From Concept to Construction: How I Design Gardens Across Bury St Edmunds and Beyond

Transforming a garden is a deeply personal experience. It’s about creating a space that reflects your lifestyle, your tastes, and the way you want to live outdoors. From the first conversation to the final plant in the ground, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Here’s what you can expect when you begin your journey with us.

1. Discovery Call

Every great garden begins with a conversation.
Your outdoor space should be a true expression of you, so we start by getting to know your needs, dreams and priorities. During a complimentary video or phone call, we’ll chat through the level of investment you’d like to make, explore any ideas you already have, and answer your questions about the process.

There’s no pressure to commit—you’re free to take your time and decide if we’re the right fit. We simply aim to inspire possibilities and help you take the first step with confidence.

2. Garden Survey

Once you’re ready to move forward, we’ll organise a full site survey. This is essential for making sure your finished garden works beautifully in every sense—visually, practically and structurally.

Our surveyors create a detailed, scaled drawing of the existing space: boundaries, drainage, buildings, paving, planting and more. A topographical survey also maps changes in height and shape, giving us a clear foundation for thoughtful, efficient design.

This stage ensures we truly understand your space before we begin creating.

3. Creative Consultation

Now the fun begins.
We meet face-to-face to dive into your ideas, style and aspirations for your garden. What inspires you? How do you want the space to feel? Are there any challenges or must-haves we need to consider?

Your personality plays a huge role in shaping the design, and this conversation allows us to translate your thoughts into a real-world plan. From here, we craft an outline design—usually including a curated mood board, preliminary line drawings and 3D CAD visuals—so you can start to see your future garden come to life.

4. Presentation Plan

With your concepts refined, we prepare a detailed presentation plan to guide the contractor who will install your garden.

This 2D map scales your final design and specifies proposed materials, features and equipment—ensuring clarity, cohesion and accuracy during the build. It’s our way of helping everyone work together seamlessly.

5. Lighting Plan

Thoughtful lighting extends the beauty and usability of your garden well beyond daylight hours. Whether you dream of a warm glow for evening dining or dramatic accents among planting, we design a bespoke lighting scheme tailored to your lifestyle.

Even on darker winter days, lighting adds atmosphere and invites you to enjoy the garden from indoors. Beautiful illumination doesn’t have to be costly; it simply needs to be well-considered.

6. Construction Detail

No two gardens are alike, and the finer details matter.
We create technical drawings and construction details designed specifically for your garden’s needs—whether that means working around period features, integrating bespoke structures or achieving precise aesthetic finishes.

These documents help your contractor build with confidence, ensuring the original vision is realised accurately and beautifully.

7. Planting Plan

A garden should evolve throughout the seasons, offering moments of beauty all year round. Our planting plans are thoughtfully developed to ensure that shrubs, trees, perennials and bulbs thrive in harmony—providing colour, texture and interest from January to December.

We draw inspiration from seasonal transitions, so you can enjoy your garden as it changes, matures and continues to surprise you.

8. Contract Tender

We believe in working only with trusted professionals who can deliver the quality your garden deserves. To streamline the process, we prepare a complete tender package—allowing contractors to price accurately and transparently.

We’ll also recommend suppliers and builders we know and respect, helping you feel confident as your project moves into the construction phase.

Ready to Grow Something Beautiful?

Designing a garden is an exciting journey—one that blends creativity, expertise and collaboration. When you work with us, you’re not just investing in a design; you’re investing in a living space that will bring joy for years to come.

If you’d like to explore what’s possible for your garden, we’d love to hear from you.