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A Professional Garden Designer offering Personal Service

Find out How I Approach the Garden Design Process: -

An Initial Informal visit.

	"Informal, get to know each other" friendly and relaxed meeting at the property to discuss your garden design or other projects.
	This is an initial fact-finding discussion to ascertain your "wish list" of gardening maintenance needs and experience, garden patio and seating areas, paths, water features, screening and fencing, plant varieties and planting colour schemes to include into the proposed landscaping design project.
	The potential scheme could be just a quick garden makeover, changes to a patio or flower border or a more major full garden re-design. Whichever is decided we can help you to create a beautiful new garden area.
	Detailed garden area site survey may be required depending upon overall garden levels, slope, drainage and soil conditions for the project requirements.
	Outline garden design drawings of initial proposals for discussion and possible amendments to suit your preferences.
	The landscaping works budget factor is always a slightly awkward discussion point, as some customers believe that contractors will always reach or exceed that figure. As garden and landscape designers we have to balance our creativity with practicality and cost. We will always give best value for money whilst ensuring that the design and installation of all the garden elements meet our high standards of construction for a long-lasting completed project. Cutting specifications or important design criteria only makes for short term cost savings. Remedial work is always more expensive to carry out.

 

A quick note about Garden Design and Creation Costs.

I am regularly asked how much a particular project will cost. This is never an easy question to answer as much depends upon the amount of materials and time that I think will be involved. I do have a good idea of current costs and this should not be underestimated.

I often find that I start off with a design brief that may suit the garden but not the client's pocket as the time, effort and materials required to carry out ground works properly is often underestimated by clients and contractors.

Until the site has been surveyed and a set of new scaled design drawings made, an accurate value is not possible.

What I recommend is that our clients consider a few key value indicators when thinking about the expense of a new garden.

1. How much is your homes current market value. If you spent 5-10% of that value, your property's saleability is likely to increase and possibly the expected market value.

2. How much will you spend on a new car? £10,000, £15000, £20,000? As soon as you drive it away you lose about 30% off the value in depreciation. A garden appreciates both in value and enjoyment over at least five to ten years.

3. I am regularly asked to improve small areas of an existing garden or to add specific features and am equally happy to do this work as much as carrying out complete makeovers.

4. Will you still be at your present address in 7 years time? A well planned garden, as with a great kitchen and bathroom will help sell your house if you decide to move.

5. I firmly believe that in life you generally get what you pay for. Landscaping contract workers put a lot of effort into creating your garden to the highest standard possible. The good ones take pride and satisfaction in a great result.

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Please be aware that planning permissions may be required for works to both front and rear gardens as well as changes to drives, patios, paving, and changes in level in the garden. This is especially relevant where any changes in ground levels, terracing, walling, fencing and the inclusion of areas of hard landscaping being created.

Some useful information can be found here: -

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/hhg/houseguide.html

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115314762582.html

I offer a service to liaise with your local planning authority and apply for any permissions but the costs of this are additional to our basic design fees. It is the clients responsibility as the property owner to pay any planning fees and to ensure that any works comply with all local regulatory requirements.

Garden Design Features

	I try to cater for both your personal family, lifestyle and the property’s individual needs.
	I use our wide experience of planning to suit the aspect, surroundings, gradient and soil type of your garden.
	Focus on use, practicality, key feature, materials and colours, likes & dislikes, planting preferences, safety, children and animals, future maintenance needs.
	Provide samples of proposed materials where I feel there is a personal choice possible.
	I am able to create different style gardens from Japanese, Italianesque, Mediaeval Knot, City or country Courtyard or small gardens, Country house or Manorial atmosphere.
	Planting ideas and layouts can be designed for the use of each individual garden or just one border.
	Water features from bubble fountains, modern stainless steel features, children's splash play areas, streams, rills, dry streams to large waterfalls and natural ponds can be designed and created.
	External Lighting Projects highlight the key elements in the landscape and provide unobtrusive soft lighting for access and your leisure viewing. Gives wonderful all year round effects.
	Include hot tubs, swimming pools and watering schemes along with timber, stone or brick enclosures, changing rooms or follies if you wish in the design brief.
	I have a diverse experience of practical designing. More than 25 years of drawing architectural and landscape projects.
	It is better to design for a known approximate value than to create a masterpiece and have to try and reduce the essential design elements to create a compromise that only just works.

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Construction:

	I will use a landscaping contractor that offers soft and hard landscape experience in building and horticultural fields that is local to you.
	A landscaper will always try to provide a speedy but thorough service. This is sometimes affected by the weather and ground conditions depending upon the time of year and the work needing to be done.
	The site should be kept as clean and tidy as is possible by the contractors at all times with consideration for safety and access priorities.
	I ask my customers to be involved and their input is valued at all stages of the contract.
	I sometimes joke that your garden becomes my garden while the team is working on it. I really do try and give a personal touch to every aspect. It only becomes yours again once the work is complete!
	While the build takes place on site amendments to the design are sometimes identified that may improve the way the garden will be used or viewed. These can be costed as extras and incorporated if possible to retain the overall design integrity should you so wish.
	Any specialist aspects that we feel are better handled by other experts can be included and supervised by us on site.

Use the link bar below the books, to follow on the landscape & garden design information.

These garden design books could give you a great insight into the type of ideas that will suit your garden and lifestyle.

 

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