Gardens

A garden designer can offer you a range of creative, technical and horticultural knowledge. They can help you get the most from your budget, saving you time and money by avoiding trial and error. In that sense, our fees often pay for themselves. Ultimately a garden designer can lead you to a better, more cohesive result whether you're extending your home or just want to transform the outdoor space.

Whatever time of year you contact me, I can work out a plan and timetable for the best time to design, build and plant your garden.

Don't wait to enjoy your garden. The owner of my Stepped Courtyard Garden later sold the house and told me "It sold in two hours(!). We couldn't believe it. Everyone raved about the garden." A well-designed and maintained garden can improve the value of your home and help you sell later down the line. Re-designing your front garden can give your home instant appeal and demonstrates that you've cared for the property. Plus you get to enjoy it until you sell.

All gardens need some maintenance to look their best, including the ones that haven't been professionally designed. ​ At the start of the project we'll discuss how your garden will be cared for. Once the plants have been added, you'll receive a plant care guide, telling you how to look after your new plants and, crucially, your soil. If life is busy or you just want some extra help, I can design a "lower maintenance" planting scheme, or help arrange garden maintenance for you. ​ That said, many people find their interest in plants grows as a result of having their garden designed. You might be one of them!

The earlier the better. You may also save time, if the design and build processes can run in tandem. New buildings - a garden designer can help place the building in the optimum position on your site, taking into account the light throughout the day and how you'll use the outside space. Extensions - the landscape can be designed concurrently with the house, for a harmonious transition from the indoor to the outdoor areas. Your plans for the garden might inform your interior design, e.g. your indoor tiles could complement the materials you'll use in your garden. Windows or doorways could be placed to frame a view, yet to be created. A extension wall or roof line can make a difference to the way the light falls in your garden, where you'll get the sun (and where you won't) and what you can grow. ​ Most gardens aren't completely flat. That's a good thing, as level changes add interest. Steps can be more than just an access route. Slopes can be planted with suitable species or even recontoured. The best time to have this creative and horticultural input is early in the process, before your extension is designed and built.

Gardens are completely different from interiors. We use experienced landscapers, who specialise in outdoor construction. They're thinking about the effects of the weather, your soil, the broader local environment and all the other things that an indoor builder or designer never needs to consider.

Planting design and a full garden design & build are very different in terms of cost. ​ Detailed consultation - If you don't feel ready to commit to a full garden redesign, I can offer you a detailed consultation for a fixed price of £245 (no VAT). This includes a site visit & discussion of up to 1 hour, and detailed follow-up advice including recommending specific plants. If you then want a full redesign, I'd deduct the cost of the consultation. I typically do these visits within an 8km radius of Addiscombe (CR0), but I can travel further. To arrange your consultation, contact me by email or phone 0777 960 9715. Planting design & container gardens - Plants make all the difference to a garden. Changing your planting or adding containers is quicker and costs less than a full redesign, yet can transform your garden. The cost of creating a planting plan is mainly determined by the level of detail - a design with 40 different species requires more work than a simple design using only 5 species. The cost can be estimated accurately after considering all the factors of the site, including how much planting is needed to enhance the garden. ​​ Full garden design & build - The cost of a newly designed garden is sometimes compared to the cost of a new kitchen. It's very similar in terms of the enjoyment it can bring to daily life and the value it may add to your property. ​ The minimum "project cost" for a full redesign & build is around £20,000 for a smaller garden with simple built features. This broadly encompasses construction (the main driver of cost), building materials, plants & planting up the garden and my design fee. Construction costs increase based on size and complexity. A price is agreed before building work begins. Garden designers typically recommend that you also keep a contingency reserve of 10 to 25% of the project cost. There can be exceptions, for example, gravel gardens can cost much less because they tend to involve less construction work. If you're unsure, get in touch to hear how I can help you.