Concept Design

Create the Big Picture Layout

Co-create big-picture layouts and priorities so you know where to start and what to do next.

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Co-create a big-picture layout for your entire yard or key areas, then use follow-up coaching sessions to focus on specific spots and bring the concept to life.

Sessions

4–6 sessions
75 minutes each

Price

$600–$900, depending on the size of your landscape, your desired level of detail, and how many coaching sessions you choose. We’ll talk this through and provide a clear quote after the initial visit.

Need more coaching sessions later? You can add extra sessions anytime; each additional session is $110.

Travel fees outside of the Iowa City area are estimated up front and included in your quote.

Benefits

See the Whole Picture: Understand how patios, paths, gardens, play areas, and habitat patches can all work together.
Explore Options: Review several different layout ideas before settling on a plan that feels right.
Blend Beauty and Function: Balance curb appeal, food, habitat, privacy, and play in one coherent layout.
Set Realistic Phases: Decide what to do now, next, and later, so change feels doable instead of overwhelming.
Stay Supported: Use integrated coaching sessions to focus on specific areas and keep momentum going.

Process

Initial Visit: We walk your space, listen to your hopes and constraints, and begin to name key zones and patterns.
Site Assessment: We map sun, shade, slopes, water flow, access points, and existing plants.
Concept Options: We create two or three high-level "bubble" drawings that show main areas, paths, and major features.
Refine Together: During follow-up coaching sessions, we "walk the design," choose favorite elements, and shape a final concept plan.
Focused Progress: Additional sessions zoom in on priority areas to start moving from concept into concrete steps.

What You Receive

Walk-Through Recommendations: A slow walk around your space with on-the-spot ideas about your dreams, what’s working, and what’s not working.
Hands-On Layout Help: Standing in the yard with you to mark out beds, paths, and features using flags, rope, or quick sketches.
Publications: Research-based handouts and articles that explain concepts and practices in clear, beginner-friendly language.
Clear Priorities: A short list of focus areas and steps, so you know what to do next and what can wait.
Session Summary: A short follow-up email summarizing key decisions, ideas, and your next small steps.
Plant Lists: Researched low-maintenance plants and seed mixes that fit your goals, area conditions, and maintenance level.
Management Tips: Guidance on planting, watering, weeding, mulching, and seasonal care crafted so that fits your available time.
Resources and Materials Tips: Recommendations for tools, soil, mulch, and local or online sources that fit your budget.
Scaled Base Map: A to-scale drawing of your property that shows structures, boundaries, and major existing features.
Assessment Summary: A plain-language overview of sun, shade, slopes, soil, water flow, and key opportunities or challenges.
Concept Layouts: Big-picture "bubble" drawings that show where main areas and features reside and how travel paths bring them together.

Find the Path that Fits You

Has your space or stress has been tugging at you?

Schedule a free 15-minute phone or Zoom call to:

Share a bit about your space and goals.
Learn which coaching or design options fit your budget and energy.
Ask questions and decide, together, on a first step.

Send us a note to find times that work. We typically reply within 2–3 days, and most people have their first session within 1–2 weeks.

Contact Us

Why Households Choose Us

Add a Discounted Book

Add a discounted copy of Low-Maintenance Eco Gardens to your coaching package for $20.

It’s a friendly, practical guide that supports everything we’ll work on together, from lowering maintenance to creating a calmer, more resilient space.

Learn About the Book

Got Questions?

You receive a mix of live support and simple, usable publications. The exact mix depends on your package, but often includes:

Coaching sessions in your space or online, focused on your goals.
Clear next steps so you know what to work on between visits.
Plant suggestions that fit your light, soil, time, and taste.
Practical tips for watering, weeding, mulching, and low-maintenance care.
For larger projects, drawings or maps that show layouts, beds, and paths.
Short follow-up emails that summarize key decisions and link to useful resources.

You learn how to read your space, trust your instincts, and take small steps that fit your real life. Together, we explore:

How sun, shade, soil, and water affect what will thrive.
Which plants and layouts fit your energy, mobility, and budget.
Simple routines that help you feel calmer and more at home outside.
How to notice changes over time and adjust without starting over.

Our goal is for you to feel more confident, not more overwhelmed.

We design with your budget and energy in mind from the start. That can look like:

Reusing existing plants, soil, and materials whenever possible.
Recommending lower-cost options such as seed mixes or shared tools.
Phasing projects so you tackle one area or season at a time.
Using plants, not expensive hardscape, to define outdoor rooms and edges.

We will talk openly about costs and help you choose a path that feels realistic.

You do not need a master plan to start. Many people begin small and grow over time. For example:

Start with a couple coaching sessions to explore options to explore ideas or get unstuck.
When you feel ready, move into a concept layout for your whole space.
Later, choose one or two areas for a more detailed master plan.

We adapt the pace and depth of our work so you can learn and experiment without pressure.

We focus on coaching and design, and we often work alongside you during early setup. For physical installation:

Some clients do most of the work themselves using our plans.
Others hire local contractors, giving them designs we've developed and using us as guides and advocates.
In some cases, we can help with small hands-on tasks during sessions.

We help you decide what makes sense for your body, schedule, and budget.

You do not need to be an expert or feel "on top of things." Many clients are brand new to gardening or living with limited time, energy, or mobility. We will: