Garden design is an artistic and creative process working with the client. Using professional knowledge and skills, the aim is to bring an old area to life or create an entirely new garden. Design involves several processes and methods of work including surveying, graphic design, CAD, planning and sometimes project management. The order and choice of processes will vary between designers, but it usually follows the basic pattern of:

Client meet, Brief, Concepts, Designs, Construction, Completion.

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Planning and creating an entirely new garden can be an expensive undertaking. However, these processes and budget can be scaled down to design a planting scheme for a smaller area. Garden design is only really restricted by imagination and budget!

 

I work mostly in CAD as it can create multiple views and images of the same garden as well as having the versatility to make minor alterations or large changes with ease. It also provides you with various options, especially during the concept stage of the garden design. My preferred method of work is outlined below:

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Initial Meet - This is a free meeting (within 25miles) where we can meet each other, and I can get an outline of your ideas and requirements (If the meeting requires more than 25miles travel, I charge a flat rate of £60 to cover time and mileage). There may be some follow up communication via email or phone, once you are happy and if you wish to proceed, a fee proposal is prepared for the garden design project. It will state pricing and outline my stages of work for the garden design project. Usually this is broken down into fees for specific stages of the project.​

 

The fee proposal will also be accompanied by my terms of engagement, this is a document for garden design projects that serves to protect both client and designer in engagement of works. It may seem daunting and a little convoluted! But it is just standard industry practice as recommended by the Society of Garden Designers. If required, we may discuss some changes to the proposal. Once you are happy, we both sign it and work on your garden design can begin!

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An example of a proposal document and a copy of my terms of engagement can be found below:​

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Design Brief and Site Survey - A design brief creates a comprehensive package of information for the garden design. This is a vital reference during the research, concept creation and final design stages. It details key information such as your plans for garden uses, desires, ideas for garden design and any other relevant information for the design from you as a client.

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This information is gathered through an initial consultation and other communications between us. I use a tailored garden design questionnaire that allows you some time to consider any other aspects or information you may wish to provide. However detailed or limited your answers may be, it is very important to the design process. There will also be a follow up meeting, this allows us to work through your responses and anything else we may feel the need to discuss for your garden design. I usually conduct the meeting at the same time as the site survey.

 

A site survey involves recording of data to create technical plans and site information relevant to developing a new garden. This can include: Aspect, exposure, soil texture/structure, microclimates, existing garden content such as plants and buildings. Creating a brief is a wide ranging and detailed process, it helps both of us to understand your garden and allows me to understand your expectations for the garden design and to align them with the current garden environment and its design potential.

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Concepts and Initial Design Process - This whole concept stage is a communicative, creative and evolving process that should be very exciting for you as a client. I use the design brief as my information pack and reference point throughout this process. Utilising creative research and development skills, my aims are to start collecting various ideas, images, styles, themes and possibly materials to present to you. I consider whole themes you have mentioned or I believe suitable, down to small individual elements or materials like seating or the tone and size of gravel.

 

We will have a few meetings where I can present to you some of the ideas, usually as digital or hard copy presentation boards. This allows us to begin to pull together various components and start working towards some full ideas for the garden design. This process is as much about 'No' as it is 'Yes'! Knowing what you don't want and don't like is just as critical in concept stages, in fact I often find my clients have a much clearer idea of what they don't like than what they like! 

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Working from the brief and our meetings some plans and perspectives may be presented to you using CAD. Once some firm ideas of the overall garden and its elements have been developed, I can create a final concept for the garden design. More often than not, several features from different concepts will be incorporated into this. Usually at this stage I will start communicating with landscapers if this is something you require me to do. This communication can lead to initial estimates and site meetings, beginning the process of finding and instructing a landscaper for the garden build. 

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All the concept research and work should bring us to an understanding of what you want your garden to look like, what function you want from it and the materials and plants you would like to have in it. Following the concept and some initial design processes laid out in the proposal, we would then be in the exciting position of producing the final design!

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Final Design - The garden begins to come to life! This process can involve a large amount of work due to the research of plants and materials and the technical drawing aspects of design. The final garden design can include a layout plan of the garden, a hard landscaping plan, planting plan and depending on scale or scope a lighting plan and other technical drawings of structures or relevant layouts. Other documentation in the final garden design can include design rationale, perspective images or drawings, plant lists and material lists. If you require I can produce maintenance schedules and advice sheets as well as plant profile documents.  

 

The final design will involve a draft process where small changes may be made to a point, however larger changes can severely impact the overall design, creating more work and almost certainly incurring more costs. 

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Garden Build -  Bringing the garden design from concept and plan into reality. As mentioned in the concept stages, I can assist with finding suitable landscapers for the project. Please be aware that many landscapers will have diaries booked up a few months in advance, sometimes there can be a delay in design to completion due to this. 

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Some landscapers provide a full service of construction, soft landscaping, bed preparation and planting, others will only provide hard landscaping and many offer variations of these services. I have landscapers in certain areas that I would recommend and will also narrow down the right landscaper for you in your area. Ultimately it will be your decision, but I can support and advise you throughout the process of selection.

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Depending on the level of service provided by the landscaper, I can source and install plants if necessary or variations of this. I will also visit the garden throughout the construction process, keeping up communication between myself, you and the landscaper to ensure all is running smoothly.

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Finally the garden will be complete! Paths and patios laid, plants installed and you will be able get out and enjoy your new space! I can also provide follow up visits and consultations at later dates to ensure the garden is thriving and performing as it should.

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