Design Process

The journey that takes your garden from it’s existing state to design plans for your future garden.

0 discovery stroll

Before we dive into the details, I like to start with a complimentary 45-minute walk through your garden. This informal, low-pressure conversation is designed for us to get to know one another, explore your vision and aspirations for the space, and get a sense of the project’s scale. It’s a perfect way to see how I work and determine if we’re the right match to bring your garden’s potential to life.

1 Site Meeting

Two women sitting at a gray table, reviewing and discussing documents. One is writing in a notebook, the other is holding papers.

To gather information & talk about your requirements for the garden. I might have sent you a questionnaire in advance which we will discuss and there is also an opportunity to look at photos that you have chosen for inspiration or other ideas that you would like to include in the garden. At this first visit I will also take rough measurements of your garden to get an idea of the size in square metre.

A landscape design planning document from Resilient Roots, featuring sections on family facts, client wishes, landscape preferences, and contact information, with a subtle plant graphic in the background.

2 Proposal/ Contract

A document detailing a fee proposal for landscape design, outlining Stage A Full Sketch Plan including site analysis and preliminary design, and Stage B Planting details and schedule, with meetings scheduled.

Back at my desk I will write up a proposal will include a quote for the design, showing at which stages of the project fees are due, additional charges as well as an invoice for the Initial Site Meeting. You will receive this together with my Terms of Engagement to be signed by you and myself before any design work begins.

3 Site Survey

Landscape survey plan showing various areas like gravel drive, concrete paving with gravel edging, wooden arch, conservatory, crazy paving with concrete, planting bed, shed, septic, and lawn areas with labels and measurements.

Once I’ve received your confirmation & signed papers I will start the design process. I will begin with spending 2-3h on site, taking note of existing structures and plants and survey the garden. This will feed into the written up Site Survey showing all existing structures, trees, etc. to scale which serves as a starting point for the design.

4 Site Analysis

Landscape site analysis with annotations for features such as a morning sun breakfast sitting area, front door access, upgraded fence, conservatory, create interest zones, sunbathing spot, garden pathway, and seating area.

A written outline of the elements and requirements the design solution should incorporate. It is a summary of the Site Analysis in combination with information given by the client about their wishes and needs for the garden.

5 Design Program

A detailed update on a garden design program with plans for entry walk, lawn area, large patio, vegetable garden, boundary screens, and septic tank.

Using an existing plan of the site or one drawn up after taking measurements at the Site Survey stage, this is an evaluation and analysis of the existing site conditions to determine problem areas and make suggestions of needed changes. The Site Analysis will also pick up issues & needed changes you have pointed out in the Site Meeting. 

This could look something like: "fence in need of repair", "take advantage of view/ tree" or "steps required here" written on a plan drawing of the existing site.

6 Functional Diagram

Hand-drawn functional diagram for garden layout with designated areas for vegetables, flowers, beds, pathways, and a pond, with labels for different sections and plant types.

Hand-drawn bubbles and symbols are used to conceptually work out the configuration of the major spaces and elements as well as their size, proportion and location. These spaces and elements could be dinning area, lawn, borders, greenhouse etc.

7 Preliminary Design

Landscape design plan featuring an entrance, breakfast area, hall, conservatory, planting areas, steps, dining area with outdoor kitchen and pizza oven, paved patio, wooden pergola, retaining wall, and a meadow.

A general site plan drawn to scale showing the proposed size and shapes of garden spaces. It is the first plan of the proposed the design that is presented to you for review and discussion.

perspective Scenes

Sketch of backyard patio with a wooden pergola, outdoor pizza oven, table with chairs, surrounded by lush purple and green plants.
Sketch of an outdoor patio with a brick pizza oven and a built-in grill under a wooden pergola surrounded by purple flowers and green bushes.
Top-down view of a landscaped backyard with a patio area, outdoor furniture, a barbecue grill, lush green trees, flowering plants, and a grassy lawn.

3D Perspectives of your garden to show parts of your garden as a perspective to illustrate the Preliminary Design drawn in 2D. This is often very useful if there are multiple options, for example different routes through the front garden, as it will show very effectively what each option would look like. Perspectives are a first glimpse into what your garden could be.

Section drawings (if applicable)

Section Drawing of a backyard landscape with a brick outdoor oven, seating area under a wooden pergola, garden beds with various plants, trees, and a firepit in the background.
Illustration of a backyard garden with a brick oven, outdoor dining area, trees, bushes, and colorful flowers, enclosed by a wooden fence.

Section drawings can be very useful in demonstrating level changes, existing or proposed on a sloping site. 

8 Meeting

Black and white photo showing people in a meeting

At this stage we will sit down together and have an in-depth discussion about the proposed design. I often find it helpful to walk around the garden as well, pointing out how the plan would translate into the real space. Marking out areas shown on the plan, i.e. borders or patio with bamboo canes whilst out in the garden can help make decisions about the proposed design. 

9 Adjustments/Changes

A white desk with a white pot filled with green grass and assorted pens and pencils, a yellow mug, and an Apple computer monitor.

Based on our discussions in the meeting I will make changes to the Preliminary Design until we arrive at a design you are happy with.

Moodboard

Images of outdoor home landscaping and garden design, including metal wire fencing, horizontal wooden fence panels, a patio with stone tiles, and a brick retaining wall with plants.

Once the Concept Plan has been agreed on and finalised I will start on working out the details. I like to start the process by creating Moodboards on Pinterest where I will select and assemble pictures of Materials, Structures and Planting/Plants that put together will result in the style of your garden, i.e. country garden, modern, naturalistic etc. There Moodboards will be accessible to you and you can also add your ideas if you like.

We will use these Moodboards as a starting point from which we work out what elements to go for. After narrowing down and deciding on a style or particular materials I will draw up the Masterplan & Detail Plans (if required) that show specification of Materials and Structures and do more in-depth research into suitable planting for your garden, resulting in the Planting Plans.

10 Masterplan

Landscape design plan showing a conservatory, outdoor kitchen area with reclaimed brick walls, wooden pergola, grey porcelain pavers, steps of natural stone paving, landscaped garden with trees, shrubs, and a pathway along the boundary.

A more detailed version of the preliminary design showing materials, structural plants and hard surfaces in more detail. It shows the final, proposed design and usually comes with Detail Plans showing Dimensions information about Planting and Hard Landscaping.

Detail Plans - Planting Plan

Planting Plan with labeled entrance, hall, conservatory, parking lot, and surrounding landscaped garden areas with trees and seating.

Showing the positioning of the plants which are labelled to easily identify the name as well as a Plant List, showing quantities, plant sizes and flowering time/season of interest. 

Click below for more information about this particular part of the Design Process.
Planting Design
Planting Design
Collage of various flowers and plants, including yellow, purple, pink, and blue flowers, with some close-up and some in garden settings.

Detail Plans - Dimensions

Architectural blueprint showing measurements and layout for a building project, including sections of walls, doorways, and other structural elements with detailed dimensions in meters.

Dimensions are added to a simplified version of the Masterplan showing clearly the length, width, centre points etc. needed to set out the plans.

Detail Plans - Hard landscaping

Sketch of a balcony railing with specifications, showing a stainless steel wire attachment to existing posts for climbing plants, 30cm in length.
A sketch of a balcony with a view of city buildings and trees. Features include an open riser balcony with closed stringers, a stainless steel handrail, and information about balcony steps.

Plans that show specification of Materials and Structures so the garden can be built with it’s features as intended.