How long does the garden design and installation process take from first call to finished planting?

Most residential garden projects move from initial consultation to completed installation in 4 to 8 weeks. The first site visit takes 1 to 2 hours. Andrew Mattiola then develops a scaled planting plan, typically delivered within 1 to 2 weeks, with one revision round included. Scheduling installation depends on seasonal windows. Fall planting (mid September through mid November) is ideal for trees and large shrubs because roots establish before summer heat stress, and spring planting (late March through May) suits perennials and annuals best. Grading work that disturbs more than 50 cubic yards in townships like Whitpain, Worcester, or Skippack may require a grading permit, which can add 2 to 3 weeks.

Which plants perform best in Southeastern Pennsylvania soils and climate?

Plant selection in Southeastern Pennsylvania must account for two very different soil types and freeze thaw cycles running October through March. For Worsham series clay and seasonally wet areas, native options like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), and serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) are reliably durable, and eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) handles moderate clay well while delivering outstanding spring color. For well drained Cecil sandy loam on upland sites, coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis), and ornamental grasses perform with minimal intervention. Blue Tree's planting plans reference Penn State Cooperative Extension validated lists and align plant choices with USDA hardiness zones 6b through 7a.

What drainage and soil prep challenges are unique to Southeastern Pennsylvania gardens?

The 36 inch frost depth in Southeastern Pennsylvania means any perennial installed without adequate drainage faces repeated freeze thaw heave through the root zone. Clay heavy Worsham and Conshohocken Loam soils, common across low areas in Montgomery and Chester Counties, drain poorly and can hold standing water for days after heavy rain, which rots roots in all but the most water tolerant species. On Manor shale soils found on slopes in Chester and Montgomery Counties, shallow depth to bedrock limits root zone depth to as little as 12 to 18 inches. Andrew Mattiola assesses your specific soil type during the site visit and designs amendment and drainage recommendations before specifying any plant material.

How much maintenance does a professionally designed garden require in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and what does it cost?

A well designed garden calibrated for Southeastern Pennsylvania soils and climate typically stabilizes its maintenance demands after the second growing season. During the establishment period (year 1 and into year 2), expect hand weeding, mulch replenishment in spring at 2 to 3 inches depth, supplemental watering during July and August dry spells, and Spotted Lanternfly monitoring. Annual maintenance programs for a mid size garden (1,500 to 3,000 square feet of planting beds) typically run $800 to $2,500 per year depending on bed complexity. Including 30 to 40 percent native species in the design measurably reduces irrigation and pest treatment needs after establishment, and Blue Tree can build a seasonal maintenance schedule into your project proposal.

What areas does Blue Tree serve for garden design and planting?

Blue Tree designs and installs gardens across seven counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania: Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties. Blue Tree has planted in these conditions since 1983, drawing on 43 years of installation data and specific knowledge of the soil series, drainage patterns, and microclimate variations found across the service area. Designer Andrew Mattiola plans each garden around the local soil and climate, and Blue Tree's own installation crews carry out the work.

Garden Design & Planting in Southeastern PA

What Sets Blue Tree's Garden Design Apart

A garden is the layer that makes a landscape feel finished: the planting plan, the seasonal color, and the structure that carries a yard through winter and back into spring. Blue Tree designs gardens as part of the whole property, not as a tray of plants dropped along the foundation. A degreed designer studies your soil, drainage, sun, and the way you actually use the yard, then draws a planting plan matched to Southeastern Pennsylvania's clay soils, humid summers, and cold winters. Blue Tree has planted gardens across Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties since 1983, pairing native and proven ornamental species so the garden fills in, holds its shape, and looks intentional in every season.

Written by Andrew Mattiola, a Blue Tree landscape designer with a Penn State degree in landscape contracting, and reviewed by senior designer Stephen Roehm.

Established

1 Year

Plant Replacement Warranty

70 to 90

Employees

Our Garden Design & Planting Process

From initial consultation and collaborative design to detailed planning, expert installation, and final walkthrough, we guide you through a seamless, professional process that ensures clarity, quality, and lasting results.

Step 1: Free On-Site Consultation

Your dedicated designer, not a salesperson, visits your property to read the site: soil quality, sunlight through the day, existing mature plantings, drainage patterns, and grade. Then we listen. Tell us how you want to use the space, the events you want to host, and how you picture the garden maturing over the years. The consultation is free and there is no same-day pressure. Timeline: 1 visit, about 60 to 90 minutes.

Step 2: Custom Design Presentation

Using CAD and 3D rendering software, your designer builds a detailed planting plan that shows exactly how your property will look, down to plant species, mature sizes, and how color shifts through the seasons. You walk the design from every angle before a single plant goes in the ground, and we revise it together until it is right. Timeline: 2 to 4 weeks.

Step 3: Plant Selection & Sourcing

Your designer hand-selects plant material from a network of trusted local growers and brokers, favoring stock already acclimated to Southeastern Pennsylvania. If you have a specific specimen in mind, we will source it, and your designer is glad to meet you at the nursery so you can approve the exact plants before they are installed. Timeline: 1 to 2 weeks.

