Landscape Design In A Day
About us
Portland residential landscape designer, Carol Lindsay enjoys combining your lifestyle and interests with her exceptional awareness for the design potential of your home. You choose how you want to install your design; DIY on your own or she can often refer trusted preferred contractors for the installation process. With your objectives in mind Carol will create a design that makes use of every inch of your landscape. Carol understands how to utilize space. You will enjoy seeing how she can simplify the layout and make the property flow........good flow creates opportunity for beauty. Carol uses a wide range of plants, to include native plants, pollinators and drought-tolerant landscaping. Modern, NW Natural, Minimalist, Colorful Cottage Garden and more. The placement of garages, accessory buildings, and sheds to rain gardens hot tubs, and raised beds for edibles are typical requests. Carol loves to create comfortable outdoor living patios, decks and more to have the perfect outdoor heaven for summer living.
Business highlights
Services we offer
Smaller properties - professional landscape designs. Garden coaching for existing clients only. We prefer a collaborative approach and are not interested in designing for builders or for house flipping. We want to design with our clients preferences in mind and typically create most of the design on site.
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | ||
| 5% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 5% | ||
| 0% |
"Thank you so much for your review. Angie'[Member Information Removed] list new format is very attractive but they don't notify a business when a new review is posted. I happened to be checking a detail and saw your review. Thank you. I loved creating the Landscape Design in A day with you both. You gave me a great base map, photos and a solid wish list. People don't have to be so clear about what they want for a successful design but you were. I feel that helped me to be even more creative. I loved visitng you this summer. The back yard and new covered out door living room looks wonderful and it looks loved. Warm regards, Carol"
"Thank you for the review. Sloped properties are a challenge. Working together we created a great design. I certainly don't expect my clients to be good designers, but these clients were perfect co-designers, they had really thought about what they wanted for their family. While the lower portion of the property was extremely challenging, the design for the upper property gave these clients everything they needed. A patio, kids play area and we created beautiful views from inside the house. It is also lovely to hear 6 months after our design day that they are happy with my services."
"I’m saddened to read this review for many reasons. The biggest reason is that this client wanted the garden of her dreams, a full exuberant cottage garden for a person who loves to garden. We created the design together as a landscape design in a day. I thought we had a wonderful day designing the garden together. She told me she was deeply touched at how I had understood what she wanted and she loved the design. I parted with a hug from her and a plan for a 2nd on site appointment. She cancelled that appointment. I’m not sure why her experience of our work together changed."
It was great. I'm just sorry it took me a year to write a review! I sent Carol pictures and a few videos of the house and the yard, and we talked on the phone and met for a day-long consultation. I was looking for someone that was interested in thinking outside the box and was excited about it, considering that my property is fairly odd in terms of shape and location. I was also looking for someone that would give me more ideas for the future rather than a detailed plant layout.
Before we met in person, I provided her with a sketch and measurements for the yard and during our session we came up with a plan that included not only modifications to the yard, but to the house itself (e.g. adding a patio, changing the front door layout, adding a garage and an ADU). Carol was great to work with from the beginning and a pleasure to share ideas with. She also gave me more suggestions on the phone after a few months when I was looking at ideas for a sloped side ditch in front of the house. I am actually now starting to plan the addition of a garage and ADU, and I will definitely call Carol back to refine our original idea and come up with detail plant layout (and maybe some more ideas on where to locate the garage and ADU and frame them with plants!). She is not only very knowledgeable, but also a delight to have around!
"Thanks so much for the review. The best ideas for a property come from the clients' mind even if they don't know the idea is in there. Collaboration always creates the best designs. This client is interested in a long term approach to her unique property and is willing to roll up her sleeves and go after it. I'm looking forward to coming back and creating a more refined landscape plan for her. Thanks again for the review!"
"Thank you so much for your review! We evaluated your existing plantings and you enthusiastically endorsed removing over half of the front yard shrubs and trees. There were a lot of “the pink ribbon of death” ribbons when we were done with our plant edit. Other plants were jewels and we designed companion plantings for them that looked good and also matched the watering needs. Your design had an edible focus. The backyard wasn’t suitable . In the front yard we added 2 dwarf apple trees and a beautiful ornamental crab apple for the pollinator. You also loved my favorite pie cherry tree and we placed it in the side yard where your existing blueberries were thriving. We completed our Landscape Design in a Day process and in 2013 was $750 (it is $895 to $995 now). Again, thanks for your review."
