As a designer, I can help you achieve your new landscape in several ways: in short consultations, preparing full designs for professional installation, locating and purchasing plants, and managing complex installations.

I provide a detailed description of my services and fees below, because I believe my clients should be fully informed. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Initial Design Consultation

If you would like me to meet with you, I’d be happy to set this up at your convenience. I do not treat this as a meeting to pitch my services. During that consultation, I inspect your site, listen to your ideas, offer design suggestions, provide cost information, and will provide you with references for professional services that you may need. If, after meeting, you decide that you would like to retain me for a full design, your fee is applied to the design process

A Consultation costs $120, plus travel time one-way (if more than 30 miles from my Santa Cruz office), payable at the time of the visit.

Full Landscape Design

A landscape design consists of both a process and set of documents to assist you in fully developing your vision and your site. A full design is especially useful for new homes and high-profile areas (such as an entryway or pool), or major renovations, such as changing from a traditional lawn-and-shrub design to a drought-resistant or native planting. Landscape designs vary greatly from project to project, depending on the site, the level of detail and custom design (gates, fountains, etc.) that you request, the size of the property, and the extent of renovation or installation. A good rule of thumb is that design should cost 10-15% of the installation.

The Landscape Design Process includes:

1. Preliminary meeting. I come to the project site to meet with you, discuss the scope of the project, interview you about ideas and preferences, and walk the site. From this I prepare an estimate for the level of design that you request.

2. Site Analysis and Base Plan. I return to the site with my team to prepare a base plan for the property, inventory existing plants and hardscape, and make notes for a site analysis (wind, direction of sun, drainage, soil quality, areas that need screening, water sources, etc.). The base plan uses both measurements and detailed digital photographs. The base plan is not a survey, but a to-scale drawing of the project area. It is the basis for all further design sketches and drawings. Except for smaller projects, all base plans are computer generated.

3. Design sketches and client review. Once the base plan is complete, I use trace paper sketches over the base plan and photos to develop a variety of ideas for you to review. At this point, we may also consult with various specialists (concrete specialists, engineers, carpenters, etc.) to determine costs or construction details.

4. Conceptual plan. Using your feedback, I draft a final conceptual plan. This plan shows locations of trees, shrubs, flowerbeds, water features, paths, patios, and other structural elements, both existing and those to be installed. It is the key document for project bids for installation by professional contractors or as a guide for you if you wish to install all or part of the design yourself.

5. Planting plan. Once you approve the conceptual plan then, if desired, I prepare one or more detailed planting plans. These identify individual plants and help you or the installer to plant the site according to the design plan.

6. Follow-up consultation. I meet with you and/or your contractors to discuss these plans in detail and ensure that your questions are answered prior to installation.

Design fees are $90 per hour, plus travel time one-way if more than 30 miles from the office. I ask for a $500 retainer to secure your place on my schedule, and this is applied to the first few hours of design and base plan work.

INSTALLATION SERVICES

Customers always ask, so what happens after the design is finished?

The answer depends on how much support you want. In some cases, with smaller projects, you may have all the information you need and will only call me back to see the finished garden. Or you may work full-time or have no interest in working with contractors. If that is the case, I can provide full support for installing the design from start to finish, or any degree in between. My goal is to assist you in every way possible, in terms of time, expertise, and budget. Here are a few ways that I can assist:

My goal is to keep you fully informed so that you are always comfortable with the consequences of any decisions or changes made as the process unfolds. Once we move to installation, I prepare an estimate for the total cost of installation support, and any changes to that plan are provided in writing.

Installation fees are $70/hour.

One-time Consultations

A consultation is an excellent choice for owners of established yards who want help with specific features or plant suggestions. It includes:

Plant Purchasing

One benefit of working with a landscape designer, even if you do the installation yourself, is that you can purchase plants at a discount. For larger installations, the savings add up quickly. Purchasing through the designer also ensures that you get the plants listed in the design and not last-minute substitutions that may be inappropriate.

Plant purchasing fees are $70/hour, and discounts apply based on the wholesale costs.

Questions? I am happy to answer any questions you might have about my services and fees. I have a portfolio of plans and photos from client’s projects available for review. In addition, I am happy to provide you with the names and phone numbers of recent clients. Call or email me:

Thank you for your interest in Green Perspectives!