Portland Landscape Design
Landscape design is the foundation of most great Portland area gardens. Yours won't happen by accident. You need a serious landscape plan to guide the way.
The landscape design process is simple and enjoyable. It starts when our landscape designer, Ben Bowen, meets with you for a consultation. We will walk your property and discuss your landscape. At the end of the consultation you should know if we are right for your project, and we will know if your project is right for us.
Is Ross NW Watergardens the landscape designer for your project?
Let's meet and find out.
Featured Landscape Design Review:
Alecia in SW Portland: "Ben was a great listener to our wants, wishes, and needs to transform our yard into a low maintenance, kid friendly space that looks amazing! He was very professional... we have used Ross NW Watergardens for our front and back yard. We constantly get compliments from neighbors." -Houzz
Styles of Landscape Design:
As you can see from our complete portfolio (which represents less than 1% of our projects) we work in many different styles. Our design-build projects range from high six-figures to simple front yards and container gardens. However, if you are looking for Japanese garden or a modern landscape design we would especially be interested in scheduling a consultation.
Why Ross NW Watergardens?
Your landscape design will be sustainable, functional, and beautiful- designed to improve with age. The design process keeps the focus on livability, avoiding ideas that will impress on paper and disappoint in real life.
Simply put, you will get the exact landscape you want, from the Portland landscape designer you will enjoy working with.
Ross NW Watergardens can help design you entire property or just key elements. We offer:
Master planning. From 4000 square foot lots in NE Portland to 2 acre estates in Dunthorpe, get a master landscape plan to ensure your entire garden functions the way you want and makes the statement you want others to see.
Front yard design. If your curb appeal needs a boost we can start with a design for your front yard. From simple planting makeovers and lawn elimination to retaining walls and new front porches, we can design the front yard your home deserves.
Backyard design. The backyard is where most of us choose to hang out and play. Let’s make your backyard into a quiet retreat or playground (for kids, dogs, or both!) that fits your lifestyle and budget.
Outdoor living space design. You probably have a patio, but what you want is an outdoor living room. Let Ben design the patio cover, outdoor kitchen, and fire pit that will anchor your summer weekends for years.
Water feature design. Water features can be compact and simple or sprawling and complex. Bubblers, tsukubai, natural streams, and koi ponds all benefit from being thoughtfully designed so they fit into your existing garden.
Planting plans. If your landscape’s structure is in place we can design a new planting plan to beautify and future-proof your garden. Well designed planting plans offer year-round color, low maintenance requirements, and are drought tolerant as well.
What Is The Process?
1) Landscape Design Consultation. During the initial free consultation our landscape designer Ben Bowen will walk your property with you. He will listen, answer your questions about us, and maybe ask a few as well. If we are a good fit for your project then you will receive a...
2) Landscape Design Proposal. Within a day or two Ben will email you a proposal for a design. Our landscape design agreements (see below) are simple, clearly spelling out what you will be getting and what it will cost. (90% of our designs are between $2000 and $4500.)
3) Site Visit. Ben will now get to work on your design. Within a few days he will return to your property to take pictures and measurements. If you have any inspiration pictures, Houzz Ideabooks, or Pinterest boards you can send us links to those.
4) Design Presentation. Ben will meet with you to present the initial version of the landscape design. You will receive a black and white paper copies of the design, a color digital copy, and a "design details" document that explains the key elements. This meeting is usually around an hour long.
5) Feedback & Revisions. You now let us know what changes need to be made to the design. Is there a solution we propose that doesn't seem to fit? Plants that you don't like? Let us know! Based on your feedback Ben will revise the design and send you a digital copy. If needed, a second revision will be done as well.
6) Completion. You now have a design that meets all your needs and desires- though probably not in exactly the way you imagined at the beginning of the process! If you have given us a budget to work with the design fits that as well. You will have paper and digital copies of your finished landscape design, along with any needed guidance for implementation and maintenance.
Want to see what your landscape can be? So do we.
Landscape Design FAQ's:
Do I need a full landscape design?
A full landscape design is often the best way to get your project started. Full scale designs are needed for large or complicated projects or if you know you will have difficulty visualizing your landscape's potential. It is also valuable to have a design when you plan to complete the project in phases.
Simple landscape projects may not require a full design, just a clear description of the work to be performed. We can provide pictures of, and links to information about, all the plants, other materials, and techniques that we will employ. Both approaches have benefits and drawbacks. The key is to choose what makes you comfortable.
Who are your landscape designers?
Joe and Ben Bowen are both landscape designers. Ben, though, is our primary designer. We have decades of experience designing and creating landscapes in the Portland area. Find out more about us here.
What does a landscape design cost?
Most of our designs cost between $2000 and $3000, which includes several rounds of revisions and a full color final design. Each design proposal is custom, based on your project scope and the demands of your site. You will know exactly what the design cost will be prior to starting the process. A sample landscape design proposal is below.
What kind of landscape plans does Ross NW Watergardens produce?
