How I work…
Design philosophy
The work I do is underpinned by the beauty of nature, and my belief in the importance of this in our lives: throughout the history of mankind gardens have been used as important spaces for respite, sanctuary, art, healing and spirituality. They act as an intermediary space between nature and us and connect us to something bigger than ourselves. They remind us of our correct place in the greater scheme of things.
Having access to an outdoor space is a privilege, and the benefits and gifts of gardens and being able to access nature - on any scale, are many.
Garden Design - My Process
As a designer I specialise in gardens which are intended to be plant focused spaces. With an extensive background in ornamental horticulture and historic gardens I work with expert landscapers in the industry to realise the hardlandscaping portion of a project. I do not provide technical drawings or detailing documents for any proposed hardlandscaping. I work closely with skilled contractors and rely on their expertise to interpret, and realise the proposed landscaping work .
In the first instance I will produce a Concept Layout plan- this is a blending together of everything which you have told me you require from your space, the application of good design, the sites own unique sense of place ( genus loci ) and my own response to all of the above, underpinned by my design philosophy and values.
The Concept Plan will show you my proposed layout for your site. This is a hand drawn plan with 3d illustrations to enable you to visualise what I am proposing. Alongside the layout design and illustrations I will provide accompanying documents including a complete breakdown of all hard landscaping features, with suggested materials, and styles. These suggestions will be illustrated through a variety of formats including weblinks, sketches, and photos to give a clear idea of the aesthetic which I think will work with the space. Once this initial Concept phase has been finalised and agreed with the client I will schedule an on site meeting with the chosen contractor to go over the proposed concept, discuss details, and and obtain a quote.
Budget and costing
Some clients prefer to start with getting the right design for their space, and want to start with this, the budget is then based on the design, not the other way round.For others there is a set budget and this is important to talk about and know up front. While I cannot give you a quote for the hard landscaping side of a design, knowing the budget allows me to tailor what I am proposing to reflect this. While it is always my intention to reflect a budget in my design it isn’t always possible to know in advance the exact cost of specific hard landscaping features. However if , in the event that the proposed design is over budget, there are always ways to reduce this by looking at the materials being used, replacing features with soft landscaping, or re-using materials on site.
Working together
Gardens, gardening and our role as custodians of these spaces often spans a lifetime, if not longer: often we are planting and planning a garden which will outlive us and is really an heirloom for generations to come. My relationship with clients tends to be ongoing: gardens evolve, and so does how we use and interact with them. For most people how they use their outdoor space will change depending on their season of life. Trust and integrity are important to me, and because once established the relationship with clients tends to be long it is important to ensure that both parties are the right fit for one another. If this isn’t the case I will do my best to help you find the right professional for you.
The PROCESS…
The steps below are not set in stone, and which of these apply depend on the individual requirements of each client and project.
Step 1 - Site visit to meet you, hear more about your project, what you are hoping for, and for us to get a chance to know each other. There is no charge for this. In the case of an enquiry for a one-off consultation then a phone call may take the place of a site visit where applicable.
After this initial meeting I will follow up with you by email, detailing my understanding of your project, how I can be of service, next steps and associated cost.
Step 2 - Moving forward we will arrange a second visit to get down to the specifics of your project, or if the job is smaller then moving straight to site detailing/measuring etc.. I will have emailed you with a survey to fill out which will go over your project in much greater detail. During the meeting I will use this as a guide, to further understand what you are looking for, your individual design taste and vision. We will talk about key aspects of the work including budget if applicable, timeline and your specific preferences and wants. For example, are there mature, or otherwise particularly valuable plants in the garden which are important to keep? Do you really , and sort of inexplicably, HATE hydrangeas for some reason?! ( this is the time to tell me… ), have you always dreamed of a garden with a water feature….
For every client I create a folder of inspiration, and I encourage all my clients to feel free to send me anything which feels important to them with regards to creating their garden: this could be random images, specific plant details, a painting ( not necessarily of gardens! ) by your favourite artist, or a particular colour you love. Anything which feels important for you in this journey, is important to me.
Step 3 - Site Survey: the next stage is the site survey. Depending on your project this might be a full garden survey, including soil analysis, cataloguing of aspect, topography and existing plants, a full complement of photos - or a smaller, more localised version of the above.
Step 4 - Concept Design: this is where I take all the information I have gathered from you over the past few weeks, and distil it into a Masterplan for your new garden: I will produce a Concept design( Layout plan) for the garden showing what I am proposing. This document will be accompanied with a Note of Intention breaking down the design, a landscaping Notes document detailing the proposed hard landscaping features, suggested style/material for each feature with visual aids ( sketched or photos) of what I am suggesting, and 3D visual Interpretation sketches to give you an idea of what the proposed will look like. It will also include a planting estimate, which I will finalise into a quote once the planting documents have been completed. ( This may be at a later stage depending on your project. )
Step 5 - Sourcing a Hard landscaping Quote - I usually only work with a couple of Landscaping companies whom I have direct experience of. Of course you may have contractors in mind already which is absolutely fine. Once the Concept plan has been agreed the next step is to source a quote from a good landscaper for the hard landscaping portion. Once this is in place, and has been agreed I can then provide a detailed quote for the plants and planting portion of the work. ( And the planting documents themselves if this is yet to be completed. )
Step 6 - Build - moving into the build process. I can be available for site visits, to liaise with the contractor and client, ensure that the build is staying true to the agreed on Concept, and to mediate any issues, or alterations which need to be made during the course of the build. In this capacity I am there to ensure the aesthetic integrity of the design. I am not managing the technical details of the build, or assessing the building work from a technical perspective.
Step 7 - Planting - planting date finalised, plants received, and laid out in final positions. Planted up.
Step 8 - Completion of design and build phase …. Ongoing contact - 6 monthly post-design check in’s, maintenance schedules/training, seasonal planting display help….
