Planning a Backyard Design in Rhode Island: Why Winter Is the Time
Updated: Sep 28
The best landscape projects are planned while the ground is still cold.
Every year the same thing happens. The first warm weekend in April arrives, everyone steps outside, looks at the yard, and decides this is the year. By then most of the good building season in Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth is already spoken for. The projects that turn out best are the ones planned while the ground is still cold. Here is what I recommend doing over the winter.
Start the design conversation
Fall and winter are the best time to design. The leaves are down, so you can see the bones of the property clearly. We can walk the site, talk about how you want to use it, and take the time to get the drawings right without rushing. If your project includes a pool, structures, significant grading or work near the shoreline, it may need town or CRMC review. Those reviews take time, and starting them in the winter keeps the project from waiting on paperwork once the weather turns.
Structure first, then planting
Pools, walls, terraces, pavilions and pergolas need the most lead time and the right weather to build. Getting on the schedule early means they can be finished before planting season is in full swing. On this island, spring planting runs from about March through June, and fall planting from September through November. If you want a new garden in bloom by summer, the plant list and the beds should be planned well before then.
The projects that turn out best are the ones planned while the ground is still cold.
Notice what bothered you last year
Winter is a good time to remember what did not work. The patio that was too small for dinner guests. The corner that flooded every storm. The view you wished you could screen. Those are often the best starting points for a design.
Beginning your project
If you are thinking about a project for this coming season, now is the time to reach out. You can read about our four-element design process or how we build a gunite pool. Call me at 401-619-1607 or request a consultation.
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