Step 4: Professional Installation

Experienced installation crews execute the plan with care: proper soil preparation and amendment, correct planting depth, root establishment technique, and grading that moves water away from the home and hardscapes. The crew does not leave until the site is graded, seeded, strawed, and clean. Timeline: 1 to 2 weeks.

Step 5: Aftercare & Warranty

Every planting project ships with a watering guide tailored to your plant material and site, and all plant material is backed by a one-year, one-time replacement warranty from the date of installation. Ongoing bed maintenance and seasonal care are available through Premier Outdoor Services, handled by the same team that planted the garden. Timeline: ongoing.

Garden Design Specialties for Every Property

Concrete planning beats a tray of plants set along the foundation. These are the garden types Southeastern Pennsylvania homeowners ask Blue Tree for most, each one designed around your light, your soil, and the way you actually use the yard.

Perennial Gardens

Layered perennials planned for a bloom relay from early spring through late fall, weighted toward low-maintenance, deer-aware varieties that thrive in Southeastern PA.

Foundation Plantings

Layered shrubs and evergreens that frame the house, soften hard corners, and carry curb appeal straight through winter.

Specimen & Focal-Point Plantings

Statement trees, ornamental specimens, and architectural plants placed to draw the eye and anchor the whole composition.

Shade Gardens

Hostas, ferns, astilbe, and other shade-tolerant species that turn a dim, difficult corner into a lush, finished planting.

Privacy Screening & Hedgerows

Evergreen screens and mixed hedgerows planned for year-round privacy, noise reduction, and wind protection along property lines.

Garden Renovations

Removing tired or overgrown beds and replacing them with a fresh, modern planting that respects the home and the property's mature features.

Designed for Southeastern
Pennsylvania's Climate and Soil

Southeastern Pennsylvania sits across USDA hardiness zones 6b and 7a, so plant selection has to account for cold winters and hot, humid summers in the same plan. The region's clay-heavy soils hold water and run acidic in places, which makes soil testing, amendment, and drainage part of the design rather than an afterthought. Deer pressure is real across much of our service area, and microclimates shift from a north-facing slope to the heat reflected off a patio or pool. For seasonal structure, Blue Tree's garden designs in this region typically layer spring-flowering trees (Eastern redbud, serviceberry, flowering cherry) with summer perennial color (coneflower, catmint, baptisia, salvia), late-season interest from ornamental grasses (Karl Foerster feather reed grass, switchgrass, little bluestem), and winter silhouette from berry-bearing shrubs such as winterberry holly and Virginia sweetspire. Where deer pressure is consistent, the design shifts toward known resisters: boxwood, ornamental grasses, Russian sage, and Helleborus. Blue Tree has planted in these conditions since 1983, choosing proven performers over trend plants and drawing on 43 years of installation data so the garden establishes, fills in, and holds up season after season across Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties.

A curved stone walkway bordered by dark bricks winds through landscaped gardens with green shrubs, ornamental grasses, mulch, and solar path lights, leading to a patio area in a spacious yard.

Complete Your Garden with Lighting, Irrigation, and Ongoing Care

LED Landscape Lighting. Extend the garden into the evening with uplighting on specimen trees, soft path lighting through the beds, and accent lighting on focal points. Explore landscape lighting.

Drip Irrigation. Automated, low-volume watering that takes the guesswork out of establishment and keeps new plantings healthy through their first summers. Explore drip irrigation.

Seasonal Mulching and Bed Care. Annual mulch to hold moisture and suppress weeds, plus ongoing bed maintenance handled by the same team through Premier Outdoor Services.

Part of Blue Tree's Planting Design and Installation services, available across Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties.

A landscaped area with green shrubs, large stone boulders, and a curved concrete pathway beside a beige stucco house with a window and decorative wall art. Blue sky with clouds is visible in the background.

Curated Transformations

Browse recent garden and planting projects from across Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties.

Everything Your Outdoor
Space Needs. One Team.

From the pool to the patio to the plants that frame it all. We handle the full picture so nothing falls through the cracks.

A luxurious backyard pool features stone walls with multiple cascading waterfalls, built-in lights, fire bowls, and surrounding lush greenery and flowers, creating an elegant and relaxing outdoor space.

Custom Pools & Water Features

Resort-style pools, spas, waterfalls, and grottos, designed for your property, not from a catalog

Explore Pools

A spacious outdoor patio features a built-in stone grill, bar seating, a dining table, wicker chairs, and a stone fireplace. The area is warmly lit and surrounded by lush green trees at sunset.

Patios, Walls & Outdoor Kitchens

Structures built to last generations by craftsmen who take pride in the details

Explore Hardscaping

A well-maintained front yard features neatly trimmed grass, vibrant flower beds, shrubs, and small trees in front of a stone house, all bathed in warm sunlight.

Landscape Design & Planting

Native plants, seasonal color, and designs that thrive in Southeastern PA's climate

Explore Landscaping

A green fertilizer spreader sits on a neatly mowed lawn in front of a suburban house, surrounded by well-kept bushes and colorful flowers on a sunny day.

