The Design Process
The design process allows us to explore a variety of possible solutions to best meet the requirements of your garden. We treat each client and each garden as the individual they are and customise the design scheme or ‘package’ to suit, but the general run of things for a garden design tends to be as follows:
In most cases, the process begins with phone call or an email. This is then followed by a short questionnaire for you to fill in; it helps you to focus your thoughts on what you would like, before we get to our first on site meeting.
The initial design meeting is where Client or Clients and Designer get together in the garden. We look at the garden together; take photos; listen to your desires and your practical needs; discuss what might be achievable within your budget and timescale.
After this meeting, a Design scheme is prepared and includes both the Client’s brief and the Designer’s recommendations, this, together with the associated fee proposal, will be sent out. The Design fee is a fixed fee and will include those parts of the design process that you have asked us to carry out. Additional services can be added on, if required and will be under a separate quotation.
Some items are always included; for example a site survey, which then allows a scale plan to be drawn up of the existing garden and features. The site survey is also another opportunity for you the client to ask questions.
After this we create a Design Concept which is a written document, which we send to you, to make sure we’ve understood your needs and wants, and for you to respond to: have we understood? Or did we not get the bit about the wildflower meadow? After playing about with this if needed, we draw up your Design Sketch, based on the Concept. The type and number of sketches will depend on the intricacy of the design and the complexity of the site.
We’ll have another meeting following your receipt of the Design Sketch, where we’ll discuss some aspects in more detail including the planting, types and prices of materials for raised beds, lighting and so on.
As for payment, the Design fee is a ‘stand alone’ item separate from other work we may do for you, to give you maximum flexibility. There is a small fee payable for the initial design visit, which will be discounted against the full design fee. The main fee is payable in two parts, the first when we come to do the site survey, and the balance on your receipt of the Design Sketches. As a value–added extra, the full fee also includes a further 1 hour garden consultation on the approximate anniversary date.
Once all that is done, the Design is done and we move onto the next stage...