What Affects Your Landscape Design? These Site Factors Do.

Every Design Starts with Your Site — Not the Plants

Before we ever sketch a bed or suggest a plant, we look at how your property behaves. A good design doesn’t start with Pinterest ideas — it starts with the conditions on the ground. We assess these key site factors first because they determine whether your layout will thrive or fail.

The most important things we ask:

Sunlight Exposure ☀️ – Is the area full sun, part sun, or deep shade? This defines everything.
Soil Conditions 🌱 – Are you working with sand, clay, loam, or fill? Is it compacted?
Drainage Patterns 💧 – Does water sit in areas? Is there slope or pooling?
Deer Pressure 🦌 – Do you live in an area where deer browse is common?
Space & Boundaries 📏 – How much room do you really have, including height clearance?
Existing Overgrowth 🌿 – Are there root systems or structures already in place?

These details shape your plant list, spacing, bed edges, layering, and maintenance needs. Ignoring them leads to wasted money and rework.

Sunlight Mismatch 🌤️

A homeowner installs hydrangeas or rhododendrons in blazing sun and wonders why they burn out. Or they put boxwoods in dense shade and watch them yellow. We evaluate your sun pattern and suggest placements accordingly. If you don’t know, we’ll guide you how to check and note it.

Drainage Failure or Waterlogging 💦

Puddling beds kill root systems fast. Even so-called “wet-tolerant” plants won’t survive in standing water for long. We ask: where does water go after a storm? Does it collect behind fences or slope toward foundations? A small change in layout can make a big difference.

Deer Destruction 🦌

Even in suburban neighborhoods, deer damage can ruin months of growth overnight. We ask about traffic, pressure, and past plant failures — then make realistic layout decisions and suggestions that account for it. Design isn't just what looks good — it’s what survives.

How to Prepare for Your Design Request

When you're getting ready to submit your design form, these are the site notes we need from you:

✅ Take clear photos of each space from multiple angles
✅ Measure the length and depth of beds or layout areas
✅ Walk the area at different times of day to note sun/shade
✅ Think about how water drains after it rains
✅ Tell us if you’ve had deer, pests, or plant failures in that spot
✅ Let us know what your goal is — privacy, structure, color, cleanup, etc.

The better your input, the better our design.