"Thanks for your review of my services. A Garden Consultation Service was perfect for this clients needs. This service typically ranges from $350 to $500. We did not create any new areas or change the existing lay out of the back yard. We did create a fun planting plan for an area that utilized the new plants she had purchased and we added a list of plants for her to buy. I also created a focal point for the planting area that was missing. Even great plants grouped together don't look right without a focal point. We had a lot of fun and it turned out great. A Landscape Design in a Day, my primary service that I offer Angie's List clients would have been more than this client needed. Landscape Design in a Day typically costs about $895 to $995 and creates a to scaled, customized landscape plan. A Garden Consultation is typically $350 to $500."
On the day of our session, Carol presented the draft of the new landscape design. Then we spent over two hours walking through the yard and talking about all of the options, my concerns and how I would implement the changes. To conclude the visit, Carol updated the plan for the changes that we had agreed on. We talked about the various plants and which particular versions of each type of plant would work best with my design.
I plan on hiring Carol to return next summer after the changes have been implemented so that we can talk more about long-term maintenance of the completed yard.
I thoroughly enjoyed working with Carol and learned a lot in the process!
"Thanks for the review. This client and I used my Garden Consultation Service to create a plan that revised her front yard plantings. She created a great and very usable drawing of her existing property and approximate locations of her plants. We were very efficient together as well as having fun. Her front yard site did not qualify for a Landscape Design in a Day as there were too many existing plants, it was a full garden with paths to start with. That is why we selected the Garden Consultation Service. In March of 2015 we will be doing a Landscape Design in a Day service for her back yard. Thanks again for the lovely review."
"Thank you for the great review. Your property is unusual and that is a plus. It was a pleasure to create a design that fits you and the property. I'm especially looking forward to seeing the design unfold into the landscape for real. Your desire for more entertaining space by moving your water feature was spot on and the new water feature will be so much easier to care for. Thank you for a great design day. I too thought we collaborated especially well. Carol Lindsay, Landscape Designer and Garden Coach"
"Thank you(Remove member name) for your review of my garden consultation services. My garden consultation service is typically $350.00 to $400.00. You and (Remove member name) are such serious gardeners! It was great to see so many fruit trees and a mature landscape. I liked how we worked together to create better visual lines and year round color/interest for the kitchen window view. Right now, we are in the process of finding a landscape contractor to help with the new wall and path so you can realize the design sooner than DIY. And off topic, I have to say that I fell in love with your Bandit. I showed my husband his photos and we have added his breed to our dog search list. Given your ties to the rescue organization, I may call you when its time to step up the search. Warm regards, Carol Lindsay"
From beginning to end Carol was great to work with. She was very responsive to our inquiries and really worked collaboratively with us on our new design. I loved the opportunity to do a lot of the prep work myself to keep the cost reasonable. She gave us a tremendous amount of resources and recommended some great contractors which we ended up using. I recommended her to a friend who had a similarly wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this process over the services where the landscape designer does it all for you.
"Thank you Vincent for your review of my services. We did a great job together and I especially like how we worked with the existing (huge Cedar trees) privacy plantings, in fact designing the new plantings to fit in with the low summer water requirements of the big trees. We kept the approximate location of the walk to the corner patio and enlarged the existing patio next to the house so it's big enough for entertaining. The surface for both the small patio, the walk and the re-do of the big patio are integrated with repetition of hardscape materials. D and J Landscape Contractors did a beautiful job of interpreting and installing the design, carrying forward the theme of our design, integration of materials. The back landscape now feels a lot bigger. When I came back for a thank you visit for your referral, we made a few small changes in the front yard with regards to your beautiful River Birch Trees and Mountain Hemlocks and I had fun giving your Japanese maple some hands on pruning. Thanks for helping me create a great landscape design for you. Working together, our design has turned out to be just what you wanted. Angie's list has $175.00 for a Landscape Design in A Day which must be a type o.My LDIAD service is $885.00 (2014)."
"Thank you [members name] for your review of my Landscape Design In a Day service and my work assisting you with the project management of the installation of the design. I loved how your design seemed to just fall together right at your dining table. That was sure fun! Your project was just right for one of my landscape contractor associates from Hillsboro, and your new back courtyard fit the construction skills of my husband who remodels. It was a very special project to me so although it was small for him, he was delighted to do this for both me and for you and he gets the credit for saving you so much money on the courtyard hardscape. I knew it was more affordable and long lasting over wood or other pavers, but I didn't realize how much it would save. I loved how it would look and using the construction technique and mutual materials hydro pressed concrete slabs fit your budget. Urban Renaissance Llc, design/build does occasionally build a porch or unusual custom fence and arbor for my clients but this is not typical for my services. Our finishing touch was finding that jazzy pot for your treasured Japanese maple was rewarding in so many ways. I love the photo I have of you with that pot, it's on my blog, http://landscape-design-in-a-day.com/customer-testimonials/ultimate-courtyard-garden. Thanks again for your review."
