Services
The services I can provide for you are individual to your requirements as every design is different and everyone wants something unique to them in the space they have available. Your involvement at all stages of the design process is important to enable you to truly achieve your vision. Whether your project is large or small please give me a call to discuss.
Initial consultation
Following our first contact, I offer an Initial Consultation for which a fixed fee is payable (please contact me to discuss fees). There is no obligation to pursue any design services. However should you wish to go ahead with commissioning a design, the consultation fee is wavered. At this initial consultation we will discuss what you would like from your garden and how I could potentially help you achieve this. I will explore what type of design you would like, what is important for you in a garden and any ideas you already have. At this initial meeting we can discuss the budget you have available and I can give you an idea of the design costs associated with your project.
Following this meeting, should you wish to go ahead with a design, I will send you a detailed Project Proposal letter along with my Terms of Engagement. These will set out the design process and fees associated with your project.
At this point you can decide whether you would like to engage my services as a designer and what exactly you would like to commission. I request a small deposit to secure the commission and the remaining fees are payable on an agreed basis as set out in our Terms of Agreement. I offer a full design service or just aspects of it as you choose. For example you may just want to invigorate a tired border with fresh planting and leave the rest of your garden. I will be able to help you with this and will provide an individual quote for your requirements (see Planting Plan). If however you do wish to engage my services as a designer to undertake a full design of your garden then this is the process that will ensue.
Full Design
Site Survey
If you choose to go ahead with a design commission I will revisit your garden to undertake a full Site Survey. This process includes taking full measurements of the garden, looking at the position of the house in relation to the garden, identifying the position of any boundary hedges or walls and also identifying any existing features and whether these are to be retained. Soil samples are taken for analysis to determine what type of soil is in your garden – this will inform planting choices for you. I will also take pictures of your garden from various angles and locate services such as utility supplies and drains situated in the garden if possible. If your garden is particularly complex with many features and level changes I may advise that an independent topographical survey will be required to enable an accurate design to be completed. If this is required I am able to suggest a surveying company who can complete this for you.
Base Plan
From this survey I will produce a scaled Base Plan which will be the basis of the new design for your garden.
Concept Plan & Pinterest Board
If you are choosing a full design option we will then start the process of develop your new garden concept. To fully involve you in the creative process I create a new Pinterest Board for all customers and invite you to collaborate on the board. Pinterest is a great way to share ideas and visual concepts that you might like to see in your garden and also for me to show you concepts and images that you may not have considered. From this board and in consultation with you I then develop your new garden Concept Plan which takes into consideration your ideas for the garden that we have already discussed, what you wish the space to be used for, any hard landscaping that is required and an outline of planting areas if applicable. I use SketchUp Pro as a 3d modelling software package to draw my designs. This means that I can share 3d animations and pictures of your new concept with you as the design is progressing and you can advise on any changes you wish to make along the way prior to the final design being agreed.
Play the animation below as an example of how you can be shown through your new garden concept to see what your new space could look like!
Presentation/Working Plan
Following consultation with you a more detailed Presentation or Working Plan is produced. This plan includes comprehensive measurements, detail of materials to be used and specific features and will be used by the landscaper employed to undertake the work. This plan is also accompanied by specific drawings of certain areas of the garden to aid construction and planting. These plans are created from SketchUp Pro using Layout. Your finalised plans will be e-mailed to you in MP4, PNG & PDF formats and you will also receive a hard copy in a presentation case.
Lighting Plan
Sometimes it is beneficial to have a Lighting Plan to accompany the other plans for your garden design. Gardens are more and more becoming an extension of our homes – an outdoor room. This means that there is a growing need to enable them to be used throughout the year and at all times of the day and night. Effective lighting is essential to enable this to happen. Whether there is a requirement for spotlights for security purposes, lighting for pathways or decking or uplighters to show off specimen planting, a detailed Lighting Plan can inform construction of the garden and ensure that any required electric cabling can be installed at an early stage of the build. If required the Lighting Plan will form part of the final suite of drawings presented to you.
Planting Plan
A Planting Plan is produced as part of the overall design process but can also be supplied as a separate service. Whether you wish to renovate an existing border or are starting from scratch, a well-planned Planting Plan is essential to achieve the desired look in the garden. As a designer I will choose plants for your garden that are in keeping with your chosen style (eg. cottage style, Mediterranean style, contemporary). I also ensure that you have ‘right plant, right place’ enabling the chosen plants to thrive in their surroundings and soil type. Plant form, height and spread, colour and texture are all taken into account also when choosing the right plants for your garden.
A Planting Plan shows a picture of the plant, details the botanical and any common name for the chosen plant, the size of the plant on purchase, its ultimate height, flowering season, whether it is evergreen or deciduous and basic garden care instructions to maintain it. The plan will also specify how many of each particular specimen are required to be planted to achieve the desired planting effect. I also then give the customer some further details on every specimen as a guide to how to look after the plant when the design is completed.
I am able to source plants and other materials such as compost, mulches and soil treatments for you from local suppliers and recommended wholesale nurseries getting you the best deals available. I will also accept delivery of the plants on site, set them out as per the plan and plant them for you if you wish me to. Alternatively you may wish to do this yourself, this is completely up to you.
Construction/Build
I work independently of any landscaper or company required to undertake the build of your garden when the design is completed. However I maintain a list of local reputable landscape contractors and other professionals such as tree surgeons, decking specialists and electricians. I also have contacts for wholesale plant nurseries, turf and topsoil suppliers and can help you make contact with everyone you require to build your dream garden.
If required I will also provide a Project Management service to you overseeing the build by visiting the site at various points and ensuring that the design is going to plan. Occasionally there may be hidden issues when a contractor starts digging that may require adaptations to the design.
Aftercare and Maintenance
As detailed previously if you are not a confident or knowledgeable gardener, I give you relevant information within the Planting Plan to enable you to care for your new garden plants yourself. However I am also available to assist you with your garden maintenance if you wish (depending on my availability and design workload). I can advise and support you to prune and maintain your plants, stake taller plants and trees and prepare tender and non-hardy plants for over-wintering.
Other Services Offered
One-off consultation service – if you do not wish to commission a design or planting plan but just want general gardening advice or some ideas of how to develop your garden you can book me for a One-off Consultation. This is charged at an hourly rate and I can then provide you with a written brief following the consultation with my recommendations – please contact me for more information.
Garden Maintenance Service – I can offer you a one-off garden tidy-up preparing your garden for the season ahead (dependent on availability and design workload). Alternatively, again availability permitting, I can offer a more regular maintenance service. Many people tell me about their dissatisfaction with some gardeners they employ who sometimes do not have sufficient plant knowledge to be able to manage the plants in their gardens and know how to treat and best care for them. I am a seasoned gardener and am able to offer my customers my extensive plant knowledge to ensure their gardens look the best they can do the whole year round.
Short Gardening Presentations – I have had a long career working with people with learning disabilities and associated sensory impairments. I am a qualified Further Education teacher and have run training courses for many years on numerous subjects. I am available to give presentations on the following topics of special interest to me;- ‘How to create a sensory garden environment’ and ‘How gardens can promote biodiversity and sustainability’. Please contact me for further information.