So What Exactly Does a Garden Designer Do?

When I tell people that I am a Garden Designer the general response is “how wonderful to be able to work outside, especially during the Summer when the sun is shining”.  The reality is that most of my time is spent in front of my drawing board or laptop and it is only when I come to the planting phase of my projects that I have the luxury of getting my hands dirty!

I find it difficult at times to understand why people don’t know what a Garden Designer does, after all the title itself explains what we do, doesn’t it?   Well to me it does of course, but then I know what it is that we do don’t I!?

Garden Designers work in the same way as architects do, we take the brief from the client, survey the site, produce a concept design based on the criteria set out at the brief, draw up the concept design, produce construction drawings, setting out drawings and tender documents and work with the client to put the construction phase of the project out to tender with 2-3 good landscapers who will be able to turn our vision into reality.  We produce planting plans and source plants, and some designers carry out the planting phase of the project – to me this is the “icing on the cake” when the whole garden finally comes together, so I love to do it.

This all sounds very involved but it doesn’t have to be that way.  Sometimes I’ll spend only a couple of hours with a client to help them revamp their planting beds, for example.  Or some people just want some ideas so that they can carry out the work themselves.  In this case I would probably take the drawings to the concept stage and add some sketches to help them visualise how the garden could be.

We Garden Designers are flexible beasts who can adapt to our clients needs, but if the wow factor is required we have the skills to listen to the requirements and design a garden that is bespoke in every way from the elements included to the materials used and plants selected.  Our job is to design a garden that fits in with the clients’ needs, desires and tastes so that it is an extension of their home and will be used and loved for many years!