020 8449 5781
info@abroughtondesign.com
info@abroughtondesign.com
Initial Consultation
When we meet for the first time, let’s take a walk around your garden. We will talk about how you intend to use your garden, what styles you like and what you would like to include in your garden. I will make notes about the views, levels and direction your garden faces. Together we’ll discuss your budget and preferred timescale. After our meeting, you’ll receive a design brief and a quotation for your garden design work. If you require our full design service, which includes scaled plans, the initial consultations are free within a 30 minute drive of Barnet. Visits further afield are subject to a fee – please call for details.
Site survey
The next step is to carry out a topographical survey. This is a scaled drawing, which will include the position of the house, levels, boundaries, existing paved areas, existing trees, the position of services (pipes, drainage, etc). Unless the garden is very small, the survey will be carried out by one of our recommended professional survey companies. We will also undertake site analysis and photographs will be taken of the garden and its surroundings.
Presentation Plan
Next we work from your design brief and draw up a scaled 2-D layout plan illustrating the proposed concept. Our concept plans shows hard landscaping (patios and pergolas etc.) and soft landscaping (plants and lawns) and details any changes in levels, walls, steps, water features etc. At this stage we’ll meet with you again to discuss our proposal and make any necessary amendments. Once you’ve approved the layout, we arrange for final plans to be drawn up into the 'Presentation Plan'.
Planting Plan
If you want us to do your planting, we will create a 2-D planting plan. We show the exact position of each plant, its species and cultivar name as well as the number required. We also include photos of the plants for a quick and easy look at what we have included. Good planting design is not just the icing on the cake, but an integral part of our design process. Visual appeal is our first consideration when choosing plants; whether you want a clean smartly clipped white garden, a lush jungle look using dramatic large-leaved plants, or perhaps a traditional cottage garden. We have an in-depth knowledge of individual plant requirements such as soil types, aspect and water availability. The suitability of plants for the conditions is very important. 'Right plant, right place', a principle inspired by Beth Chatto, plantswoman, garden designer and author, lies at the heart of what we do. So whether your garden is on heavy clay soil or maybe an alkaline free draining site, we will choose plants that will thrive and look fabulous throughout the year as well as provide focal points, enhancing or screening views.
Additional Drawings
There are a few instances when additional drawings may be required:- Depending on the complexity of your garden design or bespoke features we may need to produce construction drawings to make sure the design is properly executed from start to finish;
- You might also want to showcase your garden in the best possible light. With the popularity of glass doors installed at the rear of our homes, gardens can look fabulous day and night. At your request, we can add bespoke lighting plans and specify fittings that will make your garden a 24/7 feature;
- Sometimes our clients prefer to see 3D drawings to help them visualise their new garden. These are particularly useful when working with sloping sites requiring retaining walls. Please let us know if this will be helpful.
Tendering and Project Monitoring
Once your final plan has been agreed, we will draw up more detailed specification documents for your project. These will outline the exact work to be undertaken, and will include precise materials and methods of construction. All relevant drawings will be given to the landscapers so that we offer a fair tender process. Following the Specification Document, each supplier can quote like for like, you can be sure you’re getting the best value. If required, we can also offer a Project Monitoring service where we will oversee progress and visit the site to check that your design is going to plan.
Planting & Sourcing
We select our plants from a number of high quality specialist nurseries and plant them according to your planting plan.Quoting
Towards the end of a garden build, we provide a quote for supply and planting. We then order the plants for you and organise a planting team. The size of the team, depends on how big your garden is and how many plants are in the design; we aim to get the main order in the ground in five to six days.Planting New Trees
If you have new trees in your garden design, we generally plant these before the rest of the plants. So we can source them and ask your landscaper to plant them if they are already on site working on the hard landscaping. Also, some larger specimens might require specialist equipment to plant them, so we would organise this too. We also regularly check nursery prices to make sure the plants we supply are better value than those available at retail. If you would like additional features such as furniture, sculptures or pots, please ask us to help source these for you from our wide network of trusted suppliers.CONTACT
