We want to work with you to create the space that you have dreamed of. The first step in that process is for us to meet, to get a sense of the site and of how you live with it and for you to get a sense of us. We charge for that meeting and use it as a time to look, to listen and to respond with pragmatic ideas and practical advice. It could be that is all the input you need, it is spontaneous and often raises lots of questions. We follow that initial visit with an outline sketch and a breakdown of fees for the stages ahead if you would like to go into more depth.
To develop the design in the studio, we look again, spending time sitting with the space, listening and looking. Sketching the site is often a good way to connect. We then respond with a suggested arrangement of the space with a moodboard of plants and materials you might like – a concept plan. At this stage we are thinking of flow, of utility, of light and shade, moisture, of where you might linger.
Once you are happy with the concept arrangement, the next step is a detailed construction layout with detail of materials used, how things are built, sections through walling and consideration of which plants are needed where. At this stage we can get a sense of the cost of building the garden.
Our final stages of detail create instructions for our construction colleagues to follow with a written specification of works. We work closely with a few contractors but remain independent – handling design and build separately like this means we have no conflict of interest if there is an issue in the build. Alternatively, you can use these drawings to go out to tender. Your build contract will be with the landscape contractor, our role is to supply drawings for them to follow and to oversee works on site.
We work with some of our completed gardens alongside Head Gardeners to review what’s working well and create management plans for their team to follow. We also work on an adhoc basis in large gardens advising on planting design, nature restoration, land management and recruitment of horticultural staff.
We work on a transparent time charge basis – estimating the hours needed for each stage, invoicing half of those hours to begin it and then invoicing the balance needed at the end. This means you aren’t paying for design input you don’t need, and you are free to make as many amendments and changes to the specification as you would like without us being resistant.
You are not obliged to commission all stages, but we do recommend going to a full specification of works (a developed design) as this will mean there are fewer unforeseens in the build, the budget can be managed as closely as possible before build starts and responses to tender will be easily compared.
Our role in the process is to help you make the best use of your budget, whether it’s one thousand or tens of thousands. Each project is as different as its owner and we hope you don’t see a house style in our finished landscapes. Our process is flexible and the input needed in each stage will vary with each different space.
We are happy working with your existing team, and it can be simpler to have one contractor on site. If there’s a choice, we prefer to work with landscapers we know as we have built strong trusted relationships and know the quality of their work will be up to our expectations.
Once we have met, it takes a week or two for you to receive an initial sketch and notes. We will then usually need a topographical survey to work from, and our concept design will usually be ready within a month of the topographical survey being issued. Spring and Autumn are our peak enquiry times.
We have been both designer and builder – we now offer design and overseeing alone as this means there is no conflict of interest in resolving build issues, we represent our client’s interests alone. The years spent building gardens mean we understand the complexities involved and working alongside expert craftspeople and contractors’ means they are able to focus entirely on build.
We oversee but not project manage. We are on hand to help resolve problems, order key features and plants and set out the space. As a minimum we recommend having us there for setting out the design and setting out the planting.
You can be involved as little or as much as you would like to be. A lot of our clients are away from the site and prefer for us to be more hands on, if you would like to save money you can oversee the process yourself and call us in when you would like us.
Whilst designing to an exact budget is tricky, we always get a feel for what you would like to invest before we start the design. We can share examples of previous gardens and how much they cost so that you have a good idea.
We are responsive (and sometimes take on projects where diggers are already in the ground), but we would like as much notice as possible so that we can plan with enough time and avoid needing to make changes mid build. Bear in mind that Spring is peak enquiry month and Autumn is the best time to plant.
All our gardens put nature first and we make all design decisions with this in mind, so yes. We use UK based suppliers where possible, minimise waste, use construction methodologies that minimise ground compaction, select planting which won’t need irrigation or chemicals and create habitat wherever we can.
We work on all scales and smaller gardens often need the most thought as there are less places to hide compost heaps, they are also very rewarding.
We work on all scales and enjoy working at scale, we will work as a larger team on larger sites so we can still deliver designs in good time.
One of the first questions we ask you is how will you maintain the garden – will it be you alone or will you have a gardener? Do you need help recruiting that gardener? Would you like us to come back each year to help guide and curate it? We will have this in mind throughout so that the garden will look and feel as we all intend.
Plants are our passion and we love to set out all the planting in our gardens and plant it if time allows. Many creative decisions are made when the pots are on the soil and we would like to be part of this.
No.
