Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Wednesday, May 26th: Today's Agenda and 30% Discount

Good morning!  Today we are working on Gruman and Crowe.  At 5pm, we will present Winter by phone.  Our online design option is becoming very popular because it costs less and you get your design package more quickly.  If you are a follower of our blog, or you "like" our Facebook page, we have an incentive for you.  ?During the month of June we will offer you a 30% discount on online design or online consultation.  Just let us know you would like the discount when you contact us, and we will confirm your fan status.  ;-)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Incentive Program for NativeDave Followers

Sounds rather evangelical, eh?

Sign up to follow our blog and we will include you in our flock of very important people who receive special discounts.  :)

Tuesday's Wrap-Up

Finished and turned in full-property design for Winter; will present tomorrow evening by phone.  Tomorrow we will work on Crowe and Gruman.  Talked with new clients today and will post status updates after their projects are underway.

Status Updates

In order to keep our clients informed, up-to-date on the progress of their projects, we are experimenting with some notification "devices."  Inspired by Facebook's 'status update' format, we have been posting to our own business Facebook page what we're doing each day.  We are also changing the outgoing message on our business voicemail to reflect that day's agenda.  Twitter -- you're next.  Now we'll be adding these updates to our blog, too, which is set to automatically update our Facebook page.  Four ways to check on the status of your design!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Golden Age Home Volunteer Workday

Somebody needs a haircut...!!!!

Think I'm talking about NativeDave himself?  Not to worry: Samson's locks are intact and not going anywhere anytime soon.  But the happy happy plants at Golden Age Home in Lockhart (the BBQ capital of Texas!) will be getting a trim here and there.  We have volunteered to spend a half-day working in the garden in Schroeder Park, located on the grounds at Golden Age Home.  If you are in the area and would like to lend a hand, or just want to see the garden, mark your calendar for Tuesday, June 8th, in the morning.  We plan to finish up by noon.

We designed and installed this one-acre garden in 2005.  During the first two years, we consulted with the grounds maintenance crew and donated our time for a couple of volunteer workdays.  Then we became first-time parents, and volunteer projects became a distant memory...but now our wise little wildflower is older.  She knows a lot about butterflies and has an innate interest in flowers that attract them.  She enjoys gardening, and together she and I will focus on "light duty" tasks at Golden Age Home, such as weeding.  We will leave the heavy lifting to Native Dave and the grounds crew.

Many, many pics to follow...

Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks for Sustainable Landscapes

Soon your landscape may receive ratings similar to LEED.  Where LEED focuses on environmental impact of building sites, primarily, Sustainable Sites Initiative addresses ecological and economic factors related to a site's land use.  The system proposed by the initiative "will enable built landscapes to support natural ecological functions by protecting existing ecosystems and regenerating ecological capacity where it has been lost."  Follow the link to their report which "focuses on measuring and rewarding a project that protects, restores and regenerates ecosystem services – benefits provided by natural ecosystems such as cleaning air and water, climate regulation and human health benefits."


Naturally, we support the assertion that landscapes (and the people who design, install or maintain them) should focus on native plants for the purposes of conserving, preserving, restoring and celebrating an ecosystem's natural processes and beauty.  Developing a ratings system such as the initiative proposes enhances the credibility of sustainable landscape designers and architects everywhere.  Given one of the partners in this initiative is the Wildflower Center in Austin, sustainable landscape experts in Texas (like us) will be perceived more as professionals than the prevailing "yard men."


We plan to submit several projects for accreditation when the pilot program has concluded.

Dallas Water-Wise Landscape Tour FREE


FREE Water-Wise Landscape Tour
Saturday, June 5, 2010
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Come and see how beautiful using less water can be! Visit Water-Wise, EarthKind gardens on the 16th annual Water-Wise Landscape Tour. For more information and a free tour map visitSaveDallasWater.com or call (214) 670-3155. Sponsored by City of Dallas Water Utilities, City of Dallas Stormwater Management, Texas AgriLife Extension and the Dallas County Master Gardeners.

NativeDave's Note: We designed one of this year's winners!  6808 Colfax in Dallas.  Two of our previous winners -- Chaney Ln in Plano and Tree Shadow Ct in Dallas -- will also be on the tour, as well as a commercial/demonstration project.  That project is on the grounds of Prairie Creek Baptist Church on 15th St in Plano.  We will spend most of the day there; details to be posted separately and soon.

