FAQs

Is there anything to know or think about before having my garden designed? Hopefully these FAQs will help answer any questions you may have. If there are any questions I haven’t covered please feel free to get in contact. 

If I’m not available during the day is it possible to make an appointment to come and discuss my garden at other times?

Absolutely, I’m always happy to make an appointment in the evening (daylight permitting to see the garden) and at weekends. I completely understand that Monday to Friday during the day isn’t always convenient.

Will I get any input into the design process?

I see the design of your garden as a collaborative process, something that we work on together. After all it is your garden and want you to enjoy spending time in it for years to come. There will always be an initial draft design that we will talk through together and for you to think about any changes you might want.

Should I be thinking about having my garden designed at a particular time of year?

The design can be undertaken at any time, however it is worth thinking about it in as far in advance as possible. At least a year ahead is good. This gives us time to finalise the design and look at booking in the landscapers, electricians and arranging orders.

Landscapers can often be booked up as far ahead as six months to a year. So the sooner we start planning the more likely they are to have availability.

Do I need to or to have the budget to complete the build of a garden in one go?

Not at all. It is worth completing the design of the overall garden to have one cohesive vision and to understand how it all fits together. We can then break it down into stages, for example it maybe that the patio is built this year and the planting is undertaken a year or two later. Or it could be that one area is completed, the outdoor kitchen or dining area that is going to get the most use. With the rest of the garden split into further phases.

Do I have to have a big garden to have it designed?

Often it is harder to get a small garden right, so they can really benefit from having a professional eye cast over them. Smaller gardens often have to provide a multi-functional space, maybe a children’s play area by day and an entertaining or dining area in the evening. There is also nowhere to hide, in a large garden where storage can be hidden behind a hedge or trellis, smaller spaces require more creative thinking.

How will I go about caring for the garden if I don’t have much horticultural knowledge?

Aftercare of the garden is as important to me as the design, it should continue to look good for years to come. There are a number of options I offer depending on how much confidence you have in caring for your garden and also how much time you can commit to it. These range from getting you started with a little support from me, setting up monthly reminders that provide a list of what to do (a bit like the Gardeners’ World section, Job’s for the Weekend), to helping you find a gardener.