Creating a set of final landscape design plans requires a working knowledge of plant habitat and growth patterns in specific geographic locations. This understanding of plants allows a designer to choose appropriate plant materials for the specific geographic location, which can include consideration of a plant's sun/temperature requirements, water requirements and soil requirements. Understanding plant growth habits allows a designer to place plant materials in locations that produce a desired affect in form, scale and color (flowering and foliage) when the plantings are mature, while taking into consideration the other site elements or structures and how they will interact with these plant materials over time.

A landscape designer requires knowledge of the construction of various outdoor structures and requires an understanding of how to create and visualize how these structures will be put together and by what materials and fasteners. Some of these structures can include; masonry wall construction, fencing construction, pool construction, arbor and pergola construction, decking construction, retaining wall construction, walk construction, patio construction, etc. This expertise allows a designer to create safe, cost effective and aesthetically pleasing outdoor structures that will last and to effectively and accurately convey this information in the form of plans or drawings to contractors for construction.