Garden work Stratford-upon-Avon
Garden design theory - Ringrose and England

Philosophy

There are many reasons that may spur you to employ a Garden Designer to help develop your garden. Our aim is to provide a friendly but professional service which listens fully to your ideas and preferences while steering you along a practical but creative path to achieving your garden dream.

A well designed garden should unify all existing and new elements in order to reflect the ‘genus loci’ and the owner’s individuality. It will be a unique and personal space with a history and a future, but above all to be lived in and enjoyed now.

Our Services

Consultation

Using colour in garden design We offer a Consultation service which may be just to provide advice on a specific problem. We can follow this up with an optional Report outlining our discussions and recommendations.

Often however, it becomes apparent that a Design or Planting Plan is required and we will brief you accordingly during the Consultation. Consultations are generally charged at an hourly rate of £30

Design

Planning a garden design Should a Design be recommended, having discussed your preferences and requirements fully, we will produce a written Brief and send this to you with a quotation for a Survey and the Design.

On acceptance of the quote we will carry out a comprehensive Survey of the site. This includes plotting existing features and taking levels.

We then begin the creative process. Depending on the complexity of the project we may provide the Design in one stage or provide concept ideas to discuss with you before concluding the design.

Planting

Placing plants for effect Planting Plans may be provided whether or not you have commissioned a Design. Individual plants are specified on the Planting Plan with full Latin names, sizes and positions.

Colours and shapes in the garden The Plan can be implemented by yourselves, an experienced contractor or alternatively we can provide and plant the plants for you.

However if we have been working on a Design, sometimes it may be appropriate for us to bypass the formal Planting Plan stage.

We can devise a plant list using plants that will evoke the atmosphere we are trying to create.

We can then arrange (and rearrange) the plants on site until the perfect effect is achieved. The outcome is often more pleasing than rigid adherence to a Planting Plan!

Implementation

Garden design -working with contractors We work closely with selected contractors and would be happy to put the job out to tender or recommend one suitable for your project. To ensure that the design is interpreted correctly, the contractor may require Construction Details.

For simple projects these may be included as notes on the design drawings while for more intricate projects some separate drawings may be required.
Using water in the garden Garden maintenance and management Once a contractor has been chosen, we offer a Project Management service whereby we monitor the work by making regular site visits and liaising between you and the contractor. This can ensure that the project runs smoothly and is completed to a high standard.
Some clients will of course wish to complete projects themselves or employ contractors of their own choice.

Garden Care

In the first years of a newly planted garden you may wish us to revisit to check that everything is developing as it should and to advise on maintenance requirements. We are always delighted to return to your garden to assess the results of our efforts and hopefully to learn in the process!