The Process. How We Design.
A beautiful garden is the byproduct of a logical system. Most landscaping projects fail because they start with a plant list. At Regenerative Designs, we start with the data of the land.
By following the principles of Residential Landscape Architecture, we treat your property as a series of outdoor rooms. We don't guess where a tree should go; we determine its location based on sun angles, soil health, and how you actually intend to use the space.
STEP 01 - Site Inventory
The Data Collection
Before any creative work begins, we conduct a thorough inventory. This is the "IT" side of the brain at work. We document the physical reality of your site:
Soil Science: We test the pH and structure of your soil to see what will actually thrive without heavy chemical intervention.
Topography and Drainage: We map the slopes to understand how water moves across your land.
Existing Vegetation: We identify which native species are worth keeping and which invasive weeds need to be removed.
STEP 02 - Site Analysis
The Problem Solving
Once we have the data, we analyze it. This is where we identify the constraints and opportunities.
Where does the afternoon sun hit hardest?
Where do we need a "wall plane" of dense foliage to block a neighbour’s view?
Where are the natural corridors for local wildlife?
We aren't looking at "pretty" yet; we are looking at how the land functions.
STEP 03 - Functional Diagrams
Mapping the Flow
This is the stage where we define your Outdoor Rooms. Using the proven Booth and Hiss methodology, we create diagrams that show the relationship between different spaces.
The Public Zone: How guests arrive and feel welcomed.
The Private Zone: Secluded areas for morning coffee or quiet reflection.
The Service Zone: Where the practicalities of life (tanks, sheds, bins) are tucked away.
We map out the "circulation"—the paths you will walk every day—to ensure the layout feels intuitive, not forced.
STEP 04 - The Master Plan
1:1 Digital Precision
This is where the vision becomes a technical reality. I use Vectorworks Landmark to build a high-precision Master Plan. This isn't a loose sketch; it is a mathematical map of your future garden.
To help you visualize the finished space, I produce 3D flythroughs using Enscape. You can "walk" through your garden before a single plant is purchased. You will see the scale of the trees, the texture of the stone, and how the light falls across the "floor plane" of your lawn or deck.
Your Independent Advocate
Because I am a Design-Only firm, my job is to be your advocate. Once the Master Plan is complete, you own the technical drawings.
No Conflict of InterestI don't make money by selling you more expensive pavers or extra truckloads of mulch.
Tender-Ready Plans
You can give these plans to multiple contractors. Because the specifications are so precise, the quotes you receive will be accurate and comparable.
Quality Control
I can remain involved during the construction phase to ensure the contractor respects the integrity of the design and the health of the soil.
Does your project align with this approach?
We only take on 4 to 6 projects a year to ensure this level of technical rigour is applied to every centimetre of the design.