Our Process for Creating Custom Landscapes

With the good fortune to work on hundreds of landscape projects over the years, we’ve developed processes that have made us highly efficient at delivering all of our services. Since creating custom landscapes is at the heart of what we do here at Stone Blossom Landscape & Design, we thought we would share some information about our process in this post.

What is a custom landscape?

It is safe to say that all landscape companies attempt to create landscapes that are aesthetically pleasing, but a custom landscape must accomplish more.

We define a custom landscape as a landscape that was consciously developed to meet all of the needs of the property owner and the local conditions. Yes, we design our landscapes to be aesthetically pleasing, but they must also be functional, sustainable, safe, environmentally-friendly, and context appropriate.

When all of this criteria is met, it results in a landscape that goes beyond aesthetic appeal because it accommodates your specific usage needs, speaks to the context of your home and neighborhood, and sustainably handles all seasons.

We first need to understand the lay of the land.

Every landscape comes with its own set of conditions and challenges to consider. That means every design process must begin with a site analysis to observe, measure, and analyze your property. A site analysis is the foundational process that provides the information needed to propose the right design solutions.

When we gather information about topographical characteristics, solar orientation, existing plant species, micro-climates, and how storm water needs to be managed on the property, we begin to get a clearer picture of the factors your custom landscape design must consider.

By understanding how the property functions presently, we can determine the changes that need to be made for it to function as desired in the future.

Now it’s time to consider preferences and usage needs.

Every homeowner has usage needs that must be considered if the landscape is to perform as expected. Walkways must connect destination points. Patios must be large enough for family gatherings and for comfortable outdoor entertaining. Stone walls may be needed to retain slopes for the creation of open, flat areas used for recreation.

Once usage needs are understood, we know what landscape features will be needed. Features such as walkways, patios, and walls can often be designed in various configurations. There is usually several choices of recommended materials that we will propose for your consideration. Choosing plant material is another area where your preferences help inform our selections and guide the look of the final product.

All of the information we gather through the process is used to create a landscape that has been customized specifically for you and how you will use your property over the long term.

Understanding construction is our advantage.

A key element that is an advantage of working with Stone Blossom is that we have built our reputation on being landscape construction professionals. That means all of our designs have decades of project knowledge behind them.

We have seen designs from landscapers without our level of experience that look good on paper but should not be built as proposed due to a lack of sustainability, improper material or plant choices, and the realities of construction processes. When we develop a custom landscape for your project, all of our solutions are backed by the knowledge of how landscapes perform over the course of years in New Hampshire.

There is not much we haven’t seen when it comes to constructability issues that less experienced contractors may simply not be aware of.

Do you need a custom landscape designed for your property?

If you have read this post you might be considering a custom landscape for your home. Feel free to contact us and we can have a conversation about how a custom landscape can solve your property challenges so you can fall in love with your landscape.