Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the common questions asked about garden design, including design fees and time taken to design a garden. If you have a question that is not covered here, please contact us.

General

Do you offer an initial consultation?

We will arrange to meet you on site to discuss your brief and budget, and offer verbal ideas and solutions to designing your space. Our initial consultation is £90 + VAT, this fee is refunded should you go ahead with our full design service.

Do you have your own landscape team?

We don’t have an in house landscape team, but work regularly with a select team of landscape contractors who build our designs to a high specification.

Do you act as project managers once the build starts?

We can offer a "project inspection" service. Project Inspection means that we will conduct site inspections at appropriate intervals as agreed with you, during the build. The purpose of this is to ensure that the design plan is adhered to and to address any unforeseen issues on site.

A Project Manager is a more comprehensive service that would be undertaken by someone trained in this role, usually along with a Quantity Surveyor. These roles are usually only required on Commercial Projects and very large landscape jobs.

What areas do you cover?

We work all over the UK and abroad, travel time will be charged for a cost, if it is outside of North London.

What if I just want part of my garden redesigned?

We prefer to focus on complete design projects, as the result is more satisfying for both client and designer.

What is the best time to design and build a garden?

Our gardens are built all year round; however working during the winter months can slow progress due to inclement weather and shorter days.

Costs

How much does a full garden design service cost?

Our design fees are based on 10-15% of the anticipated budget for the garden build. Typically these fees start at around £3,250 + VAT for a full design service. To see what a full service entails please refer to the services page on our website.

Process

How long does it take to produce a garden design?

This will depend on how complex the overall job is. On average for a medium London garden (50-100sqm), once the topographical survey has been carried out we would need around 2-3 weeks for the initial concept stage, followed by a further 3 weeks for the detailed drawings, planting and lighting plans.

How long does it take to build a garden?

Again this depends on the complexity and scale of the job. Once the design has been agreed and the construction plans and drawings produced, a Landscape contractor will usually need around 2-3 weeks to produce a detailed quote.

The build can take anything from 6 weeks for a small London garden to 18 months or more for a complex landscape. Reputable landscapers can often be booked up for several months in advance, so early conversations with them to get start dates agreed is advisable.

Maintenance

How important is on going maintenance?

Maintenance is an essential part of the garden for long-term rewards. There really is no such thing as a "no" maintenance garden. Gardens are constantly developing, growing, shifting, changing with the years, and only a skilled gardener can really look after the planting correctly. Employing a gardener really is a way of protecting the time and investment you have made in transforming your outdoor space.

Do you provide garden maintenance?

We don’t provide maintenance, but work with a number of reputable and trusted gardeners who we can recommend. We always like to meet with you and the gardener on site, once the project is complete, to talk through the planting scheme, to ensure we have a unified, long term vision for the garden.

Associations

Sara Jane is a fully accredited, Registered designer of both the Society of Garden Designers and the British Association of Landscape Industries.