FREQUEnTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are some of my most commonly asked questions:
What is a strategy consultation?
A strategy consultation is a standalone service for homeowners who want expert design thinking without necessarily committing to a full design project. I spend around one to two hours at your property, talking through your space, your ideas and what you want from your garden. You'll leave with clarity, direction, and next steps in writing.
If you'd like to see your garden's shape as well as read about it, you can add a hand-drawn concept sketch, a first look at how the space could be zoned and laid out. It's a concept sketch rather than a scaled design; the detailed, technical drawings come later, as part of the full Garden Design Pack.
It's a great starting point if you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or simply want a professional perspective before deciding what to do next.
I just want some advice on my garden, is that something you offer?
Yes. This is exactly what the strategy consultation is for. You don't need to be planning a full redesign to benefit from a fresh pair of expert eyes. Whether you're unsure about planting, struggling with a tricky area, or want to understand what your garden could become, a consultation gives you clarity and a written plan to take away.
Why do you charge for a consultation?
My advice has real value, and the consultation is how we find out whether we’re a good fit and what your garden needs. You can choose the Strategy Consultation (£250) or the Strategy Consultation + Concept Sketch (£500), which adds a hand-drawn sketch showing how the space could be zoned. Whichever you choose, the fee is credited in full against a Garden Design Pack if you go ahead, so you’re never paying twice.
What does the consultation include?
It gives you clear direction for your garden: what to prioritise, how the space could work, and what planting will suit it. The £500 option also includes a hand-drawn concept sketch. The consultation isn’t a set of drawings or specifications, and it isn’t intended for contractors or other designers to work from. Scaled plans and build documents come with the Garden Design Pack.
Why do I need a designer?
In order to make the most out of your space, it should be looked at in its entirety. Taking a new kitchen as an example, you wouldn't build it without first planning what you want to use it for and how everything fits together, and your garden should be treated the same.
There are so many things that need considering; light, aspect, access, views, topography, before the space can even be designed, and this is where an experienced designer comes into their own. The cost of hiring a designer as a percentage of the overall cost of building your garden is very small, yet the difference it makes is huge.
How much will it cost to have my garden designed, built and planted?
As a guide, for a complete design and build of a small garden, you should plan to invest between £25,000 and £50,000; for a medium garden, between £50,000 and £100,000; and for a large garden, anything from £100,000 upwards.
How long does the process last?
Usually the design will be ready to present within 4 weeks of the initial consultation. The process of hiring a landscaper through to completing the build could take anything from 3 to 9 months, depending on the complexity of the design and the availability of the landscaper. It's recommended to plan around a year ahead, so if you're looking for a new garden by next summer, you'd be best advised to start no later than September/October.
Can you design part of a garden, or do it in stages?
Yes. You can break the design into stages or parts, for example, following an extension you might need only the design of a new patio and steps to integrate into an already mature garden. In some cases, the whole garden is designed at once and then broken down into stages for the build. This works well for those working to a tight budget or timeline.
AI & Garden Design
A few honest answers to questions I'm hearing more of...
Can't an AI app just design my garden for me?
It can generate something that looks like a garden design, and it will do so very quickly. What it cannot do is stand in your space, read the way the light moves across it, or notice that the soil is compacted clay despite what the postcode suggests. Garden design is a physical, relational, site-specific discipline. The result of working with a person is different in kind, not just quality.
Is AI going to make garden designers redundant?
Not the kind of garden design I practice. Technology is good at replicating pattern and generating options at speed. It is not good at restraint, knowing what not to include. It cannot weigh the ecological value of a hedgerow against your neighbour's objection to it, or tell the difference between a garden that photographs well and one that works with you through every season.
So where does AI fit in, do you use it at all?
For some of the administrative sides of running a small business, things like working through website copy or drafting communications. Never for design. The site visits, the plant knowledge, the spatial thinking, the decisions about what your garden actually needs, are entirely mine.
