Chosen theme: Basic Principles of Landscape Planning. Welcome to a friendly, practical dive into how analysis, ecology, and human needs come together to shape resilient, beautiful landscapes you’ll love to use and care for.
Start with Site Analysis
Reading the Landform
Contours reveal how people will naturally move and where water lingers after storms. On one hillside garden, small terraces doubled usable space while preserving gentle drainage patterns and protecting a beloved oak’s roots from compaction.
Tracing Water Paths
Follow raindrops from roof to roots. Mapping puddles and downspouts uncovered an easy win: a shallow swale feeding a rain garden. That simple change stopped erosion, filled a birdbath daily, and reduced irrigation needs by half.
Cataloging Assets and Liabilities
List what to protect and what to fix: mature trees, views, breezes, noise, glare, neighboring windows. During one redesign, a noisy street became an asset once hedges and a low wall reframed sound into a gentle green hush.
People, Purpose, and Program
Sketch morning coffee paths, kids’ play arcs, pet loops, and evening gathering spots. One family discovered their favorite sunrise corner only after mapping routines, leading to a compact deck that catches first light without blocking garden circulation.
Ecology, Soil, and Sustainability
Native plants evolved with local climate and wildlife. A coastal palette of dune grasses, bayberry, and beach plum tamed wind, captured sand, and welcomed pollinators—proving that ecological fit often delivers the most enduring beauty with minimal fuss.
Ecology, Soil, and Sustainability
Healthy soil is living infrastructure. Test pH, observe structure, and add organic matter. After sheet mulching a compacted lawn, earthworms returned within months, roots dove deeper, and irrigation dropped dramatically without sacrificing lushness or seasonal color.
Form, Scale, and Spatial Structure
Define edges to clarify where spaces begin and end, then carve view corridors toward something worth seeing. One modest boulder and a pruning cut redirected attention to a distant hill, making the garden feel larger and calmer.
Form, Scale, and Spatial Structure
Benches fit bodies; patios fit gatherings. Keep steps consistent, walls at friendly heights, and plants sized to spaces. A low seat wall at ninety centimeters became a perch, boundary, and subtle windbreak without feeling imposing or heavy.
Planting Design and Materials
Anchor with evergreens, weave deciduous interest, and finish with perennials. In winter, seedheads sparkle with frost; in summer, bees hum. Thoughtful layering keeps the garden expressive year-round without demanding exhausting weekly interventions or constant replacements.
Planting Design and Materials
Use materials that suit climate and context. Local stone reduces transport impacts and matches regional character. A reclaimed brick path felt instantly rooted in place, drained well, and developed a soft patina that improved with every season.
Stormwater as a Design Asset
Permeable paving, bioswales, and rain gardens turn nuisance into nourishment. A driveway retrofit captured roof runoff, fed a pollinator bed, and kept the street gutter dry during storms that once overwhelmed the neighborhood’s aging storm drains.
Climate-Smart Strategies
Right plant, right place, right water. Add windbreaks, shade structures, and mulch. A south-facing wall trained with espaliered fruit created microclimate warmth, extending harvests and protecting tender blooms from spring chills and unpredictable late frosts.
Plan for Care and Evolution
Design maintenance into the plan: accessible beds, clear edges, and species that thrive with your available time. One client swapped a thirsty lawn for meadow strips, cutting mowing by eighty percent while gaining butterflies and seasonal sparkle.
