How I Work

I offer a full landscape and garden design service within the wider Wellington Area.

Garden Design Planning

  1. Initial Meeting
    An initial meeting (approx. 1hr) is set up to discuss your requirements and aspirations for your property. This meeting identifies those issues that you want addressed, how you want your particular style expressed in your garden, and budget and fee arrangements.
  2. Fee Proposal
    A fee proposal is forwarded to you within 3–4 working days following our initial meeting. This will summarise our initial discussion and outline my services and associated fees. You will be asked to confirm in writing if you wish me to proceed.
  3. Site Survey
    A site survey is undertaken to analyse and survey the existing garden. This involves: the taking of site measurements, levels (as required) and photos. If the property is large or the site complex a surveyor may be required.
  4. Presentation Meeting
    A presentation meeting within 2-3 weeks of our initial contact will allow me to present my introductory design ideas through the use of an initial concept design, sketches, photographs and other visual aids. Over several meetings these tools will allow us to discuss and refine the design until you are happy.
  5. Finished Plan
    A laminated and coloured plan will be produced and presented to you along with planting notes.

Garden Design Services

The professional services I offer include:

  • Complete garden design service
  • Perspective sketches
  • Planting Plans
  • Sourcing and buying of plants
  • Project management
  • Council liaison and consent applications
  • Lighting and irrigation systems
  • Makeovers for property selling
 

What’s Next?

Depending on the work required, further plans such as building plans, planting plans and planting schedules and scope of works can be provided along with tendering and management of the project.

I can act as liaison between yourselves and council if resource, earthwork and building consents are required.

Garden Plan

A garden that is formalised on paper gives focus to the implementation of a design and ensures that a cohesive style is maintained.

The garden plan illustrates the layout of your new garden, and how the components fit together:

  • garden beds and the position of trees
  • new structures, such decks and sheds
  • paving areas, such as courtyards and paths
  • lighting placement
  • focal points and the associated view lines

Accompanying notes on the plan will give an expanded explanation of the ideas expressed visually.

Benefits of a Plan

A plan tests out ideas, and ensures:

  • features suit their proposed positions in the garden
  • purchase of plants that are suited for the environment
  • compliance with council rules
  • that pitfalls are flagged and remedied during the planning process

A garden usually evolves and improves over time, so a plan also provides a framework that can be referred to in the future.

Garden plan example (detail)  This concept plan describes the layout of a suburban garden including the drawing and description of key features along with the scale, titles and notes.

Sample garden plan
 

To arrange a consultation (and view more examples of my work), please contact Shelley Groves.