1. Your Homework . . .

To make our first meeting as productive as possible, there are a few things that we request of you to have ready beforehand. First is a scaled plot plan of your house and yard. Most homeowners will have this with the standard documentation that comes with the purchase of the house. If its absolutely not possible to find this document, we can take our own measurements - it is just more time consuming. If your home is recently built or you are in contact with the engineer or architect, then that contact information would be useful to us as well, as we can request them to send us a CAD file on your property, which they will usually do as a courtesy.

Secondly, start a collection of photos of landscapes that you like. Magazine photos, websites, brochures, and even photos of your neighbor's yard are all a good place to start. We probably won't be creating an exact replica, but they will definately give us a clue as to what you are looking for in a landscape design, and help us to get to know you better. Don't be afraid to include other artwork or "far out" ideas. This is the time to explore!

2. The First Meeting

The most important goal of the first meeting is for us to get to know eachother. We like to develop a personal relationship with our clients, which makes it easier for us to deliver a plan which will deliver everything you expect, and more, from your landscape. If possible, we would like to meet all of the family members. At the very least, if you have a spouse or partner, we would request that both of you be present at the meeting. There is nothing worse than comming up with the perfect landscape plan for one spouse, only to find that the other had a completely different idea of what was expected! In the long run this will make things go more smoothly, and feel like more of a team effort.

At this meeting, we will discuss exactly what you want and need from your landscape, and determine what style of landscape you are looking for. There are many possibilities, and just because we emphasize sustainable design doesn't mean that we can't design a formal rose garden, if that is what you want: we will just do it in the most sustainable way possible.

You will also have the chance to ask us any questions you have about landscape ideas, gardening, or ecology, and we will further follow up by email with design ideas and plant lists. The fee for this first consultation is $100. If you decide to comission a landscape design, we can set a fee and sign a design contract. 50% of the design fee can be paid at this time.

3. Site Analysis

After our first meeting, we will contduct a formal site analysis, for which you need not be present. We will be collecting and testing soil samples, analyzing sun and shade patterns, runoff and drainage patterns, prevailing summer and winter wind conditions, noting key views, taking measurements, elevations, and pictures, and cataloging existing elements as needed. This will provide us with the key information that we will use, along with your concepts, to create the landscape plan.

4. The Charette Process

After the site analysis, we will come up with with a working design which will fulfill the goals decided on, and at the same time be perfectly tailored to fit the requirements of your site. There are almost always a number of variations of design which will could meet the design parameters, and we will want to explore several before deciding on a final version. At this point, we will produce several rough hand drawn designs with sketches (aka "charettes") and general plant types, and share them with you to make a determination on which one to go with. Your input is welcome and encouraged at this time. The reason for using rough sketches is that they can be easily modified. If none of the designs seems quite right, we can modify an existing design, or even create a new charette quickly if necessary. If it is a fairly simple design, we can present and discuss the charettes by email. Otherwise we can meet face-to-face to go over the plan and issues in more detail.

5. The Final Draft

After settling on a final design concept, we will then produce an exactly scaled design with specific plants chosen and listed. Additional sketches will also be produced, so that you can easily visualize exactly what the finished design will look like. The final design will be presented to you in a face-to-face meeting, and if there are any minor changes that need to be made, we can make the necessary revisions. The balance of the design fee can be paid at this time.

6. Estimates & Installation

At this point, the design is yours to keep. You may do as you please, but we strongly encourage you to let us install the design. When necessary we work with a small number of trusted local contractors, and always oversee the installation directly. We can also divide the installation into a number of separate projects in a way that works best for your budget, and give you estimates for each phase.

FernCreek Design * Kerhonkson, NY 12446
(585) 309 - 2397 * info@FernCreekDesign.org
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Serving the Catskills, Shawangunks, and Hudson Valley including Ulster County, Dutchess County, Sullivan County, Ellenville, Kingston, New Paltz, Woodstock, Phonecia, Wawarsing, Accord, Naponach, Spring Glen, High Falls, Rosendale, Stone Ridge, Tillson, Gardiner, Wurtsboro, Hurley, Shokan, Rhinebeck, Rondout, Port Ewen, Hillside, Lincoln Park, Connelly, Eddyville, Bloomington, Esopus, Pine Bush, and surroundng areas.