Landscape Design Process

Gunderson Residence / Before Gunderson Residence / After

What You Can Do

"A design process…can be defined as a sequence of problem-solving and creative steps used by the designer to develop an appropriate design solution for a given client and site. The designer uses this process from the beginning to the end of a design project as an organizational framework".

--Hiss and Booth, Residential Landscape Architecture

There are several steps you can take to prepare for your initial meeting with a landscape designer. These steps will help you organize your thoughts for any landscape project, from new home construction to a re-design of an existing landscape. Begin with the site itself. Provide the designer with the house plans and a plot map if possible. Take an inventory of the site: which existing plants do you want to keep or get rid of? Which hardscapes (anything that's not living) do you want to keep or get rid of? The designer can help you with these decisions.

Think about the problems you would like the landscape to solve. Do you have an unsightly view to screen…do you have too much lawn to mow? What things are important to include in your landscape? A water feature…plants to attract birds and butterflies? How do you intend to use your garden? Do you need room for the kids to play…do you want an area for the barbeque? Visit the Your Garden section of our site for a form to help identify what's important to you in your new garden.

In addition to the above, save photographs and articles from garden magazines and books. Visit local gardens and nurseries and jot down the names of plants you'd like to see in your own garden> Explore the wealth of gardening information available on the internet. Visit the Resources section of our site for more information.

You should have a good handle on the finances available for your project; the designer can then help you establish budget parameters. 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. Do as much of the work yourself that your time, skills and level of interest will allow. Site grading, the installation of hardscapes, soil improvement and preparation are significantly more expensive than the plant material.

You may be able to include your landscape project in the financing of your home. Ask your lender for information.

What The Designer Does

The landscape design process includes Site Analysis, Conceptual Design and Review, Master Plan, and Implementation.

Site Analysis -- the designer will walk the site with you to identify and document what stays and what goes (both hardscapes and plants) and what you like and don't like about the site. They'll take measurements of the site and the house, locate the position of the house on the lot and record information about the geographic orientation, soil structure, drainage patterns and slope of the site; views; noise sources; characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood, etc.

Following this meeting, the designer will prepare a list of desired elements and requirements of the design project. A thorough review of this list will help to ensure that your expectations are met in the final design.

Conceptual Design -- 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 hardscapes. 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 prepare a master plan which shows the layout of hardscapes and planting areas and includes plant material varieties, sizes and quantities.

Implementation -- at this point, you may proceed with installing the project yourself. If you decide to hire out all or some of the elements of the landscape project, use copies of the final plan to solicit bids from several contractors. Insist on a contract from the chosen contractor that includes:

Description of the work to be done.
Estimated costs for material and labor.
Terms of payment.
Estimated starting and completion dates.
Statement of any guarantees that apply.
Method of handling contingencies.
Method of handling change orders.

An overview of installation procedures may be found at the Landscape Installation Process section of our site. Watch this site for additional information on choosing a landscape contractor and managing the landscape installation process.