Carol was professional and helpful throughout the whole process. She took our wished/desires into consideration and brought her depth of experience to bring together a wonderful plan for what was merely a muddy, rocky, mess of a back yard. She helped us consider issues that we would not have thought of, such as the right ground cover for large dogs and little kids, or what plants are chicken friendly. I was impressed with her in-depth knowledge of plants, trees, soil and the best growing conditions for each one and she provided multiple plant options for each region of the yard. We are very happy with the results.
We now have a work-ready design and a plant list to move forward. She has even followed up to see how the project was going and answer any questions. It's been slow going for us with two working parents and a baby/toddler (plus we got side-tracked with building a chicken coop!) but we've done the ground work and are looking forward to planting this season so we'll have something to show for next spring!
"Thank you for the review [member name removed]. It was a pleasure to work with you and incorporate special touches into your design, including using the handmade, artistic, and colorful stepping stones your family had made together. Your site was a little tricky and we collaborated beautifully with our solutions. You were fully prepared for your design day with correct measurements drawn out on your base map, photos and thoughtful answers to my questions. I never tire of seeing the happy results and the signs that a family is enjoying their new backyard, the whole family, both two legged and 4 legged. Hmmm.....pancakes made w eggs from your chickens topped with native huckleberries from your own back yard? Sounds like fun to me! Thanks again for your review."
Carole knows her plants, has good resources, and I would recommend her very professional service for anyone facing what I am: a big yard full of weeds.
"Thank you [member name removed]. I too really like the design we created and will be excited to see your progress over time. I will be especially interested in the area that is well and truly compacted soil from being a parking area and how it will look when it's soil prepped and changed into a welcoming planting that fits with the new walkway shape. I'm also pleased we were able to use some native plants in your design. Thank you for helping me create a great design for you. Thanks again for reviewing my services. Carol Lindsay"
"Hi [member name removed] and [member name removed] I can't believe I missed responding to your wonderful review, I must have just called you to say thanks so many months back. I loved how your small sloped yard expanded into 3 garden rooms and how we worked with the views into the greenspace behind your home. While its true that on our garden coach appointments following Landscape Design in a Day.....we could not save your screen tree from the neighbor who overwatered so much, ( it rotted out the roots), our other planting solutions lasted these many years and hopefully are pleasing the person you sold your home to this past fall. The reason why is (a good design) but its the commitment you made to the soil prep. Soil prep is such a good investment and while doing the work involved with my True Grit soil prep is arduous, it pays off. Thank you again for the review and for keeping in touch."
"Thank you Member for taking the time to talk about your experience working with me. It was easy to slip that second design that you weren't expecting as we have worked together before. Your diligent work turned out really amazing results despite having one of the most difficult soil I've ever seen. As always, it was a joy working with you. Thank you for your repeat business - Carol The member originally hired me for a Design in a Day for her difficult backyard and has contacted me over the past 3 years for advice as she installed her design. This spring, it was time for a garden coach session to help the member finalized some aspects of her design that was needing revision. And while I was there, I was also able to design a privacy screen garden in her front yard. ***Check out the member's garden Before and After photos in Portfolio Page***"
"I was hired by the member to meet and help her husband and son design two rain gardens into their existing landscape. She had requested she not be involved in the whole process and was not present for the consultation. Although she had mentioned that her family might not be enthusiastic working with a designer on this project, her husband and son presented some great ideas and a lot of spark for this project. We all worked together to create their plans. We located and shaped the rain gardens and made alterations to the existing landscape so it would all fit together nicely. In the one hour that I was there to help them, I was able to accomplish a lot. I used flags to mark the shape on the ground so they could use the design that I prepared and see the actual shape of the rain gardens on the ground. I recommended a certified arborist to look at what seemed to be a very dangerous tree looming over the public sidewalk. I evaluated the existing plantings and tagged plants to remove. They had outgrown the space available in the overgrown front yard and side yard. I advised on a new location for their side fence that would enhance privacy for the back yard side deck, plus it was now too close to one of the proposed rain gardens. I marked a plant or two for relocation. This type of project usually takes a 2.5 hour consultation or my Landscape Design in a Day Service because an hour is not a lot of time to work with. To fit my client’s budget, I tried to fit as much as I could in 1 hour. The member's son took a lot of notes during the consultation but she is right, it would have been better if they had used a voice recorder to capture all the details of the meeting and be able to replay the information after the meeting. Before I left, her husband and son were pleased with the design I did for them and were ready to start their do it yourself project. -- Carol Lindsay, Landscape Design in a Day, 503 223-2426"
"Thanks Member! Her goals for her Design in a Day were: 1) Create a great kid's play backyard; 2) Re-claim the back deck for adults; and 3) Create low water plants under the large walnut tree with dense shade. We accomplished these goals by 1) Creating a chalk garden which moved the kid's play off the deck which in turn made room for adult space on the back porch. The chalk garden also doubled as a kid's patio. 2) Under the walnut, we use drifts of wild violets with areas of cedar chips. We also added a thick cushion of cedar chips under the wood swing for the kids. Although she wants a low maintenance backyard, she is also a gardener. Her new design included edibles such as native huckleberry incorporated into her privacy screen. She was very creative and we had a blast doing this design."
