Is a Garden Designer worth it?
It feels like a leap of faith to commission a garden designer. A design isn’t cheap and so how can you go about assessing the value of something that can, on the face of it, look like just a few drawings? I’m of course really passionate about the value of a design - not only in providing you with a garden you love but also to prevent costly mistakes along the way. In this article I’ll outline when a designer might be helpful, the benefits it can bring you but also when a designer isn’t worth it for you.
When it’s worth it.
When should you think about calling up a garden designer? The following are the type of comments I’ve received from previous clients which might resonate: “I want a beautiful garden but I’ve got no idea where to start”, “I can design my home but I can’t work out how do this in the garden”, “We barely used the garden last year”, “I can’t visualise how the garden will look”, “We are extending the house and need a garden that works with the extension”, “I’ve just moved into a new build and I’ve got no idea where to start”.
If any of these comments feel familiar, then there is a good chance a garden designer will be the solution.
Why its worth it
Clear Visuals
My job is take all the thinking time, confusion and decision making off your hands. While its easy to find pictures of beautiful gardens online, no two sites are the same so its never quite as simple as taking an existing image of garden and copying it into your space. A designer will give your a clear, coherent vision for the garden and one that works for your lifestyle and for your particular site. I use mood boards, birds eye view plans, images and sketches to bring the design to life and enable you to visualise the garden well before it is built.
Fresh Ideas
A designer will often bring you new ideas that are tailored to your specific garden. A comment I get quite a lot when I present my designs are “I would never have thought of that”. I really want you to get excited about the space and so I’ll always work hard to try and bring you thoughtful, different solutions.
In the Solihull garden below, the owners needed a design that would tie in with the beautiful, modern development and conceal the neighbouring retaining wall. The corten steel wall we designed achieved both aims, introducing a contemporary, unique feature into the space then softened by planting.
A Personal Plan
I work on the concept plan for the garden until everyone is totally happy. I have a briefing meeting at the start of any project and I listen carefully to make sure the design meets what the clients are looking for. Occasionally I don’t get it 100% right in the first draft and that fine - there is plenty of opportunity for feedback and to get the design perfect on paper before a spade hits the ground. Sometimes I’ll create a design that pushes the client outside of their comfort zone but I know it works perfectly for the setting - these are exciting designs because they can really get a fantastic reaction, but it is of course a risk so if the client doesn’t love it we keep going until they do.
Design for a small cottage garden in Kenilworth.
Time and Money Saving
A professional garden designer has heaps of practical knowledge at their fingertips and can save you hours in research, or crucially stop you from making a mistake before you’ve spent thousands on building and planting costs. Some of it can sounds really simple but it is necessary to get it right:
How big does a patio need to be so you can pull your chair out without falling into a planting border?
Is the driveway large enough to comfortably get out of the car?
How deep do planting borders need to be so you can have colour and interest all year round?
Which hard landscaping materials will work in your garden?
How do I create a seating area on a sloped site?
How to create a garden when it gets waterlogged?
Which plants will survive in this garden?
And much, much more!
No Hassle Build
Engaging a garden designer often means the garden build stage will be easier, quicker and cheaper. A designer will be able to put you in touch with local landscapers, who will give you clear, comparable quotes using the design drawings. The designer will meet with the landscaper onsite to help communicate the design, so its really clear what the landscapers are building and any issues can be worked through upfront. A thought through design stops the risk of costly changes being made to the garden part way through the build. The landscaper can simply crack on with the job, organising materials and resources to be ready for when they are needed, rather than waiting for decisions to be made on site.
Added Home Value
There are lots of figures out there for how much a well designed garden can add to your property value - when you look at pictures of a beautiful house with a garden to match it makes a huge difference to how you feel about that property compared one with a scruffy, unused space. So it might feel like a large cost upfront but, overall, a design is going to be a very small cost of your property value. I think the example in the Cotswolds below really illustrates it. This is a brand new garden so its not even at its best yet, but it shows how good garden design can transform the whole property.
And a note on when a design is not worth it….
I’ve had a few enquiries over the years where I’ve worked out a designer isn’t right for the client and I’ve pointed them in another direction. It tends to be two types of cases:
“My garden used to be lovely but it’s overgrown" / I can’t manage it”. It is possible a new design for a low maintenance garden will help, but generally it becomes clear that this client needs a regular gardener. A well trained gardener will be able to correctly prune overgrown shrubs, remove dead and diseased plants, weed and improve the soil and make new plants selections where needed. Regular maintenance is vital for a garden and in some cases it is all that’s needed to bring a garden back to its best.
“I need a new fence / patio” - if your garden isn’t a huge priority, you have a limited budget and your quite clear on what you need, then a landscaper is the right person for you. There are lots of great landscapers out there, who can install what you would like and offer straightforward advice from their years of experience.
If you aren’t sure whether a designer can help you then please get in touch - I’m always happy to talk through projects and help steer you in the right direction. Email me at info@hartgardendesign.co.uk or phone 07494 046858.
