ServicesLandscape Design
Landscape Design in Belle Isle
We draw a layout and planting plan for your yard, choose plants that hold up to full sun, sandy soil and heavy summer rain, and give you a realistic install schedule before any work starts. You see the design, the materials and the dates, then you decide.
A plan first, then plants in the ground
Landscape design is the step before installation. We look at how the sun crosses your property, where water collects after a storm, what is already worth keeping, and how you actually use the space. That becomes a scaled drawing with plant names, bed shapes, edging and stone noted, so nothing is left to guesswork on install day.
It is the right call when you are starting from a bare or tired yard, when a few plants keep failing in the same spot, or when you want the front of your home to look finished without redoing it twice. A good plan also lets you install in phases, which keeps cost and disruption manageable.
We give you an honest timeline from the start. Design takes a set number of days, revisions are scheduled, and install dates depend on plant availability and weather. If something shifts, we tell you as soon as we know, along with the new date.
What the design work includes
- On-site walkthrough
- We measure beds, note sun and shade through the day, check soil and drainage, and mark the trees and plants worth keeping.
- Scaled layout drawing
- You get a drawing of bed lines, paths, focal plants and spacing at mature size, so the yard looks full in a few seasons rather than crowded in five.
- Plant selection for your conditions
- We choose plants by light, water need and how they handle heat and the occasional winter cold snap. Each one is listed by name and container size.
- Materials and finish
- Mulch type and color, edging material, stone or pavers if you want them. We explain how each one weathers so you know what it will look like a few years in.
- Irrigation and drainage notes
- Where the plan changes how water needs to reach plants, we mark the zones and heads that need adjusting. That work can be handled by our irrigation crew on the same schedule.
- A phased install schedule
- If you would rather spread the work out, we break the plan into phases with an estimate and a realistic window for each.
Signs your yard is ready for a real design
Losses in one stubborn corner
When plants fail again and again in one place, the light or drainage there rarely suits what was planted. Putting the same plant back tends to end the same way.
Water sits after every storm
Puddles along the foundation or a soggy corner of the lawn point to grading and bed placement that need rethinking, not just new plants.
Shrubs have swallowed the front of your home
Foundation plantings that block windows or touch the siding were often placed too close years ago. A plan sets new ones at the right distance.
Beds that stay thin and patchy
Sparse beds with more mulch than plant are common when spacing and quantities were guessed. A drawing settles the count before anything is bought.
The yard does not fit how you live
No shade where you sit, no path where everyone walks, or a lawn you never use. Design starts from how you want the space to work.
How a design project runs
- 1
Free estimate and walkthrough
We set an arrival window that suits you and keep to it. We walk the property with you, talk through what you want, and take measurements.
- 2
Design draft
We tell you the date your draft will be ready before we leave. You get the drawing, the plant list and the materials, and we go through it together.
- 3
Revisions and written estimate
Changes are made and reviewed on a set date. The final estimate lists plants, materials and labor line by line, so you can see where the money goes.
- 4
Install dates you can plan around
Once you approve, we confirm plant availability and give you start and finish dates. If heavy rain or a nursery delay moves a day, we call you with the new date rather than leaving you to wonder.
- 5
Install and final walk
The crew protects your lawn and driveway, plants to the drawing and cleans up each day. We finish with a walk around the yard and explain watering for the first weeks.
What moves the cost of landscape design
The design itself is a smaller part of the total; most of the cost comes from what gets installed. Your written estimate shows both, and the plan lets you decide how much to do now and what can wait for a later phase.
- Size of the area
- A single front bed takes far less drawing, plant material and labor than a full front and back yard.
- Removal and prep
- Old shrubs, roots, weed-choked beds and tired turf all have to come out before planting. Heavy removal adds time, and stump grinding or bamboo removal may be part of it.
- Plant sizes and quantities
- Larger containers give an immediate finished look but cost more. Smaller plants cost less and take a couple of seasons to reach their full spread.
- Hardscape and stone
- Paths, borders and patios add materials and labor. If your plan includes them, our hardscape installation crew handles that work.
- Irrigation changes
- New beds often need zones rerouted or heads changed. Where the existing system already reaches, the cost stays lower.
Landscape design questions
Something not covered here? (407) 783-8044
How long does it take from the first visit to a finished yard?
It depends on the size of the plan and plant availability, so we give you specific dates rather than a vague range. The walkthrough, draft and revisions come first, then install is scheduled once you approve. If anything moves, we tell you as soon as we know.
Do I have to install the whole design at once?
No. Many homeowners start with the front of the home and add the back later. We draw the full plan so each phase fits the next, and give you a separate estimate for each.
Can you keep the trees and plants I already have?
Often, yes. We look at the health and placement of everything during the walkthrough and design around what is worth keeping. If something should come out, we explain why.
Which plants hold up best here with less watering?
Plants suited to full sun and sandy soil, set in the right spot, need far less help once established. We match each plant to its light and water zone and group plants with similar needs together, which keeps irrigation simple.
Can I pay for a larger project over time?
Yes. Projects can be financed for amounts as high as $100,000, with repayment spread over anywhere from two to twelve years. Paying the balance off early carries no penalty. Bring it up on the phone or during the walkthrough and we will show how it would work with your estimate.
Will you keep up the yard after it is installed?
We offer lawn care and mulch and beds service, so the same company that planted your yard can look after it. Ongoing care is a separate choice, never a condition of the design.
Start with a walk around your yard
We will look at your light, soil and drainage, hear what you want, and tell you when your draft will be ready. The estimate is free.