Our Process
No heavy chemicals are used on our properties, making your property safer for you, your children, your pets, and our world! We design gardens with native plants (reducing the need for chemicals), and with the idea of keeping rainwater on-site, reducing runoff pollutants to our lakes and rivers. We educate our client on proper plants for their site and potential ideas to incorporate in their design. We are consistently broadening our awareness of new plant material that will provide outstanding performance. Nautilus Garden Designs values education and is dedicated to continuing to learn new environmentally friendly techniques.
Nautilus Garden Designs is a Lynnhaven River Friendly Landscaper.
Getting Started
One of our landscape designers will meet with you on-site to discuss your project. We will need a copy of your plat survey at this time. They will ask about YOUR goals and desires, and walk the property with you to take note of features specific to your site. Every project is custom tailored to your personal taste; with the end result being the creation of a space you truly enjoy being a part of. We will also explain our design process and philosophy in more detail.
Following the meeting, we draft a detailed design agreement outlining our shared objectives along with the design fees involved. We proceed to the first design phase after your acceptance of the proposal.
Site Survey
A fully detailed survey of your site is conducted. This survey will include measurements of your home, property boundaries, other existing elements (driveways, outbuildings, etc.), and an inventory of existing trees and plantings. At this time we will also take several reference photographs of your property.
Our designer will then prepare your preliminary conceptual design (drawn to scale) at our office, based on your meeting and discussions. This will provide you with a clear understanding of how your property will look. Any additions, changes, or recommendations you may have can be discussed at this time.
Final Design Drawing
Our designer will return with the new information you have discussed and create a final design and planting plan. This planting plan includes specific plant varieties, sizes, quantities, and proper spacing for your garden. This plan will include photos of the plant material in your design. Once this step is completed we will present you with a complete plan and estimate for the installation.
Construction
Once you have your design plan, you need a contractor to install it. Nautilus Garden Designs can install your landscape as well! Sometimes, what looks good on paper might not work going into the ground. Our designer will be on site for the install, watching for any possible issues and see to it that the overall designs' integrity remains intact.
During construction, all phases are cleaned up on a daily basis. When finished, a member of our design team will do a walk-through with our Certified Horticulturist to ensure that nothing but the highest quality job has been performed. Nothing is complete until YOU walk through the project and all of your questions have been answered.