After contacting me I will arrange an initial visit to discuss your garden and to describe to you the way I work and carry out the garden design process. It is also an opportunity for you to look at examples of my work, and for me to find out from you your requirements from the garden, issues and constraints arising from the existing situation and to draw together a brief for the new garden. From this meeting I will be able to provide a fee quotation for the various stages of the design of the new garden.

A precise survey of the garden in its existing state is needed in advance of any design work. This can either be carried out by myself or by a land surveyor in the case of larger or more complex sites. All existing site features and details including levels are included.

From the client’s brief and the survey details the initial garden design is drawn up and prepared for presentation to the client. This plan together with sketches and other supporting information will form the basis of a discussion that will take the project through to the next stage.

Once the client is satisfied with the proposals presented so far, the layout plan can be coloured up to become the masterplan that will guide the rest of the project to completion.

Once the overall concept has been agreed, the setting out and construction details plans can be prepared so that the landscape contractor can prepare estimates, set out and build the garden. Detailed construction drawings can be prepared for individual features as required.

The planting plan shows the position, quantities and spacing of all plants used in the design. Choice of plants will be made according to the requirements of the brief and the prevailing growing conditions. The accompanying schedule will specify the full names, quantities and sizes of the required plants.

If you wish, and to ensure the project runs as smoothly as possible, I can act as project manager to monitor its progress through to completion.

If it would be useful, I can prepare a maintenance schedule and longer term management plan to ensure that your new garden fulfils all your wishes and objectives.

Gardens of any age and size can suffer periods of neglect often when properties are unoccupied between changing hands.With an appropriate management plan it is almost always more economical to work with the existing structure than to start again from scratch, and restructuring can be included to incorporate changes in style and use requirements, and also to reduce maintenance requirements. The restoration of a sleeping garden can as rewarding as creating a new garden; sometimes more so.