Initial visit

With a complimentary face-to-face consultation, we will walk through your garden or outside space and discuss what you'd like to achieve. From this meeting we will create a design brief as a starting point that we can then use to develop the outline design.

Outline design

Once instructed, we will produce a plan view outline design that will show all the key areas of hard and soft landscaping, so you can envisage the final layout of the space. We will also produce a series of perspective views from various locations, so you can understand how the final garden will look from the main positions, such as from the patio, from the house looking out, and from other vantage points within the garden. By creating a virtual 3D model we can visualise the garden from any angle, so you can ensure we are achieving the look and feel you want.

Technical drawings

This process is dependent on the type of structures that are required eg; raised beds, terraces, pergolas etc. and will inform the number of drawings required. The drawings ensure that the landscaper will work to industry standards and do not allow for short cuts or inferior building techniques.

Planting plans

Planting is an integral part of the design. In our mind, this is what actually sets a garden apart and will bring you joy every time you look at it, be it in the middle of winter or the height of summer. We will prepare a list of plants for you to review and from this we will create a final plant palate that will work with the various aspects of the conditions such as shade/full sun and soil quality.

Detailed planting plans are created for each soft landscaped area. This specifies which plant and exact cultivar, and where it will be placed in the garden. It is a lengthy process that looks to clarify the desired aesthetic for the garden. This planting plan is tailored to your wants and desires in respect to colour, along with an overall structured look that will appeal all year round, not just pretty flowers at the height of the summer. But of course, these are important too.

If required it is possible to plant in phases, whereby we select a reduced number of initial plants and then build up over time and as budget allows. With a planting plan in place, this will ensure a cohesive, harmonious end result, and satisfaction with each phase.

From these plans we produce a planting schedule which enables us to discuss with our network of local nurseries and ensure we provide you with the best plants at the best possible price.

Tender process for landscape contractors

We will manage the tender process and produce additional documents to further specify the build requirements. We will arrange meetings for you with a number of professional contractors and provide them with all the information they need to provide an accurate quotation.

All these drawings and documents allow the landscaper to quote accurately and to build the garden to your vision. It creates a level playing field for the contractors to help make your selection process easier.