The First Step...

Chat About Your Project

Phone (780) 236 2222 and let us know a good time to call you back.

We may be out of the office and technology is not always reliable, so if you don't hear back in a couple of days, please text the above number or send an email through our contact page.

How long will it take?

Most plans are 2 to 3 hours.

The design includes:

• the site visit time (estimated at 1/2 hour for average sized properties),
• drawing up the base plan before we go on video, 1/2 hour to 1 hour
• the video time 1 to 2 hours,
• and the completion time afterwards.

We will pop in to visit your property early in the day or on an evening.

The zoom call is usually scheduled within 24 hours or so... so it's quite speedy once your appointment is booked.

Landscape Idea Planner

Get your thoughts and ideas organized!

This questionnaire is simply a document for you to consolidate your ideas and to trigger intense family discussions before your appointment (smile)  Do not stress if it doesn’t seem to apply - the designer is skilled at finding out what you want!

You can download the planner right now! Click here!

You can give the filled out planner to the designer at the site visit (not emailed in advance).

Compile Your Information

We request that you supply us with your Real Property Report at the site visit. It facilitates the drawing process and has vital information about grading, property lines, utility right of ways, etc. You can often find it attached to your bill of sale for your home.

Please check this RPR document to see if there are Restrictive Covenants listed. If so, please contact the developer or city to see what these restrictions are about before our appointment - it can say things like you can't build a shed or a retaining wall or a pond there, or there are underground utilities present.

We will do our best to accommodate those clients with missing information but you should check it out before building anything or digging.

If you see a restrictive covenant with a number attached, I can look up the info for you as well. Just take a picture of the 2 pages of your RPR and send it to (Adele at earthworm.ca).

People with a new home might only have a Plot Plan which is made before construction. It is quite useful but of course things may have changed during construction! Which is another reason I like to measure the actual house and the actual lot!!!

Picture some Inspiration

Let the designer know what you like or don’t like by sending along a Pinterest or Houzz file or naming some of the projects from the Earthworm portfolio pages.

(You can ignore this part if it stresses you out! You have hired a professional who will make it awesome.)

If you have grading issues (water pooling, basement leaking, slopes too steep, etc), let me know and I will bring my altimeter to measure the grades. This will take about 15 to 30 minutes extra billable time but is often key to a great design and ease of construction.

The Base Plan Gets Drawn

Your plan will be drawn on a large sheet of grid paper that you will receive after the end of the appointment!

No computers are used.

Your designer is creating a scale drawing which turns your plan into a very useful document that can be used for calculating rough quantities of materials and placement of items during the construction process. 

This grid drawing is prepared before the Zoom call starts. You may need to run outside to get an extra measurement if required but it is generally quite accurate.

The Design Conversation Happens with Your Participation

This is the fun part! The designer will review your questionnaire and look at your pictures and notes. She will guide you through a design process that includes: traffic flow (driveways, pathways, gates), fencing, sitting spaces (decks and patios), retaining walls, water features, hot tubs, pools, fire pits, etc. All of these will be shown (roughly to scale) in their locations on the plan so that you know it will all fit.

By the end of the appointment, all of the plants will be labelled with hard to kill and colourful selections that emphasize shape, size, texture, and seasonal interest. The plan will be coloured artistically so you can read it easily.

Most of the technical installation details and specifications will be left for you to discuss with the contractors and retailers. For example, deck surfacing or retaining wall types or railing selections. This creates a bit of flexibility for contractors to promote products that they like to use.

This drawing is for inspirational layout purposes only and it is the installers responsibility to create a materials list; and to make sure that the project meets codes, standards and community guidelines; and that it actually fits before construction begins. Having said that, the plans are usually well suited for construction purposes and installers love them!

The Plan and Extra Information Are Left with You

The plan is yours at the end of the appointment and you can pick it up in North East Edmonton or it can be mailed or couriered to you! Please take your design for copying and laminating (every year at least 2 people lose their drawing somewhere/somehow!). Never lend out the original (especially to contractors - they have a lot going on in their trucks!).

Now that you have the plan, an extra document is provided to you that describes how to proceed with the installation of your project. These are suggestions that are based on decades of experience and will save you a lot of experimentation and money!

You Proceed with Quotes and Installation

Earthworm does not install gardens. However, we do hand out some names of good people for you to call. We recommend that you get at least two price quotes on your project. Call Landscape Alberta for information on people in the industry - there is the odd bad apple in every basket!

Please note that if a landscape contractor has referred you to us for the design, we will not refer you to other landscapers. We get referred by many sources and do our best not to make anyone understandably cranky. We do rely on you to tell us clearly where the referral originated.

The designer can come back during installation! Most contractors will have no trouble following the plan but sometimes they want to see a change happen or you've had another idea to add in. If something needs to be tweaked, it is highly recommended that you invite the designer to pop back in to do the adjusting so that the flow and overall plan remains strong and consistent. A 3 way conversation at the layout stage of the project is always awesome!

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