The Design Process
Whatever size garden you have, it is a special area of your home and I can help you to bring out its full potential.
The Initial Consultation is free and is an opportunity for you to see a portfolio of projects and for the designer to get a feel for your requirements and your garden. It generally lasts an hour or so, and provides vital information about your specific tastes and interests, identifies site problems and potential, and ensures the most is made of any existing characteristics you would like to keep. It's a good idea for everyone using the garden to be there so we can cover all the ideas together.
The Report which follows this consultation outlines the scope of the project with a fixed fee for the design work involved.
The Site Survey is generally undertaken by myself but a Land Surveyor may be used if the site is very large or has complex levels. This comprehensive survey provides a record of dimensions and levels for the existing site, notes features to retain, disguise or remove, and enables an accurate scale drawing of the site to be drawn up.
The Design Plan is an initial design to scale including elevations and sketches to help you visualise the finished garden. This may be revised within the project scope until a final finished plan is agreed. Plans are professionally drawn with the utmost attention to detail, and these, combined with a Setting Out Plan enable contractors to cost your project and set timescales for its completion.
Construction Drawings may be required for specific features such as retaining walls, decks, pergolas, water features, arbours and so on.
The Planting Plan details the arrangement, positioning and spacing of plants for the garden. Plants are selected according to the style of garden and for their suitability. Once a planting plan is agreed they can be sourced from local wholesale nurseries, which means you get the best plants for your locale at a more favourable price than from garden centres. I am also happy to set them out and plant them. As part of the ongoing development of your garden I can provide an annual Garden Maintenance Guide.
Project Management can be provided to whatever level suits. You may wish to take on the work yourselves, or already have a contractor in mind, or you may like me to recommend local professionals. I am happy to work with them from outset to completion of the project, and would provide a fixed fee for this. I can also be retained on an advisory basis, for which an hourly fee will apply.
Finishing Touches personalise the garden and I can provide plenty of ideas for unique and unusual sculptures, outdoor furniture and stunning lighting to complement the beautiful garden designed to suit you.
