All design inquiries begin with a 1 hour in-person Site Evaluation, in which one or more team member(s) will meet with the client to walk around their location and answer questions. We will discuss the client’s need and vision for the space, observe existing vegetation and site conditions, and take measurements and photos. 

Site Evaluations are necessary for all clients requesting a Design Package or Design Package and Installation Estimate.

Following a Site Evaluation, we will send the client a copy of our report that is theirs to keep. 

Site evaluation reports include a scaled diagram of new or existing planting areas, light and soil conditions, examples of landscaping plants and ideas, and a price for a design and a general installation estimate. 

Site Evaluations cost $200, which will be applied to the cost of a Design Package if a client chooses to move forward.

Our Design Package includes a complete scaled design and key, plant list with quantities, and an estimate of plant material. Our proposals include photos of each plant species, so we can fully express our vision to our clients. 

All designs start at a base price of $650 for projects under 1,300 sq ft. Design cost for projects larger than 1,300 sq ft start at $0.50 per sq ft of planting area. 

Designs can include pavers/pathways, seating areas, lighting systems, sculptures, and/or other landscape elements. Cost of additional material varies. 

During peak season, we can have numerous inquiries happening simultaneously, and will schedule in the order that the design request comes in. All Design Packages must be paid for before a design is completed. Sample Design Package deliverables available upon request.

Clients can opt to pay for a design package and complete a self-installation of their project. 

After a design is accepted, we offer to coordinate with Native Plant Company to custom grow and source the plants for your project. A 50% deposit is required before any project materials are sourced. The timeline for plant and materials sourcing may vary depending on the species used or specialty items, but is usually around 4-6 weeks if plant availability allows. If your project requires large vegetation removal, permanent irrigation installation, or hardscape installation please expect longer project lead times to coordinate services with a partner company.

Our team will coordinate the preparation of your project site for planting. This includes removing existing vegetation and potentially amending the soil depending on the needs of the project. This stage of the project is site specific and the actions taken will be determined by type of vegetation present and goals of the project. The number of prep hours and site visits will vary depending on the complexity of the site and approach. 

Once a client is satisfied with their design package, we will provide an estimate of the installation cost and timeline. Installation services include site prep, plant sourcing and transportation, and plant installation. Additional temporary irrigation services are also available. 

All plants require irrigation to ensure they are receiving ample water during the establishment period. We have three options for irrigation:

• Clients can agree to use existing irrigation on their site. Depending on the system we may need to supplement additional equipment into the existing system.
• Clients can rent a temporary irrigation setup from Florida Native Landscapes that we install and remove after plants are deemed stable.
• Clients can have a permanent irrigation system installed by a local irrigation specialist.

Hand watering can be very tedious and time consuming, and we do not recommend it for large planting areas.  

We custom select plants for each project based on the soil and light conditions of each site. Our projects are designed so that, in general, the plants should not require supplemental watering after establishment, making temporary irrigation a cost friendly option. In periods of prolonged drought, some supplemental irrigation may be required and will be the responsibility of the client. 

The landscapes we design are dynamic ecosystems that will naturally grow and change with time. When properly managed, our landscapes require little maintenance post-establishment. 

However, newly planted landscapes are most vulnerable during the first year following installation. It is critical to tend to the newly planted areas while plants fill in to ensure the success and establishment of the landscape. All newly planted landscape projects require weed management. Any time that there is a soil disturbance, seeds that already exist within the soil seedbank may be brought to the surface or otherwise be given the conditions needed to germinate. 

The first year of a new landscape is the most critical time to manage weeds. If left unchecked, unwanted plants may overtake the desired plants as they are filling in. Techniques such as handing weeding, string trimming, tarping, spraying with acetic acid, or reapplying mulch may be implemented to manage weed pressure. 

We request that all clients agree to our monthly maintenance package for the first year until the landscape is more stable and maintenance needs decrease. The maintenance package starts at $100 per month ($1,200 per year) for areas up to 1,500 sq ft and ensures that your landscape installation is successful in meeting its desired goals. The maintenance package covers one visit per month for completing routine maintenance practices. 

Our First Year Maintenance Plan includes:

Clients may opt-in to continue receiving monthly maintenance after the first year is completed. 

We prefer to handle all first year maintenance of our landscapes to continue the project oversight and prevent additional costs and time needed to restore a landscape that has not been appropriately maintained.

Time until maturity

Native landscapes will typically establish within 6 months to 1 year depending on the species used and site conditions. 

Year one, most herbaceous plants and grasses sleep, or appear so when looking at them in the landscape. During the first year the plants will grow above ground, but are mainly focusing their energy into developing their root systems that will support them. 

Year two, the plants creep, as their roots and vegetation begin spreading out more.

Year three, the plants leap, and the results of the first two years of growth will be more visible on the surface. The plants will begin reaching their full sizes and filling out the landscape as intended. Some species will reseed and “volunteer” in different areas of the landscape with the assistance of wind and wildlife. We encourage our clients to fall in love with the process of watching the plants grow, embracing the changes in color, texture, and observing wildlife visitors throughout the seasons. 

“That’s a lot of plants!”

We use a very dense planting strategy in our designs that mimics how plants would grow and interact in their wild settings. This helps with the suppression of weeds resulting in lower maintenance requirements, and gives the plants the structural support they need above and below ground. The more intentional plants that are taking up space on your site means fewer opportunities for undesirable plants to move in and take over. 

Bigger isn’t always better

Planting a larger plant may provide the “instant gratification” feeling of a filled in look, but this is more costly and a larger plant may not establish as well as a healthy plant installed at a smaller size. Planting smaller plants often results in having a higher rate of success in a landscape because their roots are allowed to grow into their permanent home from an earlier stage. This applies to most of our herbaceous and grass plantings which fill out quickly during the first growing season. Structural elements such as trees and shrubs can be planted at larger sizes upon request.

Welcome the Wildlife 

Native wildlife will love your garden even more than you do. It is expected that wildlife will use the native plants in a landscape for food and shelter. Native caterpillars will munch on plants and may form chrysalises nearby. Birds, bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, dragonflies, small mammals, and so on may all visit your garden. These are all important members of the local ecosystem, so please welcome them. Native plants have evolved with these species over thousands of years. Most plants can tolerate being grazed as a food source and will grow back even stronger. 

Avoid spraying any herbicides or pesticides near your garden. Respectfully observe the different insects and be aware that many will not sting unless they feel their lives are being threatened. In our many years of gardening and growing, we have suffered very few bee stings and all can be attributed to a human accident.

iNaturalist is a great app for uploading pictures to identify the different visitors of your garden. Please email us pictures to share on our website as well, as we love embracing and celebrating the biodiversity of our gardens.