Whether the project is residential or commercial, institutional or private, the design process is generally the same. The design process is a series of steps that moves one from the larger (macro) issues of style, context, opportunities and constraints to the smaller (micro) issues involving the selection of plants and materials and ultimately the installation process.

Schematic Design Phase
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This series of steps usually involves several "phases" starting with Master Planning or Schematic Design. In this beginning phase the consultant (landscape architect) has just met the client and starts the process of gaining an understanding of the client's needs, the site's opportunities and constraints, and the context of the project within the surrounding landscape. From this the landscape architect will begin to formulate the basic layout for the design. Typically, these ideas are presented in some loose graphic form with a drawing or series of drawings and sketches or photo images from a garden book that best explains the essence of the design without being too specific. With the landscape architect's presentation of the advantages and disadvantages of the various ideas, the client is able to make general choices favoring one design over another or possibly selecting elements from several to be incorporated into a new design. As this process of refining the design takes shape, the landscape architect also addresses a particular design's ramifications in relation to city approvals and permitting or costs. Once the client has approved of a schematic design it is time to move on the next phase.

Design Development Phase
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The next phase is sometimes called Design Development and is a process where the landscape architect begins to delve deeper into the specifics of a design. The design is refined and tightened, the specifics of how something will be built or what materials could be used is addressed and costs become clearer. In many cases, elevations of or sections through various features or elements are included to give a greater visual explanation where a 2 dimensional plan couldn't. Where the schematic plan may only identify a "tree" on the plan, the design development will identify the species and size or a selection of species to be discussed. This is a difficult step in that a lot of decisions are made about the "look" of the project. The landscape architect brings to the client his expertise in the myriad of materials, colors and finishes and construction techniques and advises the client in creating a cohesive design style. When the design is finalized and many of the decisions are made, the landscape architect will elect to move on to the creation of drawings and documents that outline the specifics of the layout and materials that a contractor can provide an accurate bid for construction.

Construction Documents Phase
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The Construction Documents phase is the formal aspect of a landscape architect's role in that they create official documents that can be "stamped" with an official State sanctioned seal as conforming to the standards set forth by the state and governing board. In this phase, a landscape architect will create a series of drawings that address a particular aspect of the design, i.e., an irrigation plan, a planting plan, a paving plan, a lighting plan, etc. These plans are sometimes accompanied by detail plans that offer specific information about a particular feature's construction or material that is used in the project. Specifications are included as a supplemental written explanation in the form of a booklet of a material's sources, standards, and required practices for installation. All of these plans and specifications are meant to both explain to a contractor what the final project is to look like and how and what he needs to provide to achieve it. Once the plans are completed, the next step is to select a contractor and this can sometimes be included in this phase or be its own phase depending on the complexity of the project.

Bidding and Selection of a Contractor
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During the selection of a contractor, the landscape architect will prepare sets of drawings that are sent out to two, three, or sometimes more contractors with instructions as to when and what information to include in the returned bid. This process can take two to four weeks depending on the project. Once the bids are returned, the landscape architect will discuss with the client how the bids compare and help in making a selection. With the selection of a contractor, the project is finally ready to begin installation.

Site Observation Phase
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During the Site Observation phase, the client agrees to hire the contractor to carry out the installation of the design. On larger projects with new home construction or remodeling, there can be a general contractor already on site that will then subcontract to the landscape contractor and take care of the administration, coordination and payments. This arrangement can save the client a lot of headaches. The landscape architect's role during the Site Observation phase is as an expert aesthetic witness to the contractor's quality of work and the final expression of the landscape architect's vision. During the installation, the landscape architect will make periodic trips to check on the status of the work, to answer any questions or make decisions about unexpected, to hand-select materials and plant specimens if needed, or to layout the arrangement of plants or elements. This can be a crucial stage in the process as the fine details of an installation can make the difference between a great design and an average design.

Ongoing Garden Development Phase
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At the end of the installation, the landscape contractor will usually arrange to maintain the new garden for a specified period (typically 90 days) to insure that guarantees on materials and plants are honored. Some landscape contractors have a full time maintenance staff that can continue to maintain a garden on a continuing basis or sometimes the landscape architect can help the owner select a maintenance company to maintain the new garden. Maintenance can be a problematic issue as many maintenance crews are not "gardeners" and are really just clean up crews that mow grass and rake up leaves. It is very important for the client to consider the maintenance aspects of a garden and to give the landscape architect a clear understanding of their commitment to the ongoing maintenance of a garden.

All of the phases listed above are part of the design process and necessary to the final development of a garden or landscape. In smaller projects, these steps can be condensed or combined and in more complex projects they may be separated into different portions of a project site or separate proposals that are developed as each phase is achieved. A landscape architect will attempt to structure his proposal to match the specific aspects of a project as it exists at the early stages of a project. The development of a garden should be carefully considered to both create a beautiful expression of nature and to provide a comfortable and suitable garden for the owner to enjoy.