What does a garden designer do?

Garden Designer Frequently Asked Questions

What does a garden designer do?

A garden designer has many hats! A creative, engineer and plantsman amongst multiple other roles. Ultimately, they will ensure that you receive the best design and outcome in relation to your site specifics and brief.

What should I look for in a garden designer?

A good designer has the imagination to create a bespoke design for you, the ingenuity to solve the site problems and the practical experience to implement the plans cost effectively. The client/ designer relationship can be over many months/ years so ensure you feel that your chosen designer is one that you will be able to communicate and work well with.

What’s the advantage of engaging a garden designer? 

A good designer will listen and guide you through the design and build process as well as offer invaluable creative and practical input so you don’t make expensive mistakes. They will offer imaginative ideas and ensure you have a brilliantly cohesive garden that meets your brief (and beyond!)

Do I need to know about plants and gardening?

No, the designer will ask at the start how much knowledge you have and if you already have or would like a qualified gardener once the garden is complete. We offer an after service to monitor the establishment of the plants which also includes editing the garden in the coming years, as well as a seasonal, simple maintenance guide. We can guide you on finding and engaging a qualified gardener.

How long does the design take?

This depends on the complexity of the site, design, your availability for meetings and lead time of the designer. All should be discussed at the offset.

Do I need to dedicate time to the project?

Yes, a minimum involvement includes meetings to discuss your brief, the concept plan and presentation (master) plans. Then latterly, planting schemes and ideas. 

Will a new garden increase my property’s value?

Yes, not only will it provide “curb appeal”, families increasingly are wishing to use their gardens more as outdoor “rooms” for entertaining and relaxation. A beautiful, practical garden is an enormous bonus to a property.

I am having some building works on our home, when should I think about the landscaping design?

We recommend as early as possible, working the building works in conjunction with the landscaping ensures a fluid outcome. 

How much will it cost?

Of course, this is wholly dependent on the size, nature of the garden as well as your “wishlist”. Your budget will be discussed at our first meeting, so it is important to consider this and be transparent with the designer. We can offer advice on a ball park figure that you will need to consider for the design, hard & soft landscaping, lighting, irrigation and any other additional elements you require. 

Can I phase the project to spread costs?

In most cases yes. We always advocate having a design for the whole garden and then can advise on potential practicalities to break this into construction phases dependent on your priority.