How it Works - Steps in the Garden Design Process
First Steps
I will arrange a time for an initial consultation with you to see the garden, discuss your thoughts and aspirations on use of the garden, possibilities and limitations of the site, hard landscaping preferences, maintenance requirements and budget.
At this time, I will also talk you through the steps involved in the garden design process. After the site-visit, I will send you a summary of the brief, a quote for a design, and ask you to sign a copy of the terms and conditions if you decide to go ahead.
Surveying the Site
The first thing will be to get an accurate survey of the garden; this will include house boundaries, levels, drains, manholes etc. If the garden is large or has many levels, a professional surveyor may need to be commissioned to undertake this work. A site assessment will note things that influence the design such as soil type, aspect, views from the garden, neighbouring trees as well as any existing features that need to be retained, enhanced or hidden. Drawn up to scale, the survey will form a base upon which a design can develop.
Initial Ideas - Evolving the Design
At the time of the survey, I will go over the brief in more detail, using images of gardens, planting styles and hard landscaping materials to facilitate discussion. Any images you have will be especially useful at this stage. If you are also embarking on significant changes to your house, then this is the best time to look at the architect plans to see how best to link the garden with the changes planned inside.
I will then prepare some ideas on layout and return at a later stage to discuss these with you; at the same time we will discuss planting styles, taking into account your favourite plants, colours, maintenance requirements etc. Once we reach agreement on an outline plan I will then draw the garden design up, as a detailed garden layout plan and a separate planting plan.
The Garden Layout Plan
This is an annotated drawing showing the layout in plan form and drawn to scale. It includes locations of all features in the garden such as paths, lawns and planting, construction details of things like terraces, changes in level, steps and ponds as well as initial thoughts on planting style and key structural plants. The layout plan is suitable for sending out to a landscape contractor to price the work and build the garden.
This process can take up to 4 weeks from our initial meeting and once completed I will arrange a time to present the final layout drawing and talk through the details with you. At this stage, I would not charge for minor adjustments, though a significant redraw or redesign would be charged at the hourly rate.
Constructing the Garden
At this stage there are a number of options: you may wish to do the work yourself or arrange for a landscape contractor to construct the garden. I can help with this process by putting the work out to tender on your behalf, and overseeing the project through to completion. This will involve arranging quotes from one or more landscape companies, meeting the contractors on site to talk through the proposals and producing any specification documents and marking out diagrams as required. On site project management will include site visits at marking out stage and during construction to ensure the plan is being followed accurately.
Planting Plan and Planting
A planting plan is drawn to scale and indicates the exact species and locations at which they should be planted and includes a list of plants in the correct format for supplying to a nursery. Once the build is complete, I can arrange for the supply of the plants, and position them ready for planting by either yourself or a contractor or do the planting myself. If your garden is already landscaped, I can quote separately for a planting plan.