This guide explains how Page | Duke approaches early residential outdoor design work in Middle Tennessee. It is written for homeowners who want a clear sequence before construction starts, and before plant orders and hardscape contracts lock in.

1. Gather site facts the team can verify on day one

Bring a plat or survey if you have one, photos of wet spots after heavy rain, and a short list of trees you want to keep. Note sun patterns through the day on patios, kitchen windows, and drive approaches. If a pool, guest house, or garage expansion is planned, say so now so grading and utility paths stay coordinated with the house architect.

2. Describe how you want to live outside

Think in scenes instead of catalogs: breakfast on a small terrace, kids practicing soccer on turf, a shaded reading bench, or a quiet path to a vegetable bed. Mention noise sources you want softened, views you want opened, and views you want screened. Budget ranges can stay rough at first, but a ceiling and a priority order help the studio propose phasing.

3. Expect iterative drawings, not a single sketch

Outdoor design for a Nashville residential lot usually moves from a measured base plan to concept overlays, then detail sheets for walls, steps, railings, lighting, and irrigation tie ins. Reviews focus on circulation, safety on steps, clearances for equipment, and long term plant spacing so trees do not crowd foundations twenty years out.

4. Plan for soil, drainage, and mature plant size

Clay pockets, shallow limestone, and seasonal heat all affect turf choices, tree pits, and porous paving. A good early conversation covers where downspouts discharge, where AC units need air space, and how deer pressure might steer plant palettes in edge zones.

For more on how the office collaborates with clients, read About Page | Duke. To ask scheduling questions or share files, use Contact Page | Duke. When you want to browse built work before calling, return to the Page | Duke home page with the featured project grid.