We utilize a CAD-based computer program to produce professional 2D designs (Examples below.) We provide pictures and descriptions that help you envision the design. We do not produce elevations or renderings.
Why not? 3D renderings are cool, but don't add much to the process. They tend to set expectations that can't be met in reality. The boulder delivered to your project will not look like the one in the rendering. Neither will the plants. And don't even get me started on the pitfalls of renderings of water features.
What we do offer is the combined power of a 2D design and written explanation, along with pictures that serve as examples. We do a good job of enabling even the least imaginative client to see what their new landscape will be!
How long does a design take to complete?
Depends on the scope and time of year (more on that here). A detailed design, requested during the summer, can take 4-6 weeks to be presented. Additional time is needed to make revisions.
How much input do you have into the design?
Tons. The design process is guided by your preferences. Multiple revisions are included in the design agreement, ensuring the final landscape plan is just right for you. I have been on many consultations with clients who had a design from another designer- a design that didn't fit their style. That will not happen with us! We love modern landscape design, but if that is not your style then it won't be the style of your design.
When do I need a landscape architect?
Large projects, with a high degree of complexity, benefit from the technical background a landscape architect provides. LA's can tell tradesman how to build something. Landscape designers can not. We are happy to consult on your project and refer you to an excellent landscape architect. We have several that are incredibly talented and wonderful to work with.
What is your landscape design service area?
We offer landscape design services in the Portland-metro area (and occasionally beyond). This includes Portland, Lake Oswego, Dunthorpe, Wilsonville, West Linn, Clackamas, Tigard, Tualatin, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Oregon City in Oregon. If your landscape design project is outside our normal service area, but is challenging or unique, please let us know!
Sample Landscape Designs:
Sample Landscape Design Proposal:
Ross NW Watergardens proposes to provide design services for landscaping at the [your home].
The scope proposed is:
Design Area
Front yard design including (but not limited to) general landscaping, main entry, screening from street, and drainage. A budget of $35,000.00 has been provided for the project.
Scope of Work
The tasks to be completed include:
1. Detailed measurement of the design area including all structures & existing plant material locations.
2. Analysis of site conditions and microclimates of the property.
3. CAD based design of the design area showing to scale locations of structures, plant materials, other softscaping, hardscaping, boulders, lighting fixtures, and other key landscape elements.
4. Plant list.
Please note that the scope of work does not include:
1. Detailed construction or working drawings for any site structure.
2. Irrigation system design.
3. Elevations or renderings.
Drawings
You will receive a to-scale copy of the CAD design at the design presentation, along with a digital copy of the final design. Two rounds of minor design changes are included.
Time Schedule
I will begin work upon receipt of acceptance email and the initial design fee. I will complete the design within four weeks and then contact you to schedule a design presentation meeting. Needed changes will be completed in a timely manner, usually 7-10 days.
Fee & Payment Schedule
I will complete the above described work for a total design fee of $2500.00.
Major revisions involving more than 2 hours of design time will be billed at an hourly rate of $125 per hour.
Acceptance
If this proposal is satisfactory and acceptable to you please or e-mail your acceptance. I will then email an invoice for the design fee. Design work will start upon receipt of the design fee.
What Does A Landscape Designer Do?
In Oregon (and elsewhere) Landscape Architects and Landscape Contractors have strict licensing and educational requirements. What they can and can't do is defined by law and code. Landscape Designers? Not so clear cut.
In Oregon anyone can call themselves a "Landscape Designer". Some are gardening enthusiasts who love putting together and laying out the perfect planting plan. Others (like me) start as contractors and add design as a way to connect with clients early in the process. There are certain core responsibilities any Landscape or Garden Designer should be able to fulfill, regardless of their origin story.
How Does A Landscape Designer Help You?
They save you from yourself. You probably have at least a vague plan for your landscape already in mind. A good designer will be able to gently (or firmly) steer you away from bad ideas, or even just mediocre ones, towards something better and perhaps unexpected.
Maximize your landscaping budget. To get the most out of your designer, first tell them what you want. Then tell them how much you can spend. A good landscape designer wants to give you the best landscape possible for your budget. Your contractor wants to leave you thrilled with the transformation- so much so that you become a referral, leave positive reviews online, and beg him to come back next year to do more. If you give your designer/builder a budget all of this can happen. Or, they can design in the dark. You will get a fantastic design. Maybe it will fit your budget, but maybe it will fit someone else's.
Design a garden that fits your lifestyle. I have only had one bad hair cut, years ago, from an old barber on the east coast. I realized later that he only did one hair cut: his. Your designer should not be like that. Yes, the designer's style will be seen in your design. But the foundation of any design should be the needs of the people who will use the landscape. If your designer makes no effort to understand how you live, that's a red flag. Look at their portfolio. Do all the designs look the same? That's a red flag too. A good designer will favor your legitimate preferences over theirs, even if it's difficult!
Made it this far looking for a landscape designer? Contact Ben Bowen of Ross NW Watergardens today for a free landscape design consultation. Or check this list for other recommended landscape designers.