OUR CREATIVE PROCESS
1 \ INITIAL CLIENT MEETING
Our process starts with an on-site meeting to understand your garden goals and preferences. We enjoy the process of understanding how our clients want to use their gardens and how a planting could enhance that experience.
This no-cost meeting allows us both to determine if Leaf and Spade is the right fit for your project, while also providing an overview of the design process, timelines, estimated design fees and who we are as people.
2\ INFORMATION GATHERING AND PRELIMINARY DESIGN
Once the design fee deposit is made, we schedule a site assessment to get to know the space better. During this visit we make detailed site measurements (to check against any existing measurements in the client’s Plat of Survey, if available), take extensive photographs, and assess the existing soil, light, and water conditions so that we can create a design that builds on the specific conditions of your space. Additionally we inventory the existing plantings that may be suitable for reuse in the new design.
This site assessment is a critical step that goes a long way to help us insure that we are using the right plants for the conditions present.
From this visit we create the initial site drawing with the proposed garden and hardscape layout (outlining proposed planting areas and hardscape, if applicable). This layout is based on client goals and is presented for client review before the planting design begins. Once approved, planting design moves forward.
3 \ PLANT PALETTE AND PLANTING DESIGN
We begin the design work by building a plant palette based on the site conditions inherent to your garden space. We choose plants that will thrive under your site conditions, and ones which will rarely need additional watering once established. Once appropriate plants are chosen, a detailed planting design is created. This is where the plants are 'placed' in the design. Focus is placed on seasonal color, structure, form, in addition to ecological diversity and benefit, for a garden that can provide four seasons of interest.
4 \ DESIGN REVIEW WITH CLIENT
During this in-person meeting we walk our clients through the Plant Palette and the final Planting Design, translating the garden design into an understanding of the finished garden experience. Additionally we provide a clear installation estimate based on the scope, plant choices, and any hardscaping involved.
Once the design is finalized, with any revisions made, we provide both a printed and a digital copy, and the anticipated timeline for installation.
5 \ GARDEN INSTALLATION
We personally install our own gardens and work closely with trusted subcontractors for hardscape installation. Leaf and Spade oversees the entire process, from scheduling and permitting, to sourcing plants and hardscaping materials from the most trusted sources in the industry, to the final planting installation in your garden space.
We spend a significant amount of time on site preparation to make sure your plants have the best conditions possible for a long healthy life. We take pride in high quality plant installations, leaving you with a beautiful garden space to enjoy!
6 \ GARDEN STEWARDSHIP
We see garden design not as a one-time event but continually shaping a garden into its future. We do this either through a continued conversation on stewardship strategies with our clients or by directly providing regularly scheduled garden care visits. What are designers if they are not also out there, working with the plants, and continually learning from them? There aren’t many garden design firms where the designers also care for many of the gardens they’ve designed, but we feel strongly this is the best way to go. We are honored to provide support in any way to sustain healthy, long-lasting-yet-evolving, beautiful garden spaces.