Why choose a garden designer?
Watching your garden develop over time is one of life’s great pleasures. You see what works in different parts of the garden and how plants grow through the seasons, moving them if they are not happy and watching them thrive in a new situation. You can sit in your favourite corner and survey the scene or enjoy the wildlife as it nuzzles the blooms near your seat. So why choose a designer at all?
It isn’t always necessary! You may have the time to adjust and move things, the skills or vision to see what to plant or build, and have the confidence to instruct a landscaper and monitor their work. But not everyone has that time, that confidence. Maybe a path or a patio has been built and after a while it becomes plain that it is not quite in the right place or the right size- a large amount of time and money has been spent for something which isn’t working well. A qualified designer has the experience to know what works in different situations, whether that be the best place for a patio, how to integrate a children’s play area, or even a great way to hide the bins. A designer can make the most of your available space, and anticipate difficulties before they become expensive problems.
You may have a new garden which is a blank canvas; you may have inherited an overgrown mass of shrubs and not know (literally!) which way to turn; you may have moved into a home whose perfectly good garden doesn’t ‘do it’ for you- why would it? You don’t necessarily have the same taste in interiors as the previous owners, so why expect to enjoy the garden in the same way? A garden designer can create form and beauty in that blank or crowded garden, and listen to how you want to use your own garden.
You say tomato, I say toma-y-to
Some people love a sunny terrace redolent of the Mediterranean, others prefer a retreat from the midday sun to a cool shady pergola. Do you choose dramatic exotic-looking plants, or prefer the softer forms of a country cottage garden? Cool colours or hot- the options are endless!
A designer can help you navigate these choices, can suggest possibilities you never considered, or bring together all your existing ideas in a coherent whole. They will present you with a design layout that specifies everything from paving that complements your house, to correct building materials and methods, and select plants that create the atmosphere you want and will thrive in your specific conditions. They will help you source your preferred garden lighting or garden furniture; they can suggest landscapers, and monitor work to ensure it comes up to the standard required. And your designer will source the best plants to help your garden establish as quickly as possible. Your outside space is an investment in the same way as your interior, and a designer can help you make the most of it by getting those major decisions right first time.