Services
Design with Nature provides a variety of services to suit your needs, desires and budget.
Garden Consultation – Consultations are great for DIYers that have limited budget and like to be hands on in their garden. We can consult both broadly, suggesting an overall organization of spaces, circulation and types of garden beds; or; provide more specific plant recommendations or advice on soil amending, pruning, drainage, slope stabilization, plant health, etc. The consultation is typically 2 hours.
Design Vignettes - A design vignette, provides a quick sketch that may be a design solution for one part of your yard or a general framework plan that organizes the "bones" of your garden and lets you fill in. This approach may suit you best - In addition to a consultation you will receive a scaled sketch plan. A design vignette is typically 2-4 hours.
Master Plan – This is a complete scaled landscape design for your home’s yard, front, back, or its entirety. The plan is derived from a careful site analysis and is a synthesis of your wishes. The plan will include both hardscape features and a planting plan. The plan allows you to obtain bids from contractors. A project design fee proposal will be provided to you up front for these services, based on the scale of the project.
Installation Coordination and Oversight - As your representative, I can:
- Help select a contractor and meet with contractors along with you;
- Help you select materials that fit your budget and aesthetics;
- Oversee the new garden layout with contractor to refine lines;
- Oversee installation at key check points and work with the contractor to trouble shoot any field adjustments that need to be made;
- Place plants in final locations for the contractor to plant; and
- Attend a final walk-through with you and contractor to assure work is completed to your satisfaction.
Plant shopping - If you are a do-it-yourselfer but want help in selecting appropriate plants, plant shopping with a designer may be all that you need. We can go to a retail or wholesale nursery together to select plants. Wholesale prices will be passed on to you.
With extensive experience in managing public park and open space projects, Design With Nature can provide a menu of services to community groups that have plenty of advocacy and passion, but could benefit from guidance and support in project coordination and management to secure funding and navigate through the process of planning, designing, permitting, and building their dream. Our services include any or all of the following:
- Community Outreach and Planning Facilitation
- Program and Site Design Refinement
- Project Cost Estimating
- Grant Writing and Reporting
- Volunteer Work Party Management
- Project Implementation Management
Design With Nature presents classes and hands-on workshops on an array of natural gardening and sustainable landscape practices, for East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, Metro, Portland Nursery, Watershed Council groups, and more. Presentations and classes can be tailored to your interest. Topic areas, listed below, range from broad and basic to narrower and deeper.
- Sustainable Landscaping Practices
- Edible Landscaping
- Naturescaping
- DIY Planning and Designing your Yard
- Rain Garden Design
- Natural Soil Building and Composting
- Native Plants for Wildlife
- Year-round Vegetable Gardening
- Vegetable Gardening Basics