The 10 Step Garden Design Process
What is the garden design process?
What you get from your garden designer
What you need to do to work with a garden designer
To turn your garden into a beautiful climate-conscious space with soul, I have honed a garden design process that has gained the best results for my clients.
This is the service that I offer and shows you step-by-step what I do, and what you need to do, to make your project happen.
Most homeowners only have their garden designed once, so I fully appreciate not everyone will be familiar with how the process works. That’s why I have broken each stage down here. When we work together I will go over this with you in more detail.
Each step in this process takes good time. Do not rush this investment in your asset and home. Timings will vary depending on how many projects are in the studio, the time of year you contact us (winter is for winners!) . Any additional businesses such as landscapers will also have a lead time of 3 months to a year and some projects require planning consent. Finally, some planting is entirely seasonal and most planting should occur outside of the hottest months.
Here are all the steps of my garden design process to make your beautiful climate-conscious garden happen.
1. The initial call
Contact me for a free phone consultation. Share your dreams, your challenges, what you want to achieve, how much you want to spend, and I will share general costs and timeframes and possibilities.
2. On-site briefing
In our briefing meeting on site, I will listen to you, deeply, so I can deliver the done-for-you garden you need. It’s important to me that I get to know you and how you want to feel in your garden.
I take an in-depth brief. I then return this brief to you to sign off.
This forms the backbone of your quote and your fees and terms are supplied. With sign off, we proceed with the concept stage.
3. Concept
I create a concept with moodboards of our general direction. This takes up to 4 weeks. When the concept is approved I move on to technical design.
4. Survey
The property is surveyed and measured. This may include tree surveys, drainage, historical, bat and conservation research.
5. Design
The design stage means taking the measurements and your concept into the technical documents that landscapers need to build from to British standards. Planting design is also completed now. To visualise your design, you also get 3D rendered computer graphics. This takes 6-8 weeks and is presented for your approval, with two rounds of changes.
6. Tender
When the design is signed off, any further technical documents for the landscapers are created. These include construction drawings and health and safety risk assessments. Final design files are then supplied for tender by up to 3 contractors.
7. Appointing your contractor
You select the contractor you wish to appoint, with my guidance, and they have a site meeting with you and me.
8. Build
During the build I oversee construction, checking in to ensure the build is progressing according to the plans you have signed off.
9. Planting
Planting begins when the major construction elements are complete.
10. Project completion. I inspect with the landscaper and you can sit and enjoy your garden!
This step by step guide is by no means exhaustive, and every project has its own unique considerations. You could add garden art sourcing, multiple properties and phasing your garden build over time with a masterplan to these steps if that’s what the project requires.