With winter rolling in, your landscape company may have some downtime in the next few months. If you’re not out plowing, why not take the time to for you and your staff to learn something new. One of the most profitable landscape ventures clients may want is landscape design. This week’s article is on how to plan a great landscape design.
How To Plan A Great Landscape Design
Make sure you have the right equipment.
- Sketchbook and Good Pen(s)
- Trace Paper
- Scale
- Markers and Pencils
- Reference Books
- Digital Camera and Tape Measure
- Printed Construction Drawings.
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software
Meet with the client and hear their vision.
You should ask several questions including…
- What do you dislike about your current landscape design?
- What color palette did you have in mind?
- What kind of budget should we work with?
- Are you willing to maintain the landscape design yourself?
- Do you prefer a modern or traditional look?
The best way to make sure you have all the information you need is to setup a questionnaire you ask each client. At the same meeting, you should make several observations in the yard.
- Where and when does the sun hit?
- Are certain areas prone to more drainage than others?
- What needs to be moved/taken out for the design to come to life?
After that initial meeting, you’ll want to plan out what materials will be needed to create this design.
Questions to ask yourself…
- If this design includes a hardscape, what materials are best to use?
- What types of plants and flowers will work best with the customer’s soil type?
- Will this design require an irrigation system? And if so, where is it going to be placed and what will it cost the customer?
- What part of the landscape design should be the focal point? It could be anything from a fountain to a beautiful plant or bush.
You’ll also want to come up with an estimate so the client does not get sticker shock. Make sure they have the estimate in hand before you begin the work. You can hand in the 3D or draw the design to them at the same time. This is also an opportune moment to go over anything they like or dislike about the design.
Valley Green was founded by Charles Dooley in 1990. Headquartered in Holyoke, Massachusetts, we have grown to eight branch locations supported by inside & outside sales associates specializing in turf seed, sod production, golf sales, turf maintenance, nursery production, agriculture and arboriculture. The average green industry tenure at Valley Green is well over 20 years per associate.
642 S. Summer Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
Phone 413.533.0726
Toll Free 800.862.0089
Fax 413.533.0792
Wholesale Fax 413.533.4090