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Park in the Fall

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature.
      It will never fail you.
                                                Frank Lloyd Wright

Professional, thoughtful, sustainable landscape design

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The spaces we create outdoors should do many things: Serve a valuable purpose for owner and occupants, blend people with their environment, boost the local landscape ecology, manage water, and look attractive!. Gone are the days of installing spaces purely for aesthetics. Great landscape designs consider many aspects: site conditions, client style and preferences, intended use, form and flow, aesthetics and appeal, and the way the space should make occupants think and feel. 

The Grade Outdoors delivers design services for a

wide range of clients and properties.

 

Many landscape projects require professional planning beyond the experience or commitment of the generic landscaper, but don't necessarily call for the high level of expertise or cost of a landscape architect. The Grade Outdoors provides design services especially for clients in this middle ground. 

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What makes for good design? We start with an analysis of the site which will dictate the types of plants that will be best suited to the soil type, sunlight exposure, and other factors. A client interview or questionnaire clues us in to personal style and preferences, must-haves and wish lists.  Special considerations are made for grading and drainage, placement and size of patios and walkways, special features, accessibility, and more. Plant selection and layout - including natives - to add color, texture, dimension and variety comes next.

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Did somebody say "native plants"?!

 

Using native plants in design has proven benefits that include more adaptable and resilient landscapes, better stormwater management, high value ecosystems for wildlife, and habitats that support crucial pollinators for crops and other plants. Incorporating native plants into designs and installations strengthens our urban forests and creates landscapes that have much more value than a typical "boutique" landscape. Jersey Friendly Yards and the Rutgers New Jersey AES have many resources for learning about NJ natives as well as many other landscape and gardening topics. Check them out here!

Jersey Friendly Yards
Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

Creative and exciting design possibilities

  • Planting selection & layout

  • Outdoor living spaces

  • Outdoor kitchens

  • Small gardens and spaces

  • Rain gardens

  • Drainage solutions

  • Landscape lighting

  • Irrigation

  • Retaining walls

  • Garden walls

  • Stone borders

  • Patios and steps

  • Paths

  • Specialty features

What to expect from a Grade Outdoors design:

 

  •  2D overhead and 3D digital graphic renderings of design

  • Formal, semi-formal, or informal design based on client 

  • A variety of trees, woody plants, and perennials

  • Seasonal color for interest throughout the year

  • Inclusion of native plants and trees in the plan

  • Ample space for plants to grow - no overcrowding

  • Building of soil health; organic maintenance recommendations

  • Material recommendations for hardscapes and structures

  • Lighting and irrigation recommendations

  • Consideration of movement and flow through the space

  • Consideration of existing landscape features 

  • Dimension: front to back, side to side, and elevations

  • Out-of-the-box creative thinking to solve challenges

  • Cost estimates of proposed plan

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Landscape design plan.jpg
The Grade Outdoors can follow up design work with installation services and project management.
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