With a thorough and methodical process, we deliver each client a beautiful, uniquely personal landscape that is a source of joy and inspiration.
The phases of our work are:
1
DESIGN CONSULTATION & PROPOSAL
Our process starts with an in-home consultation where we discuss your needs, assess the site’s challenges and
opportunities, explore design possibilities, and offer resources and strategies to help you progress. This
consultation is billed hourly, typically lasting around two hours. Once the project scope is defined, we’ll
provide you with a proposal outlining our services and fees. While the consultation doesn't commit you to continue
with Intelli, we generally schedule consultations only for projects well-suited to our expertise, to respect
your time and investment. To determine if a landscape design consultation is the right step for you, please review
who achieves the best results working with Intelli.
2
PREDESIGN & SITE ANALYSIS
During the crucial Predesign phase, we expand on the insights gathered during the consultation. This involves
refining your design program, creating "idea books," and researching relevant town ordinances and requirements
for your project. We'll collaborate with a surveyor to precisely measure and map your site, analyzing both
neighboring and environmental conditions in relation to your intended uses. Ultimately, we'll develop a base
plan of the existing landscape, which will serve as the groundwork for our conceptual design exploration.
3
SCHEMATIC DESIGN CONCEPTS
If we're designing new outdoor living spaces for you, we’ll start by sketching several concepts to explore how
these areas can best relate to each other and to your home. These schematic diagrams will outline the key features
we propose, including circulation patterns and sightlines. Based on your feedback, we'll either create additional
concepts or choose one direction to refine into the Preliminary Design.
4
PRELIMINARY DESIGN
The Preliminary Design captures our comprehensive vision for your landscape. This to-scale drawing includes all
major hardscape and landscape elements, such as key features and plant types. Accompanied by additional drawings
or images to illustrate the aesthetic we envision, you’ll gain a clear understanding of our design intent, along
with enough detail for a landscape contractor to estimate installation costs.
5
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Once you approve the Preliminary Design, Intelli will refine the plan's specifics and assist you in finding
landscape contractors with the right expertise. We'll revise the Preliminary Design as necessary based on initial
cost estimates, and select materials that align with your preferences and budget—covering everything from paving
and plantings to fixtures, furnishings, lighting effects, and other details.
6
DRAWINGS & SPECIFICATIONS
Intelli will create detailed installation drawings for you to submit for permits or to obtain bids from landscape
contractors. These typically include a layout plan that specifies the locations and finishes of built features,
a planting plan that details the locations, names, and quantities of all new plants (along with an irrigation plan
if required to meet your local Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) requirements), a landscape lighting plan,
and any additional details such as furnishings, containers, or other accessories to complete the design.
7
INSTALLATION SUPPORT
Throughout the installation process, Intelli will be available to coordinate the project, address any questions,
make necessary adjustments to our plans, and offer guidance to ensure your new landscape exceeds your expectations.
8
POST-INSTALLATION
Even after your contractor's work is complete, ours continues: we can help you find a skilled maintenance gardener,
source additional plants or accessories, and provide guidance on how your garden will evolve over time.