A current trend for outdoor space and yards is to imagine them less as lawn areas, and more as outdoor living rooms. This commonly brings with it a need or desire to merge outdoor spaces with inside areas for flow and aesthetics. For example, an outdoor kitchen next to a living room could become an extension of the home and seasonal recreation area. For the client, such an illustration could help visualize how all of the spaces can interact with each other and serve lifestyle priorities in terms of necessary gardening, watering, sun exposure, and other utilities.

We find that it is often immensely beneficial to the client to be able to visualize the placement of items to be added, creating a plan for how different aspects of design and property will work together. Such an illustration serves to display where things go. It guides what to purchase, where best to locate items such as spas, trellises, living space, and play structures, and helps plan the likelihood of landscaping being healthy and low maintenance.

Delivery of the plot plan of the property utilizing satellite data and assessor documents representing the physical plot. This may include contour lines, existing buildings, and all proposed conceptual features, e.g., pools, walkways, and existing and planned final vegetation.

We usually start with a conversation and a site inspection. We’ll walk through the property with the client or owner to view the property and discuss the ultimate purpose and nature of the spaces and the long-term needs of the client. This then drives the design.

Once the above steps are complete, we compile satellite data, terrain data for contours for property boundaries, and major features (hills, boulders, trees, buildings, etc.). We then collect our data by mapping the relevant property details with a scanner. This helps us determine physical conditions. We then determine the scope of work with the client, develop a plan with landscape architecture software, and render all this information into a to-scale plan for the design.