STEP-BY-STEP DESIGN PROCESS

1. INITIAL CONSULTATION

The first step is a free of charge consultation normally held at your site.  This usually takes around 1 1/2  to 2 hours. We listen carefully to what your needs and wishes are for the space, to learn about yourselves, your property and develop an understanding of the site and its locality.  The visit will also analyse the site for its main opportunities, challenges and characteristics.  

Our aim is always to make a garden that is personal with real meaning, which requires the time to understand you and your requirements.

This visit will also look to see if there will be any technical constraints or planning requirements that need to be considered.

From this consultation we compile a written brief summarising your main requirements for the design. This will be sent to you, along with an outline of our fees, for you to decide if you wish to proceed with our services.

2. SITE SURVEY

Once you have decided to proceed with us we will conduct a full topographical site survey, to accurately measure the space, the levels and existing features/utilities.  

This will either be directly with ourselves or by a specialist land surveyor which we can arrange, depending upon the site’s complexity.

3. OUTLINE DESIGN

This is where the design process really gets underway! We will develop a narrative for the garden, one that gives it a sense of place.  This will evolve into design options for you to choose from.  These options (normally 2 to 4) will be presented in an outline design document which will include: a to-scale plans of the scheme, to-scale sectional elevations showing relative heights and mass/void and 3D perspective drawings to give you a clear feel for how the garden will look.

It will also include some images of suggested materials, planting themes/mood, and ideas for other features such as lighting, water features, garden art or furniture.

The outline design will be presented to you in person to discuss the designs and weigh up their pros and cons to help decide on the right solution.  These proposals can be revised until you are completely happy with it.

There is a fixed fee for the survey and outline design. A detailed budget for the full project can be made once steps 4 and 5 below are costed with quotations from contractors and suppliers.

4. CONSTRUCTION DETAILING

From an agreed outline design we produce technical drawings and specifications for any construction required, which will be provided to building contractors for tendering for the work. 

We offer a fully managed service to our clients where we prepare all the documents including setting-out plans,quantity schedules and liaise and supervise the contractors on your behalf throughout the process.  

However if you wish to organize your own contractors we can offer to provide you with the technical drawings and specifications to enable you to undertake a tendering process yourself.

5. PLANTING PLANS

Plants are our passion and what we specialise in.  Once we have construction contractors booked in we can sit and discuss planting in more detail to better understand your requirements.  This includes: planting styles, how pollinator/wildlife friendly you want the scheme, specific plants you like/dislike, seasonality, privacy/screening, heights, maintenance requirements, colour palette etc. 

From there we will produce detailed planting plans and plant schedules.  

The plants will be sourced and planted by us from the finest commercial nurseries in the UK. We proudly offer a full end-to-end service of planting design, sourcing, planting and aftercare to ensure your plants has the very best start in life.   For these reasons we offer a guarantee scheme where if any plants doesn’t thrive we will replace it for free.

We also offer a planting design only service for gardens that only require planting design.