The Design Process
Consultation
The design of your garden begins with an on-site meeting with Phillip, an initial consultation, generally lasting 60 to 90 minutes. This provides the opportunity to meet you and become familiar with the many aspects of your garden space. We will chat about your ideas and desires & how you would like to use and interact with your garden. We will look over the garden & touch on its treasures (often hidden & in slumber) and limitations…..There may be a mature tree which which could lend your garden a sense of soul & stability….. there may be a backdrop or overbearing feature whose impact needs reducing. The primary aim of this initial meeting is for Phillip to tune into your space and get a feel for your garden’s potential. An extensive photographic design folio is made available to peruse and show example of potentials. Having become familiar with your garden and your wishes, Phillip will quote a design fee for the preparation of a detailed landscape plan. On acceptance of this fee, measurements & photographs will be taken and other relevant particulars will be noted. It helps to have a scaled plan of your property available. In some cases surveying may be necessary.
Concept Plans
At the next meeting, two Concept Plans will be presented to you. These plans are fully scaled & give you the backbone and rhythms of your garden with most aspects set clearly in place. For example, built items such as paving, fountains, sculptures, pools, decks, pavilions, walls & planters will be shown in correct positions.
Plant species will also be clearly situated. Essentially, this is your garden’s blueprint. You are given various options within the concepts. Given the choice of options, you become involved in the design process….. after all it is your garden. You may prefer the details of one concept, or incorporate elements from both.
Final Detail Plan
The next stage is the preparation of the final Landscape Layout Plan (based on the concept plans). This plan is fully scaled, showing the layout & styling of built elements where appropriate. A detailed plant schedule shows positions, size and quantities of all plants.
This hand drawn and water coloured work of art is presented at the final design meeting, along with a number of black & white working copies. From here construction quotations can be prepared, and the garden can start its metamorphosis into a new life.
From the most challenging of briefs can emerge the most magical of gardens... the beauty is in the detail.
- Phillip O'Malley -
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