Self-Guided Workbook

Productive Property Audit

A printable workbook that walks you through the same site-reading process used on every estate engagement: soil, water, sunlight, existing vegetation, and your household's actual needs, assessed before you spend a dollar on design or installation.

Productive Property Audit

Most landscape decisions get made backwards, starting with what looks good rather than what the land can actually support. This workbook flips that order. Before any design conversation, you will map sun hours across your property through the seasons, do a basic soil read, trace how water moves and pools after rain, and inventory what is already growing worth keeping. The result is a clear, written picture of your property's real constraints and opportunities, the same foundation every paid engagement starts from.

What's included

✅Complete site assessment framework
Step-by-step worksheets covering sun, soil, water, and existing vegetation
✅Soil and water evaluation guide
Simple field tests you can do yourself, no lab required
✅Plant opportunity mapping
Identify what your specific site can actually support before you buy anything
✅Format
Printable PDF workbook, work at your own pace
How to use it

From download to done.

  • 1. Start with sunMap sun hours across the property, ideally at a few points in the year.
  • 2. Read your soilUse the simple field tests to understand texture, drainage and structure.
  • 3. Follow the waterWalk the property after rain and record where water moves and pools.
  • 4. Inventory and decideList what is worth keeping, then use the opportunity mapping to see what your site can support.
Who this is for

For owners who want
to understand before they spend.

This is for homeowners and landowners who want a clear picture of what their property can support before they buy plants or hire anyone.

It is also a strong starting point before a Remote Strategy or on-site consult, because you arrive with the groundwork done.

What to know before you buy

This is a self-guided workbook. For a professional read of your property, see the Remote Strategy or the Property Intelligence Report.

It teaches assessment, not design. The Living Property Blueprint covers what to build once you know your site.

Common questions

Before you buy.

  • How long does the audit take?Most people complete a first pass over a few weekends. Some observations, such as seasonal sun, build over the year.
  • Do I need a soil lab?No. The workbook uses field tests you can do yourself. A county extension soil test adds detail if you want it.
  • What do I do with the results?Use them to plan yourself, or bring them to a consultation. Every paid engagement starts from the same information.
    • Pairs well with