The principles behind every design that feels right: unity and repetition, scale and proportion (plant size at maturity, not at purchase), line and form to move the eye, focal points, and the outdoor-rooms concept for organizing a property. You’ll analyze three before/after designs to see each principle doing its job, then apply them to a […]

A professional planting method: structure plants first (trees, evergreen bones), then layered masses, then seasonal interest and groundcover. Covers right-plant-right-place matching to the site analysis, hardiness and exposure, massing vs. the one-of-everything mistake, bloom-sequence planning, and maintenance-level design — matching the plan to the client’s honest upkeep tolerance. Building the planting planLesson 3 — the […]

Covers patio and path sizing/placement (circulation widths, dining vs. lounge footprints), material selection at design level (pavers, natural stone, gravel, concrete) with cost tiers, retaining wall basics and when engineering is required, lighting design concepts, and the drainage layer — grading away from structures, downspout routing, and dry creek/French drain concepts — that keeps designs […]

Covers building a scaled base map from measurements or GIS imagery, bubble diagrams to concept plans, the final presentation plan (symbols, labels, plant schedule, materials legend) by hand or with accessible software, and simple section/elevation sketches for grade changes. Ends with presentation technique: walking a client through the plan to a yes. From measurements to […]

The business layer: design-fee models (flat, per-square-foot, percentage), the proposal that sells the design phase separately from installation, phasing plans for budget-limited clients, producing installer-ready documents, and site visits during installation to protect design intent. Includes a design services agreement checklist. Certificate of Completion included. From design fee to installed planLesson 6 — the business […]