Do you want to feel rejuvenated when spending time in your garden? Hope to reconnect with nature? Are you looking for a Missoula, MT landscape designer?
Do you want to stop people in their tracks when seeing your landscape, or are you more interested in a peaceful landscape that invites dreaming?
Or is your goal to increase your property’s value?
If you are unsure about how to go about your garden design and need landscape design help, call me at 406-246-6065 for a free phone consultation for landscape design in the Missoula MT area. This can help you decide quickly on your best move forward.
The on-site visit allows you to learn about your needs and to visually understand the existing site elements, consider options for their improvement and discuss possible site constraints.
Before our consultation, I will ask you to prioritize your project elements in an email, send a few photos and describe your soil conditions to your best knowledge.
Also, you can use my Client Questionnaire to help formulate and define your desired landscape improvements.
In the on-site meeting, I will:
- Review your design wish list and help you formulate your ideas;
- Give feedback on your property’s character, strengths, and potential problem areas that you might not have noticed before;
- Offer a horticultural or artistic assessment of existing plants;
- Only after having listened carefully to your goals and understood the type of landscape that you dream of will I make suggestions of landscape ideas and creative possibilities. These ideas will evolve as we continue to work together.
- Finally, I’ll lay out my design philosophy, show examples, and explain how the process works. That way we can decide whether we’ll be a good fit for each other.
Following this meeting, I’ll draft a detailed landscape design proposal that outlines our shared objectives, along with the design fees involved and all deliverables defined. Upon your acceptance, I will proceed to the first design phase.
Every design starts with an in-depth ‘design study meeting‘ in which we
- define the scope of the desired elements and review the desired style of your landscape;
- consider the home’s architecture;
- discuss possible amenities, review the desired plant feel;
- review your desired investment and the possible implementation of your project in phases.
To start with, I produce a site map, the inventory of the existing site, and all pertinent data that will inform the design. A soil analysis might be needed to learn about the composition, percolation rate, and special needs of your soil.
After the design study meeting, I create one or more drafts of landscaping ideas for your future yard, including a preliminary plant list. After reviewing with you, I will make all desired revisions and develop the final concept.
The final concept plan is a blueprint that spells out the design ideas. It shows the conceptual “hardscape” layout (patios, walkways, outdoor kitchen, pool, etc.) and planting plan. Suggested materials and finishes, legends, and plant symbols are very detailed and allow you to obtain competitive proposals for the execution of the design.
If desired, I’m available for project observation so I can be your advocate during the build phase. The benefits you will receive are compliance with the design, cost and time efficiencies with the landscaper, and less anxiety.
Here are some optional services that I have found to be beneficial to clients and the professionals involved in the project:
- Introduce a professional landscaper to client and project in a first walk-through.
- Assist with bid review to ensure the bid covers the design and answers all your questions.
- Provide total liaison with client and landscaper or other landscape professionals with problem-solving in mind. (i.e. arborist, irrigation specialist, pool builder or geologist/soils engineer etc.)
- Source plants, garden art, accessories, and furniture; provide quality control at deliveries.
- Place plants on the ground prior to planting — the landscape design is conceptual and changes can occur during construction which then makes adjustments of the planting design desirable.
- Create a plant book of all plants used in the design with photos and descriptions, irrigation and maintenance recommendations.
- Because gardens are dynamic and forever evolving, I propose to follow the maturation of your garden with regular site visits.
I look forward to speaking with you. (P) 406-246-6065; (C) 760-586-6065
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