Landscape and Garden Design Process

The garden maker must have a plan before he begins, for a garden is like a picture that every year paints through the seasons, changing with the years as plants grow tall, but it's main lines - it's trees and larger shrubs - must stay and it's success depends on how well they are grouped in the picture. If he starts in a haphazard way without a plan, the different parts that together make a whole garden will almost certainly be out of proportion and badly related. We have to think of a garden as a complete entity, which we can walk around - something akin to a picture gallery that is alive and growing. If the planning is done successfully it will result in an effect of greater space: if done badly we can make a fairly large garden look tiny and shut in"
— Percy Cane, Garden Designer (1881 - 1976)

 

Note:  We talk below and elsewhere of a landscape master design.  It is important to realize that the plan in its entirety is rarely installed in the first year.  Rather it is a plan from which certain aspects will be selected to be installed in the first year, and others in succeeding years, at he homeowners pace.  Without the plan, installing something here and something there leads to a less than cohesive well-thought out plan.

Questions to Start the Design Process

Think about the following:  (*note: for a limited planting such as a mixed bed consider questions 1-6 only).

  1. What do you and your family enjoy doing and seeing in your garden?
  2. Which rooms of the house do you use most? What sort of garden would give them the best outlook?
  3. What sort of plants do you like?
  4. Do you need more privacy?
  5. Do you want to screen any views?
  6. Do you plan to spend any time maintaining plantings?
  7. Do you intend to do a lot of outdoor entertaining?
  8. What are your gardens main problems? (e.g. strong winds, ugly views, too much shade)
  9. If you have children, do would they use the space?
  10. What other structure and features do you want in your garden? (e.g. gazebo, archway, seating, birdbath)
  11. What about a quiet garden retreat which is far removed from the activity of the house?
  12. What don't you want ? Is there anything about your garden that annoys you?
  13. What do you want to remove from your garden? (e.g. Trees/shrubs past their prime, ugly structures.)

The Landscape and Garden Design Process

The actual process of designing a garden, if done correctly, can take some time. This page will hopefully help to explain how it works. 

The Initial Site Visit: The design process starts with a visit to your garden. During this informal visit I’ll discuss aspects of horticulture, gardening, as well as design.  We’ll discuss your requirements, consider some ideas and decide how to proceed.  If you are interested, I will follow up with a proposal.   Assuming the proposal is accepted we do the site analysis. 

Site Survey and Assessment: Your garden is measured, site conditions are analyzed, and existing plants are listed.   We try to maximize use of existing plant material in consideration of costs and to ensure the new garden fits snugly with the old.

Design Stage: After drawing up the survey I create one or more concept designs.  At our next meeting we review the designs and decide upon the final plan.  

Final Plan:  At this time there will be a complete planting plan that we be presented in detail as well as any other design or construction details.  This will include a discussion of the implementation stages.  If changes are required these will be noted and carried out prior to the construction stage.

Maintenance: I will provide you with a list of all plants and their cultural requirements.   Aditionally, we perform garden maintenance and can schedule the appropriate visits to keep your garden appearance improving over time.