First visit and a cup of tea

Having established that you want your garden to be designed and that I am designing it, the first thing I will do is visit you for a lengthy spell and walk around your garden with you so that we can discuss all the areas of relevance - views to be retained, views to be screened etc.  I will then carry out a survey of the site - measurements, bearings, position of objects/plants that will remain.  Then I will come back inside, ask for a cup of tea (black with no sugar, please) and bombard you with loads of seemingly meaningless questions.  This is because it is YOUR garden and I need to know as much as possible about what you want out of your garden.  The more I can find out, the more the garden will be tailored to you.

Back to the drawing board

Anyway, I return home and draw up a scale plan of the site as it is now.  I then sit down and the process begins.  Firstly the site inventory, where I draw and list all the things  that currently exist - manhole covers, trees, fences, soggy areas, location of services, wind direction, sunny bits, shady bits etc.  All these things add up to what the site physically has.  Next comes the site appraisal drawing, which is when I evaluate this information, and assess the problems and potential advantages of the site.

The next stage is marrying what is there with what you would like, and it is here that the design process proper really starts.  Once I have come up with a design proposal, I will show you a rough drawing first, just to check that I have been heading in the right direction, and then I will draw up this plan by hand in ink and supply you with 2 copies - one coloured.  This plan will be unique to your site and your requirements - it will be as individual as your fingerprint.

An 'average' garden will take me at least 4 days to design and draw, with an additional 2 days to design and draw a full planting plan if required.  This is why it costs more than a kitchen (which takes about an hour and some cheap software) to design.

OK, what next ?

Client's garden in Leigh-on-Sea, before (left) and immediately after planting (right) then ...

......again the following year

Well, now you have paid all that money for a nice drawing, what are you to do with it ?  There are many options.   At one end of the scale - you can throw it in the bin.  This is unlikely because of the consultative nature of the proceedings, but I suppose there may be a first time .  Next - do nothing with it other than frame it and hang it on the wall.  One client has done this whilst he is getting the cash together for the work to be carried out.  Next, some clients like to do the work and source the plants themselves.  Or do the work but have me supply the plants.  Some clients employ a local landscaper if they know one or have had one recommended.   For the larger projects, I could prepare the necessary documentation and put the job out to tender.  Once a suitable contractor has been found I can draw up a contract of work and supervise the work.  I can additionally draw up any required  maintenance schedules.  For small or interesting projects, I may do the work myself.

The choice is yours, but however you go ahead, the most important stage in the process is having a good design in the first place.

For more information, please contact me by Email ,or  telephone on 01268 757666 or write to me at :

Oasis, 42 Greenwood Avenue, South Benfleet, Essex, SS7 1LD.

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