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2.6 Site Analysis 1

Under development

It is our view that a workable landscape design cannot be achieved without a site visit. A visit will not only enable you meet the client and exchange ideas, but you will also be able to list plants growing successfully in the area (by driving around neighbouring streets and making a list of plants growing successfuly in the vicinity of the site), sample the soil on the site (take a soil test kit with you and make an assessment of soil pH and structure), the slope, any existing hard elements on the site etc. the site visit will surely spark design ideas.

We will also assume that will not get paid for the visit, so we want to make it as productive as possible. You should aim to spend less that one hour on the visit!

Assignment

Arrange with a friend to act as a client to you. Visit their garden (site) and carry out a site assessment, Write the results of your site visit up in your Google Docs word processor.

Check list - before leaving your office

  1. Portfolio of designs, particularly photos of designed landscapes in several sizes.
  2. Camera.
  3. Soil test kit + trowel.
  4. Note Pad printed graph paper. Scale ruler.
  5. List of services and prices for those services.
  6. Business cards.

Check list - at the site

  1. Neighborhood resources

As you approach the locality, make notes on the species of plants that are growing well in the vicinity of the site, particularly older specimens. This information provides you with a plant palette with which to work.

  1. Meet with client

Focus on what it is that the client wants you to do. Do not rush to offer an opinion. Ask the same question in several ways. What ideas do you have for the space? What is it that you want to achieve? Will anyone else (husband/spouse) be influencing what we do here?
 
Take your leave of the client, a breather from the discussion and STEP out the site, making an approximate map (mud map) of dimensions directly onto your graphed notepad. This should not be an accurate site plan, that come if you win the job and you will use triangulation techniques to get accurate measurements. Make some notes about slope. Make some notes using balloons and arrows such as "low lying area", "strong winds", "ugly views", "neighbors tree shades" etc.
 
Come back to the client. Offer a few (very few) suggestions and from your portfolio, show the client some photographic examples (not plans) of designs for the space that you believe would work.
 
Close the deal - you either get a commitment to produce a concept plan (show the client a typical plan and make sure that the client understands that you will charge a fee to prepare this) or you walk away. Do not offer free advice and keep the total time spent (including travel time) to less than one hour.

This project

Send us a scanned version of a mud map that you have prepared on such a visit. The visit can be for the design of a friend's garden. Attach some notes describing how you felt that the visit went.



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