Things I've learned...

In the nearly ten years I've been practicing as a landscape architect, I've learned a few things (to be continuously updated):

• Don't be cheap. It's not worth not repaving that one patch of asphalt, that other piece of sidewalk, or filling in that planting bed. In the end, no one remembers that they didn't have enough money; what they do remember is, "How come we never finished that??" Besides, you never know: the gods could smile upon you and bids come in low.
  
• Corollary to the above: STUFF the planting beds full. In the end, it looks beautiful and that is what counts. In the scheme of things (say, a $14 million dollar building), no one will notice that you spent a few more dollars on 20 more shrubs. AND pick the biggest size plant available.
  
• There is no such thing as a good contractor (no offense to contractors out there!). Even the best contractor can't read your mind, so you need to be a good designer (I'm sure contractors say there is no such thing as a good designer!) and put as much information as possible on your drawings, and meet with them.
  
• Put spot elevations everywhere. Tops and bottoms of curbs, especially at curb ramps. Too many times have we had to act out curb ramps and flush curbs with interpretive dance!