Garden site survey
When you first give us the brief for your garden, we will walk around your garden with you, exchanging garden ideas, taking photos and notes; whilst identifying all of the garden elements that you want to incorporate into the garden design.
Do you want a greenhouse, a garden shed, a summer house, or a garden gym or office in the garden? If you have young children you may not want a pond, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a water feature.
Will you want to make the most of summer evenings ? if so lighting in your garden can produce a magical effect.
Garden Soil testing
I will establish your soil type by testing whether it is acid, alkaline or neutral. Remembering to test soil from different garden areas as they can vary. I will also note the existing planting in your garden and what plants are responding well to certain areas.
It is important to thoroughly inspect your garden. If it is a new garden it may contain bricks, rubble and sand.
Garden Light and shade
How much sun your garden gets and how much is in shade at different times of the year at what time of the day will also influence the planting. What garden style do you want, are you looking for a formal garden or a softer natural garden? If low maintenance is high on your wish list you may not want a lawn or perhaps may consider an artificial grass.
Garden fences
Garden fencing and walls need consideration, are they in good order and will your neighbour mind if you grow creepers over the perimeter garden fence/?
Well established gardens
If you have purchased a house with a well-established garden and have lived with it for a while, you should have identified your plants and learnt about their best growing conditions and how to maintain them.
Walking around your garden and looking at it from an upstairs window is a useful perspective for garden ideas. Taking photos at different times of the year will help remind you of what your garden looked like during the garden seasons. Finally we need to decide which plants, shrubs, bushes and trees you wish to retain and whether they should remain in their current position or would be better off being moved.
Garden activities
Sit down and decide what garden activities you anticipate using the garden for; will you be entertaining in the garden and eating alfresco on a patio, do you want a children’s playground, do you want to try for self-sufficiency and include a vegetable garden, if you want to relax in the garden do you want a lawn, hammocks or garden table and chairs. Also list your garden essentials that have to be incorporated, like washing line, dustbins or compost heap.
