Over the years I have found the following to be helpful guidelines for creating a relaxing, efficient and pleasing project for all concerned.

• Start by picking the best designer your can find. A good design will insure that your money is spent well, gaining you more resale value, beauty, functionality and ease of maintenance for each dollar invested. It is probably the most important decision you will make.
• If you are new to landscaping I highly recommend "Successfully Landscaping Your Marin Home." If it does not save you money and give you value, return it for a refund (It also includes coupons from places I shop that will save you more money than the book costs).
• Think carefully about what is most important to you before you begin. Changes can be expensive and frustrating - best to avoid them when possible. Our questionnaire will help you clarify what you want up front when changes are free.
• The most pleasing and functional gardens begin with an overall plan. Before spending thousands on little pieces that may need to get re-done later, invest a few hundred dollars to begin with an overall plan that you can implement in stages if you cannot do it all at once.

• Spend time cutting out pictures from magazines and noticing what exactly you like about other gardens in the neighborhood. Self awareness is often the best preparation for getting what you want.
• Consider using smart irrigation timer, with an on-site weather station. This can save an average of 30% of irrigation water costs every year and earn you rebates on your water bill. The best part is that you can then walk away from your timer, not worrying when to turn it on or off or adjust zone times ever again!
• Mulching your soil with 2-3 inches of bark or other soil coverings will cut back on weeds by over 50%, hide irrigation lines and conserve 30% of water by insulating the soil from the sun. It also provides food for worms and erosion control - one of your best soil investments. 
• There are generally savings of as much as 30% for installing an entire landscape  at one time rather than breaking it down into stages. While implementing a good design in stages is better than implementing a poor design right away that does not meet your needs, the discount I often pass on to clients who do whole-landscape projects plus the savings of what has been an average of 7% inflation in landscape material costs per year can add up to a considerable amount. If you do break it up, ask how to do so to save money.

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“Successfully Landscaping Your Marin Home” helped me tremendously in gaining insight about landscaping and answered all the questions and concerns I had about improving my yard on a budget that was right for me."

- Five star Amazon Review