SITE VISIT
The starting point for any new design is a site visit to meet you and look at your current garden. This usually takes about an hour, depending on the size of the garden. I can start to understand what you want from the design, discuss any ideas you may have and get a feel for the space. I will show you my portfolio and collections of images to give you inspiration.
Following this meeting I will email you with a design fee proposal and a client brief document for you to fill in. This gives you the opportunity to give me more details of your wishes and objectives for the design, eg how you want to use the garden, favourite colours, materials and planting styles.
SITE SURVEY AND ANALYSIS
For small to medium and less complex sites I will do a site survey. I will take measurements of the property, its boundaries, the position of any existing trees, shrubs and other features that are to remain or be reused, the location of utilities and existing level changes. I will also take photos.
From this I will produce a site analysis report which will outline any specific problems and possible solutions. For larger gardens or those of any size but with more complex levels, a professional surveyor maybe required – the cost of this is not included in my fees but I can help arrange this service for you.
DEVELOPING THE DESIGN
The next stage is to develop a design using the information from our first meeting, the extensive client brief document, the site survey and any other suggestions you may have given me.
I will send you digital mood boards to give inspiration and ideas for the style of the garden as well as types of hard landscaping materials – these will help us to agree on how you want the garden to look and your preferences for materials which can be tailored to your budget if need be.
For an extra charge I can produce 3D visuals of the concept design to give a different view of how the garden could look.
MASTER LAYOUT PLAN
A detailed, to scale, hand drawn final plan is now produced – this will be used by the contractors to tender for the work and then to build the garden. It shows materials to be used if these have been agreed at this stage, with quantities and suppliers.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
I can also provide planting plans for your new garden design – planting is very much an integral part of how I develop a design and can really add the finishing touch . Mood boards and scaled drawings of the borders showing exact placement of trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs as well as a detailed plant list, and costings are produced.
I can arrange delivery of quality plants from specialist nurseries at a significantly lower price than you would be able to purchase from a garden centre. If you wish I can plant up the plants or you can do this yourself. I can also give you a detailed instruction document on how to care for the plants once the garden is complete and offer a service to visit at pre-agreed times of the year to keep an eye on the garden and offer any suggestions about its progress.