Design Process

When you contact us, we will arrange an initial visit to meet you and discuss your garden. At this meeting we try to acquire as much information as possible about your family and garden requirements in order to compile a brief for your garden. We will subsequently be able to provide you with a design proposal and an estimate for the initial stages of design work.

Before any design work can begin, we undertake a site analysis with extensive photos and measurements of the existing property. We may require a survey for larger properties and a consulting arborist to appraise existing trees.

The landscape design process begins with conceptual drawings and a preliminary plan that presents impressions and opens up conversations and ideas about the garden.

The final master plan incorporates any changes discussed and agreed upon. A planting scheme shows the location and spacing of the plants. The design will include a plant list with botanical and common names, quantities and sizes.

This design process enables a professional landscape contractor to estimate and order material for the installation of the garden. We do not include any construction drawings or site specifications. The final plan offers the opportunity to phase the garden in over time.

We generally source, supply and place all the plant material (according to the plan) and this approach helps us check the quality of the plants and provide substitutions if necessary. We acquire plants from all over Sonoma County and other nurseries further afield. While we do not engage in the actual construction and installation of the garden, we do monitor and observe the progress during the installation to ensure the integrity of the design.

We can offer maintenance instructions unique to each garden and also recommend reputable companies that specialize in the maintenance of gardens.