Garden Design And You - The Process Explained

Preliminary Visit

During this visit I provide you with an overview of the services I can offer. There is an opportunity to view my portfolio. I will look at the existing garden and discuss your requirements. Following this visit I will send you a written quotation for survey and design work.

Initial Design Visit and Site Survey

You will be provided with a Questionnaire prior to this meeting, which we will then run through together. I will also carry out a detailed Site Survey of the garden, which will include such things as its size and shape, soil make-up and topographical analysis. This will then enable me to draw up a scale plan of the site.

Sketch Designs

As part of the design process two sketch designs are produced (although the number can vary). These represent ideas for layouts for your garden and are presented to you at a Sketch Design Consultation. They will include the proposed layout and position of features to be included in the final design. However at this stage limited consideration as to the choice of soft and hard landscaping materials is made. Areas of planting are shown but not detailed.

During your "Sketch Design Consultation" these designs are discussed and decisions are made as to the choice of layout that will be developed into your final detailed design.

Detailed Design

This is the next stage on from "sketch designs". An accurate, black and white or hand coloured, detailed layout for the garden is drawn up to scale. Your detailed design is an accurate plan with detailed measurements. It is suitable for use by either yourself or a landscaping contractor when realising your design.

This drawing contains more details of the hard landscaping materials and general planting themes.

At this point you may wish to commission other services to assist you with the visualisation and realisation of your design.

Visualisations - isometric or 3D drawings of selected garden views or features.
Construction Drawings - detailed line drawings providing instruction for contractors when building your design.
Planting Plan - detailed schedule of the plants used in the design.
Setting Out Drawing - A black and white line drawing that accurately locates all features to be constructed and includes detailed measurements and notes.
Plant Management and Maintenance Notes - These give cultural requirements such as pruning, feeding etc.
Specifications - These documents accurately prescribe how the garden is to be constructed and planted. You will require these if a contractor is being used to realise your design.

3-D Drawings and Artist's Impressions

Coloured visuals, which illustrate how the garden will look as it matures. These can include isometric projections, cross-sections, and perspectives. These are available in a variety of media, including pencil, watercolour and acrylic and can be framed for display.

Setting Out Drawings

A black and white line drawing that accurately locates all features to be constructed and includes detailed measurements and notes.

Construction Drawings

These are detailed drawings which provide information required for the building of garden structures.

Planting Plan and Plant Schedule

A Planting Plan for your garden will suggest plants that compliment the new layout, match your maintenance requirements and suit the growing conditions found within the site.

The Planting Plan shows plant positions and spacing. The Plant Schedule lists plants with pot sizes and plant heights.