Design Process
Though every individual project i work on is unique and every client has their own needs and desires, it helps to have a tried and tested formula to the design process as a whole.
Setting out what my clients can expect when they hire me to design their garden or outside space fosters a sense of trust and understanding in the process. After all, most people have never had a garden designed and so aren’t aware of what to expect throughout the experience.
Below, you will find the steps that i generally follow and that you can expect to go through when hiring me to design your garden or outside space.
Initial meeting
After our initial contact i will come to see you and the garden and find out as much as i can about your needs and desires for the space. Fundamentally, this process is about me getting to know as much about you as i can so that i can design a garden that is personal to you. This meeting can take between 1-2 hours.
Client brief
The client brief will contain all of the key information we will have discussed in our initial meeting about your specific requirements for your future garden. It is the document i will refer to throughout the entire design process to ensure that your new garden contains all of these elements.
Site survey and analysis
This means creating a factual record of what currently exists inside your garden and how the elements outside of it could effect the finished design. Physical measurements are taken, boundaries and structures identified, existing plants noted, services highlighted and access points considered. Aspect, soil conditions, drainage and micro climate will all be recorded.
Concepts and samples
This is the time when i will start working on the design. I may create a number of different concepts to discuss with you and show you samples of materials, swatches and, if necessary, paint colours that highlight the direction the design is going in. My designs are created using C.A D software.
Final design presentation
As you would imagine, this is the time that i present the final design to you. This doesn’t mean that the design can’t be edited at this point, although as it will be based on the client brief we will have agreed upon, only a minimum amount of edits are usually necessary, if at all.
Planting design
Alough throughout the concepts and samples process i will certainly have an idea of the style of planting your new garden will include, this is where i focus on the specific plants and their placement within the garden. It will highlight the Latin names of the plants, in some cases their purchased size and their number.
Contractor sourcing
Good contractors are booked up months in advance and so i like to have already had discussions and arranged meetings with potential landscapers and trades people so that you are not waiting many months after the design has been finished before your garden can be installed.
Please note, I DO NOT advocate the use of builders to install gardens.
Garden installation
Once the contractors have started the process of constructing your garden, i can be hired to project manage the installation or you can decide to undertake this process yourself. I will, nevertheless, visit the site on occasion to ensure that the garden coincides with the design we have agreed upon. I always undertake the planting of the garden myself, with a small team if necessary, to ensure the plants have the best opportunity to grow as they should.
Residential Services
I have worked in and amongst gardens for over 20 years and have designed every type of outdoor space one can imagine. Although gardens make up the majority of my design work, here are some other types of spaces i have designed
Roof terraces
Courtyards
Kitchen gardens
Orchards
Woodland areas
Roof terraces
Store fronts
Coffee shop gardens
Restaurant dining areas
Indoor spaces for businesses
Commercial Services
Although the majority of designs i create are for residential properties, over the years i have also designed the spaces above for commercial clientele.
