Garden design is the art and process of designing and creating plans for the layout and planting of gardens and landscapes. Garden design may be done by the garden owner themselves, or by professionals of varying levels of experience and expertise. Most professional garden designers have some training in horticulture and the principles of design, and some are also landscape architects, a more formal level of training that usually requires an advanced degree and often a state license. Amateur gardeners may also attain a high level of experience from extensive hours working in their own gardens,

 

A full garden design will look at the existing garden in all aspects; what your ideals are; whether these are achievable on your budget; how to manage the budget and project, for example, would a staged approach be more suitable; it deals with hard landscaping, for example, patio, decking, fences; soft landscaping turf, planting; the use of garden space, ie how you use it now, how you would like to use it, how this might change, for example, as the kids grow up or if you have a house extension; and sundries, for example, washing line, statuary, lighting.

 

Your garden may be the biggest “room” you own and deserves the same thought, design and budget as is afforded to the kitchen, living room or bathroom. A courtyard garden or a small roof terrace needs a good designer so the best use is made of restricted space.

 

Garden Design Process

This is a general outline of the Garden Design service as offered by Plews Garden Design. You and your garden are individuals so this is just an example of what is likely to happen during the Garden Design Process

Garden Design Process – Initial Stages:

Contact by you the Client through email or phone;
Response from us, including the Initial questionnaire for you to fill in and return before the Initial Design Visit;

Initial Design Visit – Please see the Initial Design Visit page on the website for further details.

 

Design package documents are sent to you; these include –

• Design Brief

• Customer charter

 

Garden Design Process – First Stages:

• A site survey is carried out. This can take 1-3 hours depending on your garden and the complexity of the design;

• Initial consultations or meetings with other experts where required;

• The Garden Design Concept is created and sent to you; this comprises both written ideas and sketches

• Design meeting to discuss the concept.

 

A reasonable amount of contact time is allowed within the design fee; this means the client is not paying by individual phone call/ email.
 

This includes discussion and communication by phone /text during office hours. You may of course email to suit you and we will pick it up during office hours.

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Garden Design Process – Second Stages:

 

Completing the Garden Design; including

• written concept

• garden design sketches

• planting lists

• estimates

 

Design meeting to discuss the finished design, and any amendments to the design or budget.

Garden Design Process – Final Stages:

Depending on your design brief, the designer’s work is now largely complete, except for possibly finalizing the planting design and dealing with design issues which are raised during the landscaping of the garden design.

As part of the Plews customer service, we are available via email to answer queries relating to the design project for approximately one year from the completion of the project, or until the return consultation visit, whichever is sooner.

 

Annual visit –
This takes place approximately a year after the completion of the design and landscaping project.
The implementation of the garden design, ie the landscaping, is separate from the design itself, and the designer is not directly involved in the landscaping of the design.

At Plews Garden Design we offer a Garden Project Management service to run alongside the landscaping and planting of the design.

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Ice Blue Investment 

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