Services & Fees
As a Landscape Designer I provide a number of services ranging from a full landscape design package to garden coaching and wholesale plant shopping.
Landscape Design On the average the cost of a landscape design is $1,400.00 (average-size lot) to $2,500 or more for acreage. For smaller projects such as a entryway garden I charge by the hour ($80.00/hr). A full landscape design includes a planting plan (which plants, where, how many and what variety), and installation specifications. Installation specifications include recommendations for soil ammendments, mulch, drip irrigation and hardscape materials such as pavers and flagstone. Other add-on options are; a plant maintenance schedule and project supervision. (See - Design Process - for more details.)
Follow-up with contractor, or project supervision is available at the $80.00 per hour. Project packages are also available.
Garden Coaching As a garden coach we will walk around your property and I will answer any questions you may have about horticultural topics such as pruning, identification of insect and disease problems, lawn care issues, and landscape design and plant selection. I suggest that all clients prepare a written list of questions. The questions keep the discussion focused and productive.
If more help is needed I can teach you how to prune and maintain a lush landscape. Need help pruning? I'll bring over my pruners and we will prune together, step-by-step. No matter what your landscape maintenance problem I can teach you one-on-one and we'll dig into the problem together.
Wholesale Plant Shopping I am happy to purchase plants wholesale for any client who wants to install the landscape plan themselves; or for any homeowner who knows what plants they want for their landscape.
For wholesale plant shopping, I mark up the plants 40% to cover my time for locating the plants and personally selecting each plant on your list. This saves you hours of going from nursery to nursery to find the plants yourself.
Mark-up from the wholesale nursery to the retail nursery is around 100%. This means that buying a plants wholesale through me is a significant savings for you (up to 60%). I require a minium purchase of $400.00.
Gardening Classes The cost is negotiable... plus travel expenses. I am available to groups for one-hour lectures on a variety of topics that include: Shade Gardening, Water Conservation in the Landscape, Tough Plants for Tough Places, High Impact-Low Maintenance Plants, Planning for Six Months of Color, and Naturescaping with Native Plants just to name a few topics.
"Her plan and choice of plants gave us the natural look we wanted. After just a couple of years, our lovely natural screen is well in place and will get fuller as time goes on. We appreciate Mary Jo’s understanding of our problem, excellent design, and oversight of the project. The result is great."
Landscape Design On the average the cost of a landscape design is $1,400.00 (average-size lot) to $2,500 or more for acreage. For smaller projects such as a entryway garden I charge by the hour ($80.00/hr). A full landscape design includes a planting plan (which plants, where, how many and what variety), and installation specifications. Installation specifications include recommendations for soil ammendments, mulch, drip irrigation and hardscape materials such as pavers and flagstone. Other add-on options are; a plant maintenance schedule and project supervision. (See - Design Process - for more details.)
Follow-up with contractor, or project supervision is available at the $80.00 per hour. Project packages are also available.Garden Coaching As a garden coach we will walk around your property and I will answer any questions you may have about horticultural topics such as pruning, identification of insect and disease problems, lawn care issues, and landscape design and plant selection. I suggest that all clients prepare a written list of questions. The questions keep the discussion focused and productive.
If more help is needed I can teach you how to prune and maintain a lush landscape. Need help pruning? I'll bring over my pruners and we will prune together, step-by-step. No matter what your landscape maintenance problem I can teach you one-on-one and we'll dig into the problem together.
Wholesale Plant Shopping I am happy to purchase plants wholesale for any client who wants to install the landscape plan themselves; or for any homeowner who knows what plants they want for their landscape.
For wholesale plant shopping, I mark up the plants 40% to cover my time for locating the plants and personally selecting each plant on your list. This saves you hours of going from nursery to nursery to find the plants yourself.
Mark-up from the wholesale nursery to the retail nursery is around 100%. This means that buying a plants wholesale through me is a significant savings for you (up to 60%). I require a minium purchase of $400.00.
Gardening Classes The cost is negotiable... plus travel expenses. I am available to groups for one-hour lectures on a variety of topics that include: Shade Gardening, Water Conservation in the Landscape, Tough Plants for Tough Places, High Impact-Low Maintenance Plants, Planning for Six Months of Color, and Naturescaping with Native Plants just to name a few topics.
The Landscape Design Process
Site Evaluation and Base Map
The first step, and perhaps most important is the site evaluation. During the site evaluation measurements and photos are taken. Using an AUTOCAD program,a base map is created with the information gathered during the site evaluation. The base map shows the foot print of the house, windows, water faucets, and any existing hardscape features such as walkways, patios or fences. The base map also includes property boundaries and any natural features such as trees, slopes, and creeks.
The base map also identifies any microclimates, the orientation of the house to the site, and identification of functional areas within the site and their relationship to each other. Any problems are noted such as, an area that may require a screen, or low spot that is wet in winter.
The Conceptual Drawing
The second step is the conceptual layout of the design. This further refines specific pathways, patios, or decking drawn in more details. The shapes of the planting areas and hardscape elements (water features, arbors and terraces) are defined. The intent is to reflect the client’s specific activities and use of the space as well as the spacial relationship within the site. Emphasis is on developing form and patterns.
At this point the client and I meet again for their review and comments on the conceptual drawing. Because I use an AUTO CAD program, alteration and changes are easy.
The Planting Plan
I present the planting plan as a draft for client review and comments. I bring photos and lots of information on the plants selected (clients love this!). A planting plan includes: quantity of each plant species, the specific variety of that species, and guidelines for spacing when planting.
The Final Plan
After the planting plan is approved by the client, the final plan is drafted. At the final presentation I discuss implementation of the project, phasing, and maintenance. Two AUTOCAD prints 24″x 36″, are provided to the client. I retain the AUTOCAD file on my computer and on backup CD as well.
The base map also identifies any microclimates, the orientation of the house to the site, and identification of functional areas within the site and their relationship to each other. Any problems are noted such as, an area that may require a screen, or low spot that is wet in winter.
The Conceptual Drawing
The second step is the conceptual layout of the design. This further refines specific pathways, patios, or decking drawn in more details. The shapes of the planting areas and hardscape elements (water features, arbors and terraces) are defined. The intent is to reflect the client’s specific activities and use of the space as well as the spacial relationship within the site. Emphasis is on developing form and patterns.At this point the client and I meet again for their review and comments on the conceptual drawing. Because I use an AUTO CAD program, alteration and changes are easy.
The Planting Plan
I present the planting plan as a draft for client review and comments. I bring photos and lots of information on the plants selected (clients love this!). A planting plan includes: quantity of each plant species, the specific variety of that species, and guidelines for spacing when planting.
The Final Plan
After the planting plan is approved by the client, the final plan is drafted. At the final presentation I discuss implementation of the project, phasing, and maintenance. Two AUTOCAD prints 24″x 36″, are provided to the client. I retain the AUTOCAD file on my computer and on backup CD as well.