Garden Design Process - Stages

There are 6 stages to the design process as a rule, beginning with the consultation and ending with the planting plans. We do offer additional design services, which you can pick and choose from as required depending on the requirements or complexity of your project.

1. Garden Design Consultation
The consultation allows the client and designer to meet and get to know each other a little better, to assess the existing garden and talk through ideas for change. Whatever style of garden you require, we will discuss how the garden could potentially be designed and talk generally about what may be possible and interesting avenues worth exploring. During the consultation we will discuss your ideas, likes, dislikes and the things most important to you. This information will help us create a design brief that will be tailored to you. This brief, together with the survey and site assessment will form the basis of all subsequent design work. We do charge a small amount for consultations and the professional advice we provide, we allow approx. 1 hour on site for a consultation and charges are as follows:
Consultations locally - No Charge (approx. 15 mile radius from the office)
Consultations in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire - £45.00
Consultations nationally - contact office to arrange.

2. Garden Design Fee Proposal & Brief
Once the initial consultation has taken place we are then able to provide the client with the fee proposal and written design brief.

3. Site Survey & Analysis
Once the client has accepted the fee proposal we then able to undertake a full visual and physical survey of the garden this includes photographs, measurements and levels, noting the condition of existing features. We also make notes on aspect, drainage, views and condition of the soil. Whilst we carry out surveys ourselves for smaller gardens, in some cases we will appoint with your permission a specialist surveyor.

4. Sketch Design
A preliminary sketch plan, mood board and or digital model will be carefully prepared and will be presented to you at an early stage, showing you how the proposed design could look. This stage serves as a discussion point offering you an opportunity to input your thoughts and help ensure that any changes that you may require can be made simply and then arrive at a finalised design.

5. Master Plan
The Master Plan is the finished working drawing it is fully annotated shows levels, north point, scale, and short form specifications, the master plan is required for the contractor to cost and build the garden as intended.

6. Planting Plan
The planting plan shows the positions of the chosen position for all the trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, grasses, ferns and bulbs used in the garden. The plants are included on a plant schedule which shows their Latin names, quantities and sizes, a short form planting specification is also shown on the plan.

Additional Design Services
The following services - technical plans and documentation - may be required by clients dependant on the project.

Lighting Design
We are able to provide lighting design plans and specifications showing the position and the type of lights including discretely positioned transformers and wiring that can be run from programmable controllers. We can also provide 3D rendered views showing various lighting effects.

Tender Documents
We are able to assist you with finding the right contractor at the right price, we will discuss with you and choose various contractors that can would accept the tender. Once the tenders have been received we would be able to assist you in choosing the best value option.

Full Specifications
Specifications take the form of a written document that detail full material specifications, mixes and finishes. It is possible to build small gardens using short form specifications shown on the drawing but on larger projects specifications are more detailed and are usually compiled and issued specifically for the tender process.

Setting Out Plans
Setting out plans show levels and dimensioned positions of features in plan view, they are used by the contractor during the groundworks and construction phase of the garden.

Planting Maintenance Schedule
A plant maintenance schedule is a useful document for the client to use themselves to refer to when maintaining the garden or to pass on to a gardener or landscape contractor. The schedule takes the form of an A4 printed booklet, each plant is illustrated to aid in plant identification and it lists each plant and the type of care that it requires and when.

Construction Drawings & Detailing
Where complicated or bespoke features/structures have been included in a project, to aid the landscape contractor in constructing a feature correctly we can provide detailed construction drawings that show the technical details, dimensions, exploded views, etc of that feature. These can then be issued to the contractor for tendering and construction purposes.

Project Monitoring & Site Inspections
This service is provided to offer you peace of mind during the construction phase and make recommendations should unforseen circumstances arise. We are available to make regular site inspections to monitor a contractor's progress, to ensure that the garden is built as intended by the designer and to liase with you during the period of construction. If you are building the garden yourself, then we will be happy to give advice and support if required. You will need to consider the level of assistance you require, visits can be organised on an ad hoc or fully planned basis to discuss progress with you and your contractor.