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Custom Design: $400+ (online: $300+)

By far, our most popular service.  Although all of our services are customized to suit your personality, lifestyle, budget and goals, our custom designs are also works of art.  Computer-generated but artist-powered, every plant, every hardscape element is carefully chosen to work harmoniously together.  Every design tells its own story...and yours.

Before we begin the design process, we will ask that you complete our new client questionnaire.  It is brief, but your responses will help you focus your goals and expectations for this project, and will help guide us during the creative phase.  Then, we will meet with you for a brief site visit to take photos and collect your survey/plat plan.  At the conclusion of this meeting we will also collect a deposit equal to one-half our design fee; the balance will be due upon completion of your design.  When we are nearing completion of your design, we will contact you to set an appointment to review your design by phone.  Your design will arrive digitally.  After our phone meeting, we will make any necessary revisions, then print and mail hardcopies.

Our fee is determined by size and scope of your project, but on average front yard designs are $400, back yards are $500, and entire properties are $800.  These estimates apply to suburban residential properties on 1/3 acre or less.  Design fees for homes on acreage or small commercial sites typically start at $800.  For a more precise, free quote, please send via email photos of your property along with a brief description of your goals and expectations for the project.

Your design package will include: 24x36" professional planting plan (digital file only), two 11x17" laminated copies, list of plants and materials (including common and botanical names, sizes and quantities), care and maintenance instructions, and list of vendors and preferred contractors.

ONSITE DESIGN REVIEW: You may request that we present your design and review it with you in-person, instead of by phone.  This meeting will last no longer than one hour and is an additional $75.

ONLINE OPTION: This is becoming our second-most popular service!  Send via email your survey/plat plan (the document must be the exact size as the original, usually 8.5x14"), pics of the project site and a completed new client questionnaire.  We will reduce our fee to $300 (front yards), $400 (back yards), and $600 (entire properties.)

COLORIZED OPTION:  We seldom have requests for a colorized version of custom designs, but we do offer this option for an additional fee.  Fee is based on hourly rate of $75 with a minimum of one hour.

Payment for design services is due at the conclusion of the initial appointment, unless other arrangements were agreed upon between NativeDave, Inc. and client(s).  All online services must be prepaid via either check by mail, or PayPal.

Notes and Sketch Consultation: $225+ (online: $125+)

This site visit includes a quick sketch and a list of plants and materials, including common and botanical names, sizes and quantities.  It is designed for front yard- or back yard-only projects that need a planting plan turned around quickly.  All services are completed onsite.  Fees are determined by size and scope of project, but on average our fee for front yards is $225, and $300 for back yards.  Average meeting times are 1.5 hours for front yards, 2 hours for back yards.

ONLINE OPTION: Send your design or sketch digitally, along with pics of the project site and a completed new client questionnaire, and we will reduce our fee to $125 (front yards), $150 (back yards).

Payment for site visits is due at the conclusion of the appointment, unless other arrangements were agreed upon between NativeDave, Inc. and client(s).  All online services must be prepaid via either check by mail, or PayPal.

Notes Only Consultation: $150 (online: $75)

This one-hour site visit is ideal for clients who want to solicit David's ideas, but do not really need a design or sketch.  Or, those who have a design and sketch already, and want David to assist them with modifications and/or plant selection.

ONLINE OPTION: Send your design or sketch digitally, along with pics of the project site and a completed new client questionnaire, and we will reduce our fee to $75.

Payment for site visits is due at the conclusion of the appointment, unless other arrangements were agreed upon between NativeDave, Inc. and client(s).  All online services must be prepaid via either check by mail, or PayPal.

Site Visit: $75

Occasionally, projects are too small to warrant a design or even a sketch.  Or, clients merely want to pick Native Dave's brain for a half-hour or less.  Still others merely want to meet David before committing to a specific service or company.  For these and similar situations, we offer a $75 site visit.  During your visit with David you may ask questions and take notes.  Should you choose to proceed with either a notes-and-sketch consultation or design service, the $75 will be applied toward the upgraded fee.  


Payment for site visits is due at the conclusion of the appointment, unless other arrangements were agreed upon between NativeDave, Inc. and client(s).

Quotes and Estimates: Free

We will gladly issue a free quote for design or consultation services.  Please send via email (mailto:nativedaveinc@gmail.com) pics of your project site.  If you prefer that we visit your project site to issue a quote, please refer to the explanation of and fee for our site visit.