Our design process is as varied as our clients are. We adjust to the needs of each project. Our process may included the following steps.

 

PHONE CONSULTATION

One of our landscaping objectives is to help you extend your indoor life style, to the outdoors. Usually the first contact is a phone conversation. During this conversation we will ask you a number of questions to determine if your needs are a good fit for our services.

 

GET ACQUAINTED

Our first meeting is a "get acquainted" meeting. During the conversation we will ask you a lot of questions and usually have you fill out a ‘wish list’. What is the general purpose of your project? Are there any specific materials or vegetation you wish to incorporate? We’ll also want to learn more about you – your lifestyle, hopes, dreams, and style.
 
DESIGN CONTRACT

Once we get a feel for the site and the scope of the project, we will put together a Design Contract. Design fees can vary tremendously depending on how involved the project is. The time and effort put into developing a design specifically for you is time well-spent. It assures the design is unique, well-suited to you and your needs. As with any significant investment in your home, planning is critical for success.
 
CONCEPT PLAN

After the Design Contract is signed, the ’wish list’, site plans and photos are returned. At this point a client may choose to have a Concept Plan developed. The Concept Plan is an overall view of what the landscaping could look like. It is to scale and professionally drawn to indicate usage areas, including driveways, sidewalks, patios, lawn areas, planting, etc. The idea is to get you to look at the overall “big picture” rather than ask, “What is that plant?” The Concept Plan is accompanied by a Budget Study, which will give you an idea of potential costs.

 
PROPOSAL

Once we work out any modifications to the Concept Plan, we will put together a proposal for installation of the entire project or for the portion of the project that will initially be completed.
 
PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Once you approve the proposal, we request a down payment on materials, as a mutual commitment to grow your gardens. We discuss how to schedule the project for a time that is both convenient to your lifestyle, and efficient for our crews. Larger projects can be staged or phased in over more than one season, if necessary. Blue Heron Landscape Design implements projects using only the best local installers.
 
COMPLETION

We will advise you how to establish and care for your new landscape. Our expertise will ensure a job that will mature with a minimum of problems. Your investment is a quality outdoor environment which can now provide a steady return of enjoyment and enhanced home value for years to come.
 
AFTERCARE

You’ve made a big investment, and you really need to take care of it. We know it is your garden, but we are proud of the work we do, so we always feel a certain ownership of all of our projects. Blue Heron Landscape Design has a Garden Management division to assist you with caring for your new landscape. This specialized division allows us the opportunity to provide you with additional exterior services throughout the year: plant care, pruning of shrubs and trees, annual and seasonal decorating, remulching, fertilizing, etc.