I am a condo girl living in a house and hate yardwork with a passion. When we moved into our house, my husband turned most of our yard into a huge patio and we needed plants to fill it up. We met Carol at the Home and Garden show, and after visiting with her decided she was exactly what we needed. We were on a budget, so the idea of someone designing the garden while we saved money doing the digging was perfect.
She started with a questionnaire that asked out our likes, dislikes, etc. My favorite was the question about how much I liked to garden. She included and quot;I want to drink a beer and look at itand quot; as one of the options. Yep, that was my answer! I wanted something that I wouldn't have to deal with. Ok, so she explained that wasn't possible without a gardener, but she could make it so I would only have to pull weeds and do spring cleanup. Then I told her I am highly allergic to flowers, so I needed an unscented garden but still wanted flowers and color. She didn't even flinch!
She came to our house with stacks of books filled plants. I don't know anything about plants and I have no desire to learn. She just laughed and said to point to the ones I thought were pretty - she would do the rest. She went home and drew us up a gardening plan, explained it in detail (over and over again - I'm a bit of a slow learner) then arranged to have the entire truckload of plants delivered to our house. She even made sure she coordinated the day we planned to do our planting with the day she was going to be at our house working on the design for our front yard. That way she was close by to offer suggestions like, 'No Kelly, that one goes over there.and quot;
We have had her back a couple times for short appointments to teach me how to prune and what needs to be done when, but most of the time all I have to do is pull the occasional weed. We planted over 300 plants and almost everything has survived even with the weird weather we have had over the last few years. She is also always available by email when I think I've killed something to offer suggestions (Leave it alone, its not really dead) and her newsletter is great.
Overall, my experience with Carol has been phenomenal. I think the most important thing was that she listened to me and had a great sense of humor about it. She got it when I said I wasn't into landscaping or working in the garden, but that I still wanted something pretty, and she delivered!
"Thanks. Your design was esp interesting because we wanted functional low maintenance plantings underneath two large shade trees which cast deep shade. I wanted to help you get out of the mud especially for your light colored dog. Our goal was No More Muddy Paws. My special mulch, the paths and the plantings will get us there fast and now this eyesore area is now a beautiful shade garden with room for the dog to tear about and stay clean. My referral, Kevin w Autumn Leaf Landscape installed the design and you were pleased with his services as well. Thanks for the report."
"Thanks. The member is a client with a fine design eye and it was a pleasure to work with her and for her. The member's first home landscape project for me was for fast re-sale. We added beauty and color with a Design in a Day landscape design. She sold the home quickly and the new owner loves the landscape. The 2nd project is the member's own home and we worked in a series of consultations with rough drawings and plant lists. The member did all the rest and now has a patio with wonderful easy care plantings all around it instead of a lawn struggling for light and making mud. Her dog Jake enjoyed the new patio and of course people were out in the patio a lot more than on the old tired muddy lawn so it was a double treat for him. Having a functional landscape for all the members of the family is important to a lot of my clients. Thanks again for the great report."
"This was a fun project partially because there is such a dramatic difference in the before and after photos. When you have lived in your home for 20 years, it can be hard to see the opportunities and the possibilities. A fresh eye that sees how to utilize every inch of space is critical when there isn't much square footage to work with. So much of the property was a steep hillside so making full functional use of a level area entry was as important as enhancing the curb appeal of the home. Most of the time we have several different priorities and this is where having a good designer who is used to thinking on many levels is helpful. The garden has filled in and we now meet once a year for a garden coach session to keep the integrity of the design. Thanks Members."
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.