Consultations
We want to understand the deepest level of your inspiration with landscaping.
Everything from lifestyle to maintenance expectations play a part in what the landscape will be.
Turning in Questionnaire
To best serve your landscape needs we need to understand your motivations, lifestyle, preferences and vision for your outdoor space.
This quick questionnaire makes our initial consultation much more effective.
On-Site Consultation
Our initial consultation is designed to help us get a feeling for each other and the project at hand. We cover: use of outdoor space, from entertaining to casual outdoor play, preferences regarding materials, from quality to sustainability and expectations of craftmanship, from thoroughness to timeliness. The outcome is rough ideas for the landscape plan, a mutual understanding of the overall project, and whether or not Landscape Symphonies is a good fit for your project.
Our consultation fee is $100 for the first hour and $85 for successive hours. If you decide to continue designing with us, we will credit this fee towards the next steps of the project.
Our Design Process
We design landscapes through a two step process. We begin with a thorough Program & Site Analysis.
We then create the design by balancing the Essential Design Principles with what we call the inner Design Principles.
Program & Site analysis
Typically a three to four hour session, this detailed interview captures your specific expectations and site requirements. We want to understand the deepest level of your inspiration with landscaping. Everything from lifestyle to maintenance expectations play a part in what the landscape will be. We take pictures, measurements and elevations of the actual site. We look at any current landscape issues, such as drainage and then begin to develop a plan.
The Essential Design Principles
Many factors are involved to develop, install and maintain a good landscape. But, for certain, everything flows from an intelligent and meaningful design. Here are the basic principles that we use at Landscape Symphonies to determine the success of a design.
- Determine Intended Use and Audience:
- Shared Spaces
- Private areas
- Functional Areas
- Define Universal aesthetics:
- Balance
- Focalization of Interest
- Simplicity
- Rhythm
- Proportion
- Unity
- Integrate Personal Aesthetic:
- Style
- Hobbies
- Entertainment
- Family Structure
- Attitude to the outdoors
- Habits
- Materials preferences
- Use of Outdoor Space
- Consider cultural Requirements
- Zoning
- Home Owners Associations
- Easements
- Setbacks
- Historical Areas
- Integrate Existing and New Materials:
- Integrate Hardscape Considerations
- Integrate Softcape Considerations
The Inner Principles
The Extra Effort is what sets Landscape Symphonies apart from other landscape firms; the esoteric and inner principles we design and build into every garden.
- Basic Esoteric Landscaping Concepts:
- Balance Between Human World and Nature World
- Contemporary and Timeless Aesthetic & Values
- Portraying the Natural Process of Transformation
- Use Inner Qualities of Natural Elements
- Follow Universal Proportions (Golden Mean)
- Balance the Emotional with the Intellectual
- Create Opportunities for Real Experiences
- Timing of Passage Through the Garden
Design Outcomes
Through this two-pronged approach, we are able to create a master plan for the landscape design, as well as a project price range.
Every element possesses physical, chemical, and energetic properties.
A good design harmonizes all three.
The foundation of the installation process is the Infrastructure
We build in the drainage, irrigation electricity and gas at this stage, while obtaining all necessary permits and following legal code. Depending on the project, we may work with grading to reshape the garden to fit the design, removing or adding materials as needed.
We then introduce the Major Elements
Any boulders or large rock arrangements, or trees in the design are added at this step. This is followed by placing the Major Architectural elements: pergolas, patios, walls, and water features all come in to the picture.
Finally, its time for the Softscapes
Now it begins to look like the landscape in the plan, with all the greenery, flowers, lighting, and finishing touch details that make the landscape unique, thoughtful, and personal.
After all is installed, it is time for a Walk Through
Together with the client we walk through the landscape drawing attention to features and providing detailed information on upkeep, maintenance, and safety. At this stage, we are happy to train our client's preferred maintenance person, to ensure the landscape stays in premium care and condition. Now the Landscape Symphony is in your hands, and ready for your grand performance of it!
