Our Proven Garden Design Process: From Concept to Completion

Project Brief

The Brief is a key document in the design process setting out amongst other things the goals, design parameters, time frames, budgets, any non-negotiables you might have, essentially  what you want to achieve, when, where and how much you're prepared to invest in the project. A few pointers at this early stage:

• As a guide, & depending on the size and complexity of the project, you should realistically expect to invest around £100/sqm on the project
  
• In terms of 'seasonality', garden designers plan & design throughout the year but target the drier and warmer months for construction. Tree, shrub & herbaceous planting is ideally completed late autumn or early spring, although with suitable irrigation this can often be delivered into the summer months
  
• If possible plan well ahead - its often cheaper & less stressful
  
• If you're inclined to offer tea to your contractors, start buying in sugar supplies for all those cups of tea - its a good ploy to keep both the builders & their tea sweet



Garden Survey

The basis for an excellent garden design is an accurate & detailed survey which measures & records the position, level & height of existing buildings, the existing layout, principle features, planting, level changes & where necessary, underground services. 

We are keen to innovate wherever we can & use drone based aerial photography & photogrammetry to create  2D plans, & in some cases 3D models. This is further enhanced using laser & traditional staff & 'dumpy level' measurements.

The collated data is inputed on to our AutoCAD system & forms the basis for detailed garden plans. On occasions where previous surveys have been undertaken, we will use the survey as a base drawing but will check dimensions & scan for any minor changes or alterations. If you are consulting with your architect or surveyor please ask for drawings in a 'DWG' format.



Garden Sketch Schemes

This is where the fun starts for the garden designer who normally produces two or three concept drawings, generating garden design ideas & exploring how the garden might be laid out & gives an indication of where the principle features, materials, trees & plants are used & how they are connected. In essence they drive towards the clients brief but at this stage its more about the creative thinking process. The detail is addressed at a later stage.

Once completed & coloured up, the sketch schemes are presented to the client with the intention of inspiring, exploring options, possibilities & stimulating reactions. Often elements from different sketch schemes can be combined, taken forward & blended into the Masterplan. On occasions, clients like to take a few days to mull the options over & talk it through at their own pace which is a helpful process for them. We're always keen to impress to our clients that we are the designers, not the people who are going to live with the project, so while we might enthuse about our creations, its your opinion that really matters.



Garden Masterplan

The Masterplan pulls together all the elements of the scheme into a single scaled, & often rendered garden design drawing that conveys a refined layout that demonstrates the textures, finishes & the details of an area. 

Where Planning Permission is sort, it is often this drawing that Planners give weight to as it conveys the layout & design of the whole site. It reads easily & is a great work of art often to be found, neatly mounted, on the cloakroom walls of past clients!



Garden Technical Drawings

Detailed garden design drawings are an important part of every design project and demonstrate how structures & features are to be built. They might range from a structural engineer's detail for a retaining wall, a planting plan for a garden design, an electrical drawing outdoor lighting or a drainage plan for a driveway. In the case of landscape design, the Masterplan is often developed further as Hard & Soft Landscape Strategy.



Garden Visuals

Visual are developed to help the client visualise the proposed layout & arrangement of spaces within a project. Produced as hand drawn or computer generated drawings, the proposals show how levels, heights, features & garden furniture interact within the garden design & are an art form in themselves. Mood boards can be a useful tool to develop & visualise design concepts at various stages of a project.



Garden Specification

A written document describing in detail what each element of the masterplan is & how landscape contractors should construct the garden design project. The Specification is a key part of any subsequent contract & something every building project should include.