LANDSCAPE DESIGNER

Get to know your instructor, your classmates, and the creative journey ahead. Map out the course structure, peek at the final project, and share what sparked your interest in landscape design.

• Instructor intro
• Course structure 
• Assignments & final project overview
• Discussion: What drew you to landscape design?

Start thinking like a landscape designer. You’ll learn the core design principles, explore the roles behind the projects, and sketch out a vision that blends beauty, function, and sustainability.

• Why landscape design matters
• Core principles of good landscape design
• Vision, concept, execution
• Roles & scopes of work

Assignment #1: Project Proposal & Scope of Work
Create a design proposal and scope of work for a chosen site, including a brief outlining the client’s wants, needs, and goals; a clear scope of work; an initial design vision with a mood board.

Get your projects running like clockwork. Nail your client contracts, budgets, and timelines so every project runs smoothly and everyone knows what’s on the table.

• Demo: Client proposal of services
• Understanding client needs & budgeting 
• Contracts & agreements: Scope, deliverables, payments, revisions, red flags
• Project planning essentials: Timelines, contractors, pitfalls
• Managing projects in practice 

Get hands-on with both traditional and digital landscape design tools. Learn when to draft by hand versus in CAD, practice freehand and digital techniques, and pick up workflow strategies to plan and visualize outdoor spaces efficiently.

• Planting design process
• Native drafting tools
• Software overview: CAD, iPad, SketchUp, Enscape, Vray, Google Earth Pro
• Basic freehand & digital CAD principles 
• Workflow efficiency techniques

Apply core design principles like balance, color, and rhythm to bring client visions to life. Analyze real-world case studies, translate ideas into clear concepts, and experiment with design decisions in a hands-on workshop that sharpens your visual problem-solving skills.

• Core design principles: Unity, line, form, balance, scale, color, texture, space
• Design process framework: From concept to completion
• Translating client visions into workable solutions 
• Case Study: Healthcare Assisted Living Facility Courtyard (Sonata)
• Workshop: Design Director: Navigate the Flow

Understand site analysis by reading plans, mapping features, and capturing environmental conditions through sketches, photos, and digital tools, so you can turn real-world constraints and opportunities into smart design decisions.

• Reading a site plan
• Analysis of conditions & visualization techniques 
• Documenting features, design opportunities & constraints
• Soil analysis & microclimate assessment techniques 
• Utilities location & simple site risk log 
• Site analysis apps: PictureThis, Google Earth Pro, etc.
• Photos, hand sketching & digital documentation

Assignment #2: Site Analysis 
Prepare a site inventory report and graphic analysis diagram, speaking to plant hardiness zone, sun/shade patterns, soil type, design opportunities and constraints, depicted via sketches/photos/other. 

Turn surveys and site measurements into precise, professional base plans. Learn to organize your drawings with proper layers, lineweights, and title blocks, while combining hand and digital drafting techniques to bring architectural ideas to scale.

• What makes a good base plan? 
• Title block: Project address, scale, north arrow
• Translating site measurements into architectural plan drawings
• Development zones & allocation of functional space 
• Digital drafting foundations: Layer naming, lineweights, linetypes, etc.
• Demo: Hand drafting & digital techniques for base plans 

Assignment #3: Base Plan & Conceptual Layout
Draft a scaled base plan (hand-drawn or digital), showing existing conditions. Then, create a bubble diagram of functional spaces (zones, circulation, key features).

Design outdoor living spaces that combine functionality with aesthetics. Explore how to blend style with sustainability while integrating water, fire, and lighting features, then see it in action through a real-world case study and live demo.

• Functional outdoor rooms & entertainment areas
• Water feature & fire element fundamentals
• Outdoor lighting design principles: Energy-efficient lighting considerations
• Accessibility standards, sustainability, maintenance perspective 
• Case Study: Healthcare Assisted Living Facility (Sonata)
• Demo: Feature design demo for all seasons 

Understand how plants shape space, rhythm, and seasonal interest. You’ll learn to match species to site conditions, craft cohesive palettes for different design styles, and experiment with plant choices in a collaborative workshop.

• Planting design & selection criteria
• Plant palettes for various design styles
• Matching plants to site conditions, microclimates, design intent
• Plant choices & space, vision, rhythm, environment, seasonal interest
• Overview of irrigation
• Workshop: Plant palette challenge

Learn how to turn planting concepts into construction-ready plans. You’ll map, measure, and specify every detail so your designs are ready for build day. 

• Planting plan graphics, construction documentation, standard conventions
• Plant spacing, arrangement techniques, calculation
• Writing detailed plant specifications
• Plant schedule & formatting: Freehand, AutoCAD, Excel Worksheet
• Case Study: Healthcare Facility (Sonata)
• Demo: Planting plan from concept to construction & plant specifications

Assignment #5: Plant Palette & Preliminary Planting Plan
Create a small plant palette (6–8 species) matched to your site’s conditions and style. Sketch a rough planting arrangement, showing how choices support rhythm, seasonality, and function.

Make your 2D plans pop and your 3D models shine. Explore both freehand and digital rendering techniques that add depth, mood, and clarity to your designs, and showcase your vision professionally.

• 2D plan rendering techniques 
• Color & texture of landscape plans: Color theory & visual hierarchy
• Enhancing visuals with color, texture, shadows
• Case Study: Healthcare Facility: Sonata Assisting Living
• Demo: CAD, Photoshop, GIMP, Procreate, SketchUp, 3ds Max 

Assignment #6: Rendered Concept Plan
Take your plan and apply rendering techniques (hand or digital) to make it presentation-ready. The goal is to demonstrate hierarchy, color harmony, and visual design intent.

Learn how to turn flat site plans into fully rendered 3D scenes that feel real. You’ll see how pros visualize space, add depth, and bring designs to life, straight from concept to camera-ready.

• 3D modeling from 2D illustrative site plan 
• Guest Speaker Demo: Graphic visualization from 2D to 3D 

Assignment #7: Basic 3D Modeling
Create a perspective view of your project with basic 3D modeling of Assignment #6.

Designing is one thing, running the business is another. Get practical with pricing, branding, and systems that help you attract clients, stay organized, and actually enjoy the business side of design.

• Business foundations: models, positioning, pricing, proposals, etc.
• Marketing & branding: Portfolio positioning, digital marketing basics
• Effective client management, communication, CRM tools

Assignment #8 (Optional): Business Proposal Page
Draft a one-page business document (service offering, proposal, or pricing sheet) that could accompany your portfolio for a professional side of your final package. 

Get ready to turn your passion into a thriving career. Explore industry trends, certification paths, and portfolio must-haves, plus insider tips on networking and future opportunities that’ll help you stand out in a growing, sustainability-driven field.

• Trends shaping the industry
• Career pathways in landscape design
• Certification: requirements & application process 
• Portfolio organization for maximum impact
• Case Study: Instructor’s portfolio
• Networking & opportunities: Conferences, events, community 

Final Project: Final Portfolio Assembly
Compile all pieces (client brief, site analysis, base plan, hardscape plan, planting plan, 2D/3D renderings, and credentials) into a cohesive portfolio document.