Our Process
Bringing a garden to life is a journey, and our process is designed to guide you every step of the way. From the initial spark of an idea to the lush reality, we work collaboratively to create spaces that are not only beautiful but deeply connected to their surroundings.
We believe in an intuitive, iterative approach that embraces both creativity and practicality, ensuring your garden reflects your vision and thrives for years to come.
Site Inspection
This is where we take the time to truly read the landscape. We assess the microclimate, wind exposure, temperature patterns, rainfall, aspect, and soil conditions. These natural elements shape the identity of the site and are fundamental to the success of the garden.
By understanding what already exists, and thrives, this process helps us identify opportunities for connection of what the garden might hold, between people, plants, architecture, and the surrounding environment.
Concept Design and Design Development
This stage begins with dialogue, between those commissioning the garden and those crafting it. It’s an interactive and intuitive process, not a linear one. Ideas are tested, paths explored and abandoned, and through this creative back-and-forth, a design begins to take shape.
We might go down a few cul-de-sacs before finding the right route. But when we arrive, the solution often feels clear, natural almost inevitable. A good design feels as though it’s always belonged to the site, even if it took time to uncover.
Costing and Bill of Quantities
Once the concept has settled into a clear direction, we begin to ground the vision in practical terms. This phase involves preparing a preliminary costing and a bill of materials, a detailed outline of what will be needed to realise the design.
It’s not just about numbers; it’s about value. Every element, from paving to plants, from timber to lighting is chosen for a reason, with intention and longevity in mind. We aim to provide transparency, flexibility, and options, allowing you to make informed decisions that align with your budget and priorities.
This stage is also an opportunity to refine the design further, sometimes a shift in material or approach not only supports the budget, but deepens the integrity of the final garden.
Implementation
With the design resolved and materials selected, we move into the process of building the garden.
We personally oversee the installation, working with a trusted team and contractors to ensure the integrity of the design is carried through. This is a hands-on phase: we’re on site, making adjustments as needed, responding to the nuances of the land, and ensuring every detail feels right, not just on paper, but in place.
It’s a dynamic and deeply satisfying process. The garden starts to take shape, not as a replica of the drawings, but as a living, breathing space, full of texture, movement, and potential.
Garden Maintenance
Our approach to maintenance honours this natural evolution, and with a sustainable and timeless design as its foundation, the garden asks for care, not control. Whether you take it on yourself or with the help of our maintenance team, we offer guidance to ensure the space matures in a way that stays true to its essence.
A garden is never truly finished, it grows, shifts, and settles with time.