for us to meet where you can show me the site and talk to me about what you hope to achieve. I am committed to creating the best design I can to fit you and your family. I strongly believe the design process should be a collaborative effort. I encourage you to talk about your lifestyle, who will use the garden and how, and what your ideas and concerns are. I want to learn what excites you and what your passions and priorities are. My designs must reflect your input. Your satisfaction is my highest priority. We can review your favorite garden photos, discuss your budget, and if you are part of a Homeowners Association, we can talk about how their concerns affect your project. Please have a copy of their regulations for me to take home to read. I’ll offer ideas and suggest options to explore. You can review my portfolio and I will discuss my fee schedule and give you an estimate of my charges. There is no charge for this meeting. If you decide to hire me I will ask you to sign a payment contract, take a retainer fee and get started.

Concept plan

I will measure the area, noting such issues as privacy, drainage, shade, sun, prevailing wind direction, soil type, irrigation water availability, window locations, existing plants and hardscaping. I will develop a base plan to reflect what is already there. Using the information this provides, the input from our initial interview, and my experience and abilities, I will develop a concept plan. It will show hardscaping items such as patios walkways, outdoor kitchen, water features, pool, spa, fireplace, fire pit, raised planters, vegetable gardens, lawns, play areas, sports courts, and general plant and tree placement. I usually hand color one copy to help you visualize my ideas. We will meet and discuss the preliminary plan. I encourage you to take some time with this plan. Changes at this point are much easier than once the final plan is drawn. A progress payment will be due at this meeting.

Final Plan

The Final Plan is a 24x36” scaled drawing listing all the plants’ botanical and common names, sizes, quantities, locations and planting instructions. It conceptually illustrates all proposed hardscaping and identifies existing features. Contractors can bid from this plan or you can use it to install all or part of the garden yourself. My clients qualify to receive significant discounts on plant purchases with a local nursery. This plan is suitable for submittal to your Design Review Committee. The balance of my fee is due upon presentation of the Final Plan. The whole process takes between 3-4 weeks depending on appointment scheduling.

Consultation

Consultation is charged by the hour and can cover small scale design and gardening advice. These visits usually take not more than 2-3 hours.