"Our garden is constantly evolving; unlike architecture which is static, the landscape is always changing around us with a range of things coming into play, not least the fact that the garden is developing and the micro-climate altering accordingly. In many ways, time is the significant dynamic feature of the garden."
Karina Harris
Residential Design Services
Getting Started
We offer two options to start the design process:
Office Meeting
Please contact us to arrange a time to meet in the office - there is no charge for the first meeting. During the meeting we will take you through projects similar to your project. Please bring a copy of your site/house plans, + and images/information about the style or form of your proposed garden.
Initial Site Visit
Alternatively, we can meet you on site in the first instance. At this meeting, (usually 1 - 1.5 hours) we walk with you around the garden, establishing a scope of work, and can offer specific advice on:
- plant removal or retention,
- whether any authority approvals may be required,
- testing your ideas, or suggesting alternatives,
- identifying potential staging of works
Our fees for the initial site visit are $275.00 incl. GST, payable at the time of visit.
Fee Proposal
Following our site visit, we will prepare a fee proposal (the brief) for your project. This will split the design into two stages (preliminary sketch + final landscape plan), with a subsequent construction period service if required.
What we require from you
We will require scaled copies of your site + house plans. If your site is particularly complex (complex levels, drainage, structures, existing planting, works requiring Development Approval) a detailed survey may be required. We can advise if this is recommended upon the initial site visit.
Once we have the detail survey / site plan, we will visit your site to 'measure up' the garden, noting views, specific vegetation, and features to retain.
Design Stage
Preliminary Sketch Plan
Following the second site visit, we will prepare a 'pencil' or preliminary sketch of the proposed design. The preliminary sketch will show specific elements noted in the brief, which could include: new surface treatments, new paved areas, retaining walls, water features, new ground levels, and preliminary plant selection.
We will present the sketch design to you in a meeting in our office, and after you are welcome to take a copy home to review (you can take as long as you need to respond to the sketch plan design).
Landscape Plan
Following your approval of the Preliminary Sketch Plan, we can prepare the Contract Documentation (Landscape Plan) for the garden. This would comprise of details required for construction, planting plan, schedule, and specification notes for construction, lighting + irrigation. We will also prepare a cost forecast for construction.
Construction + Fees
Contract Administration
After approval of the Contract Documents, we can arrange for tenderers to submit prices for the work, and inspect the work (Superintendent) as required during construction to ensure the works are carried out in accordance with the drawings.
Our fees for this stage are charged at hourly rates.
Agreement
We will post the proposed scope of works and fee document, with two copies of an agreement. If you wish to proceed with all (or part) of the service, please sign and return one copy of the agreement to us.
Typical Fees
Fees vary according to the complexity of the site and brief, and the scale of the works proposed.