Garden Design Services
Implementing & Maintaining Your Garden
Good Design
A good design is vital to creating a beautiful garden because it is all your ideas laid out in an understandable way. From the shaping of patios, paths and beds, the sunniest spot to sit in the evening in addition to where is the nicest spot in the garden to have your morning coffee. Furthermore which plants will thrive in what soil, How big will they get? is there enough sun or shade? In addition there are always technical issues such as levels (will I need steps and how many)? Do I need a retaining wall?
A good design will solve all these issues and much more. At the beginning of the process we will sit down with you go through all our garden design services. We will create a design brief by discussing with you your ideas for the garden. We will then use this information to create meaningful plans.
Implementation
Once you have the final design accurate quotes from landscapers can be sought. We supply full technical specifications and tender document helping you and the landscaper price up and then implement the design. We can liaise with your chosen landscaper and can check the setting out to make sure everything is where it should be.
We also offer a full overseeing and project management service to see your garden through from start to finish. In addition to this we offer a planting service where we can source your plants, set out and plant the garden.
After Care
When to prune, feed, cut back? Shani Lawrence Garden Designs offer written maintenance schedules because maintaining a garden should be simple and enjoyable.
We also offer one off maintenance and advice and additional planting. Occasionally we are able to offer full maintenance services where we will look after the garden after implementation depending on location.
We love returning to gardens we have designed and through seasonal checks we can keep in touch and help keep the garden developing in the best way.
Garden Design – How the Process Works
Step 1: Initial Consultation
This stage allows our designer to view your garden so we can get to know your requirements. After the initial consultation a quotation is sent to you confirming all the details discussed and also a detailed breakdown of our design fees. An acceptance slip must be completed prior to the commencement of design works.
Step 2: Garden Survey
This stage provides an accurate assessment of your garden including:
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soil samples
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aspect
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plant listings and
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spot level and distance measurements taken usually with a digital level.
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the survey can be omitted if a land survey already exists.
Step 3: Draft Design Consultation
At this stage we will present you with two draft design layout plans and discuss both with you. We will use these as the basis for forming the final design.
Step 4: Final design Consultation
You will receive:
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a design concept drawing to scale
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a 3D sketch or colour drawing of the design (optional)
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planting plan and
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technical specifications (detailed information to enable successful construction of the design).
Garden Design Services by Post
For the smaller garden. Shani Lawrence Garden Designs offers a postal design service. Shani will communicate with you by telephone and also email to build up a brief for the garden. A comprehensive self-survey pack that includes soil sample containers and in addition advice on how to take basic site measurements will be sent to you.
Two draft designs are then produced and sent to you by post. Once received Shani will talk you through the designs and produce a final design with your feedback. We can also produce full landscape specifications and tender documents to aid you in the implementation of the garden.
Garden Design Services for Wildlife & Habitat Creation
We prefer all our designs to reflect our commitment to sustainable design in addition to planting that is aesthetically pleasing and beneficial to wildlife. We offer a service specializing in habitat creation, organic principles and also sustainable product sourcing. This service may be of interest to amateur naturalists, community habitat creation projects, local authority projects and planning permission discharge consent in areas such as national parks .
The service will follow the same format as the general design service but can include
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assessment of existing wildlife value of the site.
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species specific planting and habitat creation
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sourcing of seed or plants of local provenance
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data sheets will include organic advice and maintenance plans
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products from sustainable sources, recycled.
Read more about our wildlife and habitat creation projects >>
Garden Design Services for School Grounds and Community Projects
Are you involved with a school or community group and have a piece of land that you don’t know what to do with? We can design and create fruit and vegetable areas as well as woodlands, ponds and wild flower areas.
We run courses and workshops tailored to the groups’ needs and in addition provide advice to teachers and community project leaders. We have worked with primary aged children, secondary pupils, people with disabilities and mental ill health such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Read more about our school grounds and community projects >>
Additional Garden Design Services
in addition, we can provide services such as:
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material cost estimates
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maintenance plans
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working drawings, elevations, sketches and section drawings
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additional copies of plans/colour copies
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assistance with planning discharge consents
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watercolour or pastel sketches of the garden design
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planting contracts
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sourcing of unusual furniture, sculpture and garden ornamentation
We are always happy to discuss any project of any size. Please contact us to find out more details about our garden design servcies.