ABOUT GLDA

What A Designer Will Do For You

The Brief

The first thing a professional designer will do is meet you on site for a briefing, to find out what you like, what you want and what you think you need in your new garden. It is helpful to the designer if you have a clear idea of your basic requirements and how much you can afford to spend. For example, you might want a pond, or a vegetable and herb patch, or a small orchard or a set-aside children's play area, or something architectural or modern. It's also very important at this stage to be realistic about how much garden maintenance you can afford to undertake, or maybe none at all!

Site or Garden Survey

The designer will then carry out a full survey and assessment of the site. This includes checking the drainage, measuring the different levels and distances between existing features, observing its idiosyncrasies, its setting, the way it's facing, its soil type, the prevailing wind, the views from the site, any existing plants and garden features, and noting the type of building materials and techniques used in any existing house or other construction on the site.

A draft or concept plan

Armed with information from you and an accurate survey of the site, the designer can begin to create a plan, which at this stage is a draft or concept plan, clearly outlining the design proposals. A good design should seamlessly combine functionalism - that is, the practical uses to which the garden will be put - with aesthetics, to create a place of beauty and a garden full of wonderful plants to enjoy in all seasons. This draft plan is then discussed between you and the designer and any alterations or changes will be noted.

Working Drawings and Instructions

The next step for the designer is drawing up a very detailed proposal, including details of the proposed planting, working drawings and work schedules as required. The preparation of such a finely tuned design, drawn to scale, can take a lot of time. Different design possibilities may have been mooted during discussions with the client, and may need further exploration at the design studio. Supplementary sketches or projections, to further illustrate certain aspects of a design, may also be prepared.