Welcome to our FAQ section. This is where we hopefully answer all the common queries our customers or future customers may have. Contact us if you have further queries or if you wish to book a consultation just book here.
I have a new garden – how do I start designing it?
The first thing we would suggest is to understand the basics – what is the aspect – where does the sun rise and set? A north facing garden for example requires different treatment than a south facing garden. We’d also advise looking at your soil & understanding if it is rich, poor, sticky, stoney or sandy. Your soil type will dictate a lot as to what you can grow in the garden. We would also recommend that you think about use – how will you use the garden? Do you have kids, a dog? Will you spend time maintaining it?
I’m not sure about what I like in terms of design, so how do I plan a garden?
Everybody starts at the beginning, nobody is born a great garden designer. We would encourage you to read up as much as you can on garden design, amazon is a great place to start as there are tons of books on garden design. Visit established gardens and see how they plant areas and also see plants that you like. We’re big fans of the gardening press and think Gardens Illustrated magazine is great plus there are loads of blogs & resources online.
How much is a consultation?
Our consultations are free with no obligation and no pressure. We visit your garden and see what we could propose. At this stage we can offer ideas and approximate prices depending on your budget.
How long does a consultation take?
Usually 1 hour maximum. We are flexible about visit times so we can work with your schedule.
Does getting a garden designer not entail huge expense, surely I can do it myself?
Most people can do their garden themselves but many people need help in getting the bigger work done. In addition, in our experience spending on design at the beginning results in a good structure to start with rather than ‘retro-fitting’ afterwards. That said we’re big fans of breaking a project into phases as this allows areas to develop. Most of our clients return to us time and time again to continue to develop their garden. Remember we have huge experience in using plants & shrubs in other gardens and we bring this experience to every project we work on.
How much is a re-‐design?
It really depends on the site, the work involved and the plants required. We work on projects from €2,000 up to €150,000. Generally speaking most of our projects are priced up with a tightly defined list of features but we offer the option to vary the cost a little by adding or removing features or indeed doing it in phases. Remember a consultation and estimate is free.
I’m not a keen gardener so I’d like something with minimal maintenance, does this mean I’m going to have a really dull garden?
No! Not at all. You can still have an interesting garden even if your idea of gardening is lying on a deckchair reading a book! Our clients tell us what they want in terms of maintenance and we work around that. We pick plants and shrubs that are low maintenance, interesting throughout the year and that look good.
What about seasonal interest, I’ve seen so many gardens that look good just in the summer, how do you resolve this?
We can plan for whatever season you want to – all four if you need. Generally we look on the garden as a series of ‘acts’ in a play! – when one season is over we have the next ‘act’ ready to come on stage. Forward planning is key here. We can also come and liven up your garden for a particular season – if you want a blaze of tulips in April, rich summer borders or deep winter scented shrubs we can do this.
I’ve just moved in and there is an old garden – do I throw everything out and start from scratch?
No. We always say to look at the garden carefully, identify the plants in it and then work out what contributes least and remove this. Often we see trees removed when they would have been a key focal point. Go easy! You can take it out but it’s not easy to put it back!
I have kids & dogs – is my garden destined to be wrecked for ever?
No. But it does require careful planning and breaking the space up properly so that the peaceful areas are unattractive for dogs & kids! Talk to us – this is a common question!