Custom Residential, Landscape Architecture

What Happens After Your Landscape is Installed?

You hire a landscape architect to update your yard, go through the design process, and select a beautiful landscape that you love and have it installed... and it’s not quite what you were expecting. What next? Your landscape architect is here to help.

Danielle Mecham

April 10, 2025

Refreshing and redesigning your outdoor spaces can make a huge difference to your home. When the last nail is hammered, the last plant is placed, and the final bill is paid, many homeowners think the journey with their landscape architect has ended. However, the reality is that installation is just the beginning of your garden’s life – and, hopefully, your relationship with your landscape architect or designer.

What we know that you might not.

After the initial installation of your landscape, continuing your relationship with your landscape architect helps you make the most out of your new outdoor spaces. Our role goes beyond the design process. We believe in developing ongoing partnerships with our clients that provide valuable opportunities for feedback, troubleshooting, and problem solving anything that comes up after your project officially ends.

We understand that the time immediately following installation is when you might have the most questions and concerns. We know that your garden is a living, breathing thing that will change and evolve. This knowledge informs every decision we make during the design and installation processes, and it’s why we continue to be a valuable resource for you as your garden grows.

This ongoing partnership can be as simple as an annual garden walkthrough, where we assess how everything is filling in and discuss any adjustments needed to ensure your garden continues to thrive and provide the best possible experience.

Taking your garden from bare to bountiful.

The years that follow the initial installation of your landscape are crucial, not only for the growth and establishment of your plants but also for the continued collaboration between you and your designer.

We work with clients to find the right amount of planting for their needs and budget. For many clients, we plant more densely than will eventually be needed. While this costs a bit more money, it ensures the plants will fill in quickly and look great by the end of the first growing season. For other clients, we plant for what the garden will look like by year three.

So, what can you expect, and how can we help you navigate this exciting journey?

The First Year

After the initial installation, depending on the approach we take, you might be taken aback by the look of your newly installed plants. Throughout the design process, you’ve signed off on a lush, detailed landscape plan full of beautiful plants and thoughtful design elements.

But fast forward to when you look out at your newly transformed yard: you’re underwhelmed by how sparse the plantings seem. Visible patches of soil make it feel like a far cry from the fully mature garden depicted in the design renderings. This could be especially true if we planted for three years down the road.

It’s natural to ask, “How long till the plants fill in?” Rest assured, the design you loved on paper is the yard you’ll see – eventually. Those spaces will fill in beautifully, as planned by your landscape architect.

With a deep understanding of how plants grow, how they interact with each other, and how they respond to their environment, we’ve carefully conceptualized the evolution of your garden. We’ve considered how your garden will look not just in the first year but in years two, three, and beyond.

While you enjoy these early stages of your garden’s growth, your landscape architect can help.

1. We can help you setting expectations. In that first year of growth, we’ll help you understand the timeline for your garden’s growth, setting realistic expectations for how long it will take to fill in and flourish. This includes advising on what to look out for during different seasons and what’s normal for new plantings.
2. We can help you find patience with the process. It’s easy to get impatient when you’re excited about your new garden, but good things take time. When you have questions or concerns, we’ll help you find the answers and encourage you to trust the process – and enjoy the gradual transformation of your space!

The Second Year

In the second year of your garden’s growth, you’ll start to see some changes, like fuller plants and more ground cover. You’ll start seeing the vision come together, but after all four seasons and a year of care have had their impact on your plants, you may have changes you want made or questions about the overall success of the ongoing growth of your plants.

Staying in touch with your landscape architect makes this easier than going alone.

1. We can help you troubleshoot any issues that have arisen. Sometimes plants fail to thrive or die after they’ve been planted. If this happens, we’ll help you identify the issue and select a replacement plant or plants.
2. Your garden requires ongoing care and maintenance. Whether it’s dealing with unexpected plant issues, adjusting to climate & environmental damaged plants, or change in your yard’s light exposure, we’re here to help you navigate any challenges that arise.

The Third Year and Beyond

In our experience, typically the 3rd summer gives the biggest payoff. By this time, you’ll be seeing the full flourish of a lush garden.

And, as the plants mature, you’ll get even more payoff season to season, with new and interesting visual interest as the result of different plant lifecycles.

It might seem like a long time to wait, but there’s so much to look forward to in the third year of your garden’s growth, and beyond. Though most of your plants will be well established, it’s prudent to keep in touch with your landscape architect.

1. An annual or biannual garden walkthrough together with your landscape architect can help us tailor an ongoing maintenance plan for individual plants or garden sections.
2. If your yard environment changes for any reason, we can help you explore new plant palettes to keep your garden flourishing. For instance, if surrounding trees or homes that were smaller at the time of installation altering the light exposure for the plants beneath them, we can explore options to help your current garden thrive or consider new options.
3. If your needs for your exterior spaces change, we’ll already have the intimate knowledge of your site and plants needed to help you find the right solutions for your next project – whether that’s a new build element like a deck or outdoor kitchen, raised beds for growing food, and anything in between.

The value of staying in touch after your landscape’s installation.

Landscapes, unlike many other elements of your home, are not static. A countertop or piece of furniture remains the same over time, but your garden will change, grow, and sometimes face challenges that need addressing. Maintaining a relationship with your landscape architect allows for ongoing adjustments, ensuring your landscape continues to meet your needs, thrives in its environment, and remains beautiful and functional for years to come!

Your landscape is a living masterpiece that evolves over time, and so does your landscape architect’s role in supporting its growth. We’re not just here to design and install; we’re committed to ensuring your landscape continues to thrive well into the future! By staying connected, setting realistic expectations, and addressing challenges together, we can ensure that your garden becomes everything we envisioned, and more. Don’t hesitate to reach out as your garden grows; we’re here to help every step of the way.