Landscape Design and Master Planning
Exquisite Gardens. Timeless Elegance. Your Sanctuary Shaped by Nature.
Landscape Design and Master Planning is where your property becomes a cohesive, buildable vision. This is the phase that organizes the entire landscape, how outdoor rooms connect, how you move through the garden, where structure belongs, and how planting and quietly integrated hardscaping work together as one calm, intentional experience.
Begin with a brief phone conversation. On-site consultations are scheduled when we’re aligned.
Explore Services
Garden & Landscape Consulting | Landscape Design and Master Planning | Planting Design and Ecological Plant Communities | Garden Coaching | Native Bee and Pollinator Support | Habitat Gardens and Ecological Integration | Rain Gardens and Stormwater Integration | Outdoor Hardscape and Garden Structure
What Master Planning Is
A master plan is the underlying architecture of the landscape. It defines the structure first so every future decision is clear, coordinated, and aligned with the way you want to live outdoors.
This plan resolves the big questions: where the garden begins and ends, how spaces relate to the home, how privacy and views are shaped, how circulation feels, and where subtle structure, terraces, paths, steps, and edges should exist to support the planting. It also creates a roadmap for phasing, so the property can be developed over time without losing coherence.
Site Study and Base Information
Before master planning begins, I document what is true on the ground so the design performs as beautifully as it reads. This site study may include sun and shade patterns, soils and drainage behavior, grades and water movement, existing vegetation, key views, and circulation pressure points. Detailed site photography supports the work, and satellite or drone imagery may be used when helpful to understand broader context.
This information becomes the base layer for decision-making, so the master plan is not just beautiful, but accurate, buildable, and aligned with how the landscape will actually function over time.
Who Master Planning Is For
Landscape Design and Master Planning is ideal when you:
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Want a unified vision for the entire property before investing in construction or planting
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Are renovating an older landscape that feels fragmented or underwhelming
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Want outdoor rooms for dining, gathering, or quiet retreat that feel natural and refined
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Need privacy and screening without a wall of plants
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Are considering terraces, paths, steps, or drainage changes and want them integrated with the garden
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Want to reduce lawn and replace it with layered planting in a clear, intentional structure
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Prefer a phased approach that protects design intent and investment over seasons
What the Master Plan Can Include
Depending on scope and site conditions, the master plan may include:
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Overall site organization: garden rooms, hierarchy, views, and arrival sequence
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Circulation and flow: paths, thresholds, transitions, and key destinations
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Concepts for terraces, patios, steps, and edges using quietly integrated hardscaping
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Privacy and screening strategy that reads natural and elegant
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Water movement and stormwater direction at a concept level (where it impacts performance)
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High-level grading and drainage strategy when needed
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A phased development roadmap aligned with lifestyle, seasonality, and investment
When construction is part of the scope, the master plan becomes the foundation for technical documentation and trade coordination.
Site Study and Base Information
A strong master plan begins with accurate observation and clear base information. Depending on the property and scope, this may include:
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Sun and shade pattern reading (including seasonal light shifts where relevant)
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Soils, drainage, moisture behavior, and compaction observations
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Grades, slopes, and water movement clues (where performance or construction is impacted)
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Microclimates and exposure (wind, heat, reflected light, canopy effects)
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Site photography and measured reference points to support design accuracy
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When needed: satellite imagery or other reference layers to clarify layout and context
This information protects the design and improves execution by grounding decisions in the realities of the site.
What You Gain
A strong master plan gives you:
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Clarity and confidence before construction begins
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A coherent vision that unifies planting, structure, and experience
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A roadmap for phasing without losing the intended design
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Better estimating and decision-making for materials and scope
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A landscape that feels intentional from the start and improves with time
Where This Fits in The Coan Method™
Master planning is the structural heart of The Coan Method™. It translates the observations and priorities established during consulting into a cohesive, buildable direction for the entire property, ensuring that planting and quietly integrated hardscaping support each other.
This service aligns with:
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Step 2: Landscape Design Master Plan
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Often followed by Step 3: Landscape Construction Documents (as needed) and Step 4: Garden Design Planting Plan
When you’re ready, we refine scope, sequencing, and investment based on your site conditions and the master plan direction.
Investment Guidance
Planning ranges vary by scope, site conditions, and materials.
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Garden-only projects typically begin around $15,000 to $20,000
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Gardens incorporating light hardscape often begin near $35,000
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Many residential clients invest $30,000 to $80,000
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Larger estate properties are often developed in thoughtful phases beginning at $150,000 and beyond
Scope, sequencing, and overall investment are refined through a paid consultation and master plan prior to construction.
Service Area & Availability
Stephen accepts a limited number of new clients each season to ensure every project receives the highest level of attention, artistry, and horticultural care.
Service area includes Southern and Middle New Jersey and the Philadelphia tri-state region, including Philadelphia, the Main Line, and the Delaware Valley.
A limited number of destination commissions nationwide are accepted each year by invitation.
Shape the Vision
If you want a property-wide plan with clarity, elegance, and long-term vision, begin here.
Apply for your complementary consultation to begin your journey toward a bespoke, nature-inspired landscape.
Share a few details about your project, and I’ll recommend the most appropriate path forward.
Limited seasonal availability. Inquiries reviewed once or twice per week.