Why We Ask About Your Lifestyle Before We Design
- Robyn Cates
- Sep 3
- 2 min read
Landscape design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about alignment. Before we begin drafting layouts or selecting plant palettes, we ask about your lifestyle. Not to pry, but to design with purpose.
Design That Serves You
A garden should support how you live, not just how it looks. That’s why we ask:
Do you entertain outdoors, or prefer quiet solitude?
Do you garden seasonally, or want a low-maintenance space?
Do you need room for pets, tools, or play?
Are there rituals, memories, or moods you want the space to evoke?
These answers shape everything: layout, circulation, plant selection, lighting, and even irrigation zones. A client who enjoys annual gardening might receive a dedicated bed with easy access and seasonal flexibility. Someone who values privacy might get layered screening and soft transitions.
Designing for Phased Installation
Not every landscape is installed all at once—and that’s by design. Phased installation allows for budget flexibility, seasonal timing, and thoughtful sequencing. But it only works when the design is grounded in your long-term lifestyle goals.
How lifestyle informs phasing:
If you host often, we may prioritize hardscape and lighting first, so the space is usable early.
If gardening is your outlet, we might install key beds and irrigation zones first, leaving expansion areas for later.
If privacy is a concern, screening elements may be front-loaded, with ornamental layers added in future phases.
Phased design isn’t piecemeal—it’s strategic. Each phase builds toward a cohesive whole, with your lifestyle guiding the order of operations.
The Takeaway
We don’t design in a vacuum. Your lifestyle is the framework. By sharing how you use your space—now and in the future—we can create a landscape that’s not just beautiful, but deeply functional, personal, and enduring.
Start your very personal journey with a landscape designer now.
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