Lawn Programs

Science-backed fertilization, weed control, and aeration for the lawn your neighbors will notice

Explore Turf Care

A luxurious backyard at dusk features a glowing swimming pool, landscaped gardens, and warm path lighting, with a large house and outdoor seating area illuminated in the background, surrounded by tall trees.

Landscape Lighting

Professionally designed LED systems that add safety, security, and ambiance after dark

Explore Lighting

A large, well-manicured green lawn in front of a stone house with landscaped flower beds, bushes, and small trees, surrounded by tall trees with autumn foliage.

Year-Round Care

Seasonal cleanups, pool service, and ongoing care that keeps everything looking its best

Explore Maintenance

Common Questions

A professionally designed and installed garden in southeastern PA typically costs $3,500 to $40,000 or more, depending on property size, plant density, and soil conditions. Soil amendment is one of the most significant cost drivers in our area. Worsham series soils, the seasonally wet clay found in low-lying areas across Montgomery, Chester, and Bucks Counties, often require 8 to 10 inches of organic amendment and structural compost before planting, adding $500 to $2,000 to a project. Sandy upland soils in Chester County require far less prep. Your free consultation with Blue Tree Outdoor Living includes a site walk, a soil type assessment, and a preliminary plant palette so you leave with a realistic project range before any money changes hands.

Most residential garden projects move from initial consultation to completed installation in 4 to 8 weeks. The first site visit takes 1 to 2 hours. Andrew Mattiola then develops a scaled planting plan, typically delivered within 1 to 2 weeks, with one revision round included. Scheduling installation depends on seasonal windows. In southeastern PA, fall planting (mid-September through mid-November) is ideal for trees and large shrubs because roots establish before summer heat stress. Spring planting (late March through May) suits perennials and annuals best. Summer installations require supplemental irrigation for the first 4 to 6 weeks and are generally discouraged for large shrubs during the August heat peak. Grading work that disturbs more than 50 cubic yards in townships like Whitpain, Worcester, or Skippack may require a grading permit, which can add 2 to 3 weeks.

Plant selection in southeastern PA must account for two very different soil types and freeze-thaw cycles running October through March. For Worsham series clay and seasonally wet areas, native options like Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower), and Amelanchier canadensis (serviceberry) are reliably durable. Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud) handles moderate clay well and delivers outstanding spring color. For well-drained Cecil sandy loam on upland sites, Echinacea purpurea (coneflower), Baptisia australis (blue wild indigo), and ornamental grasses like Andropogon gerardii perform with minimal intervention. Blue Tree's planting plans reference Penn State Cooperative Extension validated lists and align plant choices with USDA hardiness zones 6b through 7a across the seven-county service area.

The 36-inch frost depth in southeastern PA means any perennial plant installed without adequate drainage faces repeated freeze-thaw heave through the root zone. Clay-heavy Worsham and Conshohocken Loam soils, common across low areas in Montgomery and Chester Counties, drain poorly and can hold standing water for days after heavy rain, which rotted roots cause in all but the most water-tolerant species. On Manor shale soils found on slopes in Chester and Montgomery Counties, shallow depth to bedrock limits root zone depth to as little as 12 to 18 inches. Andrew Mattiola assesses your specific soil type during the site visit and designs amendment and drainage recommendations before specifying any plant material. A common mistake is selecting plants for a nursery zone rating alone without accounting for soil drainage, which is why so many ornamental plantings in this region fail within 3 to 5 years.

A well-designed garden calibrated for southeastern PA soils and climate typically stabilizes its maintenance demands after the second growing season. During the establishment period (year 1 and into year 2), expect hand-weeding, mulch replenishment in spring (2 to 3 inches depth), supplemental watering during July and August dry spells, and Spotted Lanternfly monitoring, which is a quarantine pest in all seven counties Blue Tree serves. Annual maintenance programs for a mid-size garden (1,500 to 3,000 square feet of planting beds) typically run $800 to $2,500 per year depending on bed complexity. Including 30 to 40 percent native species in the design measurably reduces irrigation and pest treatment needs after establishment. Blue Tree Outdoor Living can build a seasonal maintenance schedule into your project proposal.

Blue Tree Outdoor Living has been designing and installing landscapes in southeastern PA for 43 years, since our founding in Norristown in 1983. Andrew Mattiola holds a Penn State landscape contracting degree and designs with specific knowledge of the soil series, drainage patterns, and microclimate variations found across the seven counties we serve: Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties. Our teams maintain a 13 to 14 year average employee tenure, which means the installer who grades your beds has worked in these soils for over a decade, not weeks. We source plant material from regional native nurseries where straight-species selections match what Penn State Extension recommends, not just what a national distributor happened to ship. A general contractor or retail install crew cannot replicate that local knowledge base.

Garden Design and Planting in Southeastern Pennsylvania

What Sets Blue Tree's Garden Design Apart

Our Garden Design & Planting Process