Custom Garden Plan
- Save thousands of dollars by eliminating the guesswork
- Save time by knowing exactly what to plant and where
- Decrease maintenance
- Perfect for DIY or sending to a contractor
- Implement your plan in phases or all at once
Whether you have a large or small property, a well-thought-out custom garden plan is the foundation for creating outdoor spaces that are beautifully functional and enduring. It’s not only about putting the right plant in the right place, it’s also about how those plants and various hardscape elements work together within the garden. A custom garden plan is where it all begins. A comprehensive and cohesive landscape plan is produced by placing the right plants in the right places and having the vision of how they’ll work with your existing hardscape elements or creating new ones.
The Design Process
The design process starts with a client meeting to share inspiration and vision of the project. During this meeting, we’ll discuss the following:
- elements you want to be included in the design such as water features, outdoor kitchens, decks, patios, guest parking, walkways, pergolas, and other options specific to your property
- your likes and dislikes of different plant
- the various uses of your outdoor space
- your favorite colors
- your plans for maintenance (do you want a low maintenance plan?)
- digital assets needed to develop the plan such as your plat(property survey), photos, HOA rules, etc…
After the initial meeting, I will develop a preliminary site plan for your property. I will email it to you, along with instructions for taking photos of your property. This is easily done with your phone. The email will also have instructions for locating existing trees, shrubs, and hardscapes on your site plan that you want to remain so I can use them as references with the photos to accurately place them on the site plan. Once this information is emailed back to me, the creative process begins. You can expect a turn-around time for the completed plan in 2-4 weeks.
Troy Black
Garden Designer
I love what I do and I welcome the opportunity to design a custom garden plan for your project, large or small, anywhere in the South. The success of my business is based on thoughtful design, timely communication, and utilizing my 25 years of experience to get it right! An extensive part of my career was spent as the lead garden designer for Southern Living magazine. I’ve had the pleasure of designing great outdoor spaces for homeowners, builders, and developers throughout the South for some of the most beautiful properties in the country. I use sound garden design principles that focus on putting the right plant in the right place and creating functional and beautiful outdoor spaces.
I am committed to providing unequaled customer service and client satisfaction. If you have any questions or want to learn more about the design process, book a free consultation. There’s no obligation and I can answer all your questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I can I get a price for a garden plan?
Every project is unique and each plan is truly a custom plan. Most of the time I can gather enough information during the phone consultation to quote a price. In rare cases, I might need more information before quoting a price. Use the appointment scheduler (click here) to schedule a free phone consultation.
Do you offer design services in my area?
I offer design services throughout the South, serving the following states:
Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Do you work in person or remotely?
I work with clients both in-person and remotely. Some projects require on-site visits, most do not. Most client meetings are conducted over video conference using Zoom. Zoom has turned into a valuable tool for client meetings as it allows me to share designs, photos, and ideas in a way that isn’t possible in person. If you’re not familiar with Zoom, it’s free and super easy to use. I’ll even help you set it up. It’s like Facetime but enables me to share my computer screen.
How long have you been a garden designer?
I have over 25 years of experience designing landscapes throughout the Southeast, many of those years as the lead garden designer for Southern Living magazine. I’ve designed thousands of landscape lands all over the Southeast.
Do you work with HOA’s?
Yes, I have lots of experience navigating HOA landscape requirements during the design process and have even written a few of them for various homeowner associations.
Do you offer landscape installation or maintenance?
I create the design and offer consultation and project management. I can be involved as much or as little as you want. I can work in a project management capacity and manage every aspect of the installation from finding the right contractor to negotiating the installation costs to making sure gets implemented exactly as planned. Most importantly, I will ensure you get what you’re paying for. The fee for project management and consulting is based on the scope of the work.
Many of my clients are DIYers. I can guide you on how to implement the plan yourself in stages, whether you want to install the complete plan over a few seasons or years.
Do you work with small projects?
I work with properties of all sizes, from small townhome spaces, typical residential properties, sprawling estates, and even farm properties. I’ve even been known to work with “tiny gardens” such as a container garden plan for a balcony.
What if I don’t have a property survey map or plat?
A property survey, also called a plat, plays a very important role in the design. It’s used to develop a scaled map of your property in CAD software that’s used to create the landscape plan. If you don’t have access to yours, in most cases, I can use online services to obtain the information needed.
