Landscape design and design-build projects vary widely based on property size, scope, and material selections. Every Aspen project starts with a site walk and a clear, itemized estimate based on what your specific property needs - so you know exactly what you're investing in before any work begins. Reach out and we'll schedule a consultation.

A typical residential design process takes 4-8 weeks from initial consultation to final approved plan, depending on project complexity and how many revision rounds we work through together. Larger estate properties with multiple phases can take 8-12 weeks. We move at your pace - there's no benefit to rushing a plan that's going to drive a major investment.

Yes. Every Aspen master plan includes 3D visualization of the major design elements - typically the primary patio, key planting areas, and any major hardscape features. Renderings aren't a sales tool for us; they're a planning tool that lets you see how the design will read at eye level before we break ground.

Aspen Landscape was founded in Wayzata in 1980, and we've been designing and building landscapes across Lake Minnetonka and the western Twin Cities for 46 years. Gary Speich has personally walked nearly every type of property in this market - from compact downtown lots to lakeshore estates - and that depth of local experience shapes every design we produce.

You're not contractually required to, but our design-build model is built around the assumption that the team designing the project will also be the team building it. When designs get handed off to outside installers, details get lost - and our designs include specifics on base preparation, drainage, and material selection that don't always translate cleanly. Most clients find the design-build path delivers a better outcome.

Every Aspen design factors freeze-thaw into structural decisions - base depth for hardscape, drainage behind retaining walls, plant selection for cold-hardiness, and materials that hold up to repeated freeze cycles. We design knowing the landscape will face 40+ freeze-thaw events per winter, not the milder conditions you'd design for in a warmer climate.

Yes. We regularly collaborate with architects, custom homebuilders, and interior designers on new construction projects across Lake Minnetonka. The earlier landscape design enters the conversation, the better the final result - site grading, drainage planning, and major hardscape decisions all integrate more cleanly when landscape and architecture are coordinated from day one.

Mature trees are an asset we work to preserve, not an obstacle. Every Aspen site analysis maps existing trees with their critical root zones, and we design hardscape and planting beds to protect them. The tradeoff is sometimes design flexibility - but a 60-year-old oak is worth more to a property than any new landscape feature could be.