Sophia's Gardens Design Process

Stage 2 - Initial Consultation.

We meet and discuss your detailed requirements. This will involve a close inspection of the garden and in-depth discussion of the styles and forms of garden you prefer as well as more mundane matters such as "Do you need a shed"?.

If the garden is very small and we agree on the design fee immediately, we can sign a pre-brief contract and I can survey straight away. This will save you some travel fees. Otherwise I will leave to prepare a brief & quote for the design work.

Once we are agreed on the brief we both sign the contract and I will arrange to return to survey the garden.

Stage 3 - The Garden Survey.

I will measure boundaries, levels, the house and any other necessary items.

I note the garden's aspect, wind exposure, soil pH and many other details essential to creating an accurate picture of your garden, so that I may choose with care where to place patio, paths and other features.

Stage 4: The Draft Plan.

After a period of reflection, I will prepare a number of drafts for you to consider. We will talk through which elements you prefer, and their locations, and upon agreement I will proceed to draw up the final plan.

On this visit, I usually bring paving catalogues and samples to help you choose your materials

Stage 5 - The Presentation Plans.

You can choose to have your presentation plan just as a functional entity in black and white, or have it hand-finished and coloured when it becomes a thing of beauty!

For small gardens this plan can be on a larger (1:50 or 1:20) scale and combine layout and planting plans; for larger gardens (usually 1:100 scale) there will be separate layout and planting plans (the latter always in colour), and the planting plans may not be produced until the landscaping work has finished.

Once you have seen your beautiful new design, we will discuss how the garden is to be created. If you wish to DIY, I can give advice on how to proceed. Alternatively, you can employ me to oversee the build process.

Stage 6 - Contract, specification document, structural and setting-out drawings.

At the outset I will show you the form of contract that I use, which is a standard form published by The Joint Contracts Tribunal. Once the client/consultant section is signed, the next step is to write specifications so that we can ask contractors to tender for the work.

Specifications describe and define a plan for the contractors so that the work is completed to the designer's and clients ideals, rather than to the contractors interpretation.

If you imagine the Presentation Plan as something like how you see a street in a Wild Western Town used in filming, you would know where the bar and grocercy were, where people went in and out and looked out of windows, but you could not tell if it were a true building or just a façade. The specifications and structural drawings make sure that the building (of course garden in our case) is built with foundations that accord with local building regulations and will stand the test of time. The setting-out drawing makes sure, to continue our metaphor, that a door is not put in where the window should go and enables the contractors to work efficiently on the site.

In total, specification documents include a description of the designers vision, a detailed materials list, structural and setting-out drawings. These become tender documents that the contractor can base his costs upon and be compared with on an equal footing with all other bids. They can be sent to a number of contractors or Sophia's Gardens can select the contractor felt best for your needs.

Stage 7 - The Build Process.

Once we are satisfied with a contractor's bid and chosen our preferred company, we will decide the time scale and the contractor will sign his section of the contract. Throughout the build process I will oversee at regular intervals and liaise with you.

This is an opportunity for your continued involvement, or to just relax and watch the men work!

On completion  of the build, you pay the contractor 95% of his fee and then planting commences. Often we work in the garden with clients as they like to be involved in getting to know the latest horticultural practices and learning about their plants.

After a settling in period of 3 months, a final inspection is performed, any faults are put right and a certificate of completion issued. The retention of 5% is paid to the contractor.

Stage 8 - Planting.

I really enjoy this stage. Once the planting plans and the build are complete, it's time to shop for plants.

My system is to buy and plant in the appropriate season. So, I buy bulbs, shrubs and trees and plant these in autumn; bare-rooted perennials for spring planting, and for cold sites, shrubs and trees in containers can go in during early spring.

I buy smaller plants, which establish better than larger ones, and cost you less. (However, this is not instant gardening. The plants are spaced, for example, so that perennials fill their area after 3 years, at their mature size.) If the the build is completed at an inappropriate planting time the bare soil can be sown with a decorative green manure, to be dug into the ground in autumn.

Planting will be done by Sophia's Gardens, with you taking part also if you wish. Many happy hours have been passed by myself and clients together in their new garden in this way. Please see our maintenance page about ongoing maintenance.

Stage 9 - Handover.

You have a brand new, beautiful, easy-care garden to watch grow and develop; play and relax in; show to the neighbours..., the list becomes endless.