The first step to creating a well-designed landscape project is to gather detailed and accurate information about the site. A thorough site inspection helps us to understand the characteristics of your site and provides insight that can inform a unique design tailored to your individual property. Obtaining accurate information at the outset ensures the design matches the site and enables more accurate cost estimating.
We measure your house, including windows and door locations and heights, and locate important existing features, such as trees, structures, and hardscape.
We note desirable and undesirable views, as well as adjacent off-site conditions that affect the site.
We record the position of the sun and direction of the wind, and identify microclimates affected by these elements.
We glean information about the soil conditions by studying the site and existing vegetation. More detailed analysis about the nutrient levels can be achieved with a soil test.
We take numerous photographs to support our visual and physical gleanings.
Using a high precision altimeter, we accurately measure topography. Small changes in elevations that are not easily discerned by the eye can have a significant impact on a design. This information provides accurate information to calculate design features such as retaining wall heights, step quantities, and steepness of slopes.
Back in the office, we import this data into the computer to build a scaled base plan with 3D capabilities and make further analysis that will be pertinent to the design.
Site documentation and analysis can be done almost any time of year, as long as the ground is not buried in snow, and winter months are an ideal time to plan for spring improvements.
Rue Sherwood Landscape Design creates custom gardens and landscapes throughout the North Shore, from design through installation. Learn more about our services and explore our gallery of projects to see some of our recent work.
Contact us to help you create comfortable outdoor spaces for you to enjoy with friends and family.