Garden Design
Why Use A Garden Designer
Many people feel that spending money on employing a professional designer is a waste, thinking it can't be that difficult to do the job themselves. But what makes a good garden into a gorgeous garden is knowing how to put all the elements together in a way that is both functional and pleasing to the eye.
With materials, labour and planting the budget for basic landscaping of even a small garden can easily reach £10,000. If the layout and implementation of elements within the garden are not thought through correctly, this could be £10,000 badly spent. A few hundred pounds spent on a professional design would ensure value for money. Very often owners have ideas on what they would like to see in their garden for example a patio, lawn and play area for the children, but knowing the right size, shape, location and materials to use takes expert knowledge and experience.
A designer will take the time to talk through the exact requirements of the client, also including those elements the client does not want. It is often at this point, when more than one owner is involved,that it becomes clear each person has different ideas that they haven't actually discussed with each other. The introduction of a designer into the equation focuses thoughts and ideas and each can be looked at on their own merits.
Designers often have a portfolio of their own work and/or magazine clippings that illustrate different styles, hard landscaping materials and planting combinations and can be used to introduce new concepts which owners have not realised were possible. The notes taken during these discussions will provide the basis for the design and the designer will be able to produce a sketch plan and/or illustrations to show the client how everything will fit into their plot. This enables any changes to be made on paper at an early stage rather than during construction which could prove to be very costly.
Some people, rather unfairly in many cases, expect a landscaper to give what amounts to design advice. It is true there are some landscapers who have a good eye for design (and may even be trained as a designer as well as a landscaper) but this is not often the case. A garden designer has been trained to think about the garden as a whole from the large-scale elements such as a patios and paths down to using the lines in paving to make the garden look wider.
Not many of us could tackle major work within the house without the help of professionals such as electricians and plumbers. The garden is no different. Most people need a professional landscaper to make the changes but to ensure those changes are both good for the wallet and great on the eye and professional designer is an absolute necessity.
