Perhaps you have thought about having your garden designed, but weren’t convinced that it would be worth it. Not so! It will absolutely be the best investment you can make in your outside space. With some pictures of gorgeous gardens to inspire you!
1. You won't waste money at the garden centre on plants that will die
One of the most common things my clients say to me is that they’ve spent a fortune at the garden centre and have nothing to show for it – it all died. With a properly designed garden, with a planting plan that is based not only on your likes and preferences, but also an expert analysis of your soil, the aspect, conditions, and microclimate in your garden, wind tunnels and rain shadows, and other factors such as existing plants (conifers drink ALL the water in the surrounding soil) – plus how much time you have to take care of the garden when planted. All this adds up to a designed garden that is tailored for you and will thrive and mature for years.
Sunny Garden. The owners of this garden knew exactly what they wanted in their retirement – I take client briefs very seriously, and delivered a garden tailored precisely to them.
2. you will spend less time managing plants that are too big for their space, wrong for your garden, etc.
I think most people know by now that the low- or no maintenance garden is a myth. Plants are living things, and they can act in unpredictable ways, they grow, die back, and plants bred for the garden generally don’t thrive well without any care at all. Plus, if you want a truly great-looking garden, plants will only perform at their best when well cared for. If you genuinely don’t have time for this, then I always advise clients to get a qualified gardener – they really are worth their weight in gold.
The planting plans I supply will always be carefully balanced to make sure the plants will grow together happily, will grow into their space, and will be healthy because they are right for the conditions. You won’t spend your time coddling tender or unsuitable plants, watering for hours, deadheading constantly, measuring out three different types of feed, or stuffing hessian into crowns in autumn.
Image – Alpine Garden. ‘Alpine plants’ was the brief for this garden, and a space that evoked the Austrian Alps. I chose all the plants carefully, and we made sure that the preparation was carefully done to give the plants their best possible start in life.
Alpine Garden. ‘Alpine plants’ was the brief for this garden, and a space that evoked the Austrian Alps. I chose all the plants carefully, and we made sure that the preparation was carefully done to give the plants their best possible start in life.
3. You'll spend less on products like pesticides and herbicides; because your plants will be healthy.
Related to the above – plants that are right for the space will have no problems finding he nutrients they need in the soil, establishing mycelial networks to swap spare nutrients, get the right amount of water, and be generally healthy enough to fight off infestations or diseases.
That said, if nothing is nibbling your leaves, then you don’t have a healthy ecosystem. I’ve never been a fan of perfection – it’s artificial – so I’ll leave that to the plastic grass brigade (not actually perfection anyway – a topic for another time).
Image – Elegant Garden. When your garden suits your needs, it’ll become central to your life. This garden was transformed from an overgrown space without a clear purpose, to a stunning entertaining space the clients love to show off.
Elegant Garden. When your garden suits your needs, it’ll become central to your life. This garden was transformed from an overgrown space without a clear purpose, to a stunning entertaining space the clients love to show off.
4. You won't make expensive mistakes like building a seating area in the wrong place, or choosing the wrong materials for the space.
Have you seen the prices of materials recently? Even reclaimed materials or so-called ‘cheap alternatives’ like concrete slabs can be eye-wateringly expensive. Add this to the cost of labour (for a properly qualified and experienced landscaping team) and the inconvenience of having work done, then you only want to do this once – and have it done properly.
The concepting phase of a design works through all of the options, so that you know the final design will be exactly what you want. I’ll also go through all of the material choices with you, so you know you’ll love the result, and it’ll be right for your garden.
Image – Cheltenham Courtyard. With space at a premium, every detail counted in this design. With careful placement of seating and planting, the garden now feels twice as big as it did.
Cheltenham Courtyard. With space at a premium, every detail counted in this design. With careful placement of seating and planting, the garden now feels twice as big as it did.
5. You'll want to spend more time at home, so you'll save money on holidays
‘We don’t plan to go away anymore – it’s like being on holiday right here.’ This is actually what one of my clients said to me. I was so happy to hear it as well – it’s absolutely what I aim for with each of my designs. I want you to love the views from the windows, want to show it off, spend time in it, and love it more each year as the planting matures. An amazing garden can be yours – with the right design.
Image – the Stream Garden. With a new view around every corner, ample seating and dining spaces, and planting that has something new to offer in every season, you wouldn’t be able to tear yourself away from this garden either!
The Stream Garden. With a new view around every corner, ample seating and dining spaces, and planting that has something new to offer in every season, you wouldn’t be able to tear yourself away from this garden either!