The Garden Design Process

Designing your garden involves a number of stages, and you can work with us in a way that best suits your project and budget:

Stage 1 – Garden Consultation

Regardless of project size or budget, we begin with a minimum 2-hour consultation at your home or property. Chris will meet with you, along with partners, kids (and dogs, if you like!), to discuss your needs and wishes. Spending time outside with you in the garden, Chris will listen to your ideas, sharing his thoughts and expertise, which will result in a sketch of a very loose vision for your garden. The aim will be to get to know each other, and to both inspire and excite you about the potential for your garden. Even if you’re just looking for ideas to redesign the garden yourself, Chris will give you the confidence to move forward with some tangible ideas that you can put into action. Chris may leave you with some rough sketches or suggestions for how to proceed.

We also discuss your budget in terms of any limitations or opportunities.

Stage 2 – Concept Design

The next stage would be to progress the outcome of our initial consultation into a working concept design. This will involve a full survey of the garden, measured to scale, and an analysis of site conditions. Designing how your new garden layout is going to look, ideas will be presented to you, as either 2D hand-drawn plans or a 3D visual. The design will include suggestions for hard landscaping materials and ‘mood boards’ that evoke the feel of the planned garden.

Once you’re happy with your garden design, the approved concept will be turned into a 2D scale plan, showing dimensions and any working drawings that may be required. You will also receive a draft specification document which provides details of the materials we recommend for the project. This will enable a landscaper to be able to provide a quote (it will be up to you to agree the exact materials to be used, which can affect the quoted costs). We can provide you with trusted contractors or you’re welcome to use your own.

Stage 3 – Project tendering

We can help take care of the whole garden creation process for you. We can help find contractors to build the garden for you, usually ones we have worked with before and can trust. We will liaise onsite with the landscapers to discuss the project in detail, obtaining up to 3 quotations, so you can choose who you would most like to work with.

We can also offer suggestions for lighting, water features and bespoke elements that are to be used in your garden and if required liaise with additional contractors such as electricians or builders to answer questions or make suggestions.

If you wish, we can visit your garden regularly during the build to make sure it is going to plan. However if you are happy to deal with the contractor, we are on hand should questions arise.

Stage 4 – Planting Design

No garden is complete without plants. We will select suitable plants for your garden and design a planting plan. We can also quote for the supply and planting if you wish.