Clarity, direction and practical priorities for your garden.
01. Consultancy & Design
I offer ecological garden consultancy and design for people who want their gardens to be more beautiful, productive, biodiverse and coherent.
Whether you need a fresh perspective on the garden as a whole, a plan for one particular area or a more detailed design, the process begins by understanding the place: its soil, planting, wildlife, character and the ways you want to use it.
In-person consultancy is available locally, with selected services also available remotely.
Choose the scale of help your garden needs
Ways to begin
Sometimes the most useful starting point is a clearer understanding of what is already happening. In other cases, a particular part of the garden needs a practical plan, or the garden as a whole needs a longer-term direction.
You do not need to choose the correct service before getting in touch. A complimentary introductory visit—or an equivalent remote conversation—allows us to discuss the garden, establish whether I can help and agree the most appropriate scope.
This initial conversation is a way to understand the project and decide what should happen next. Detailed assessment, recommendations and design work form part of the agreed paid service.
Consultancy options
Prices from
£225 remote
£350 in person
A clear starting point
01
Living Garden Assessment
The Living Garden Assessment is for gardens that need a fresh, informed perspective.
You may be unsure what to prioritise, concerned that something is not working, or considering changes without yet knowing what form they should take. I look at how the garden is functioning as a whole, discuss what you want from it and identify its most important strengths, pressures and opportunities.
The purpose is not to produce a complete design. It is to give you clarity about what matters most and a practical basis for deciding what to do next.
The assessment includes
an in-person garden visit or remote consultation;
consideration of soil, planting, wildlife, use and existing character;
discussion of your aims, concerns and practical constraints;
identification of the most important opportunities and priorities;
a concise written summary with recommended next steps.
The assessment may provide all the direction you need, or it may identify an area that would benefit from a Focused Garden Plan or more detailed design.
A practical plan for a defined part of the garden
02
Focused Garden Plans
Prices from
£550 remote
£650 in person
Focused Garden Plans address a particular area, question or objective without requiring a complete redesign of the garden.
Each plan begins with an assessment of the relevant conditions and develops recommendations specific to your garden. The result is a clear written plan that explains the intended direction, priorities and practical next steps.
Plans currently available
Habitat & Biodiversity Plan: strengthening habitats and creating better connections for wildlife;
Kitchen Garden & Growing-Year Plan: organising productive space, crops and seasonal growing;
Orchard Establishment or Restoration Plan: planning a new orchard or giving an existing one a clearer future;
Ecological Planting Plan: developing planting that is beautiful, resilient and rich in life.
Depending on the subject, a plan may include photographs, visual references, broad planting recommendations or a phased sequence of work.
Focused Garden Plans do not automatically include measured layouts, complete planting schedules or technical drawings. Where that level of detail is needed, it can be included through a separately scoped bespoke design.
Selected Focused Garden Plans can be delivered remotely where suitable photographs, measurements and other information provide a reliable understanding of the site.
Whole-Garden Development Plan
03
A coherent direction for the garden as a whole
Prices from
£1000 remote
£1250 in person
The Whole-Garden Development Plan is for gardens that need an overall vision and a realistic route towards it.
It considers how the different parts of the garden relate to one another: planting, productive areas, habitats, movement, views, practical use and the wider character of the place. The result is a strategic plan establishing what should be retained, what could change and how the garden can develop in manageable stages.
The plan may include
an assessment of the garden’s existing character and condition;
a clear overall direction;
broad spatial recommendations;
priorities for different areas;
a phased sequence of development;
identification of elements requiring further detailed design.
This is more comprehensive than a Focused Garden Plan, but it does not necessarily specify every plant, material or construction detail. Its purpose is to create coherence and prevent individual projects from being undertaken without understanding how they contribute to the garden as a whole.
Detailed & Bespoke Design
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Greater detail for projects that need it
Individually quoted, normal commissions from £750
Some gardens or projects require more precise design work than the named plans provide.
Detailed & Bespoke Design is individually scoped around the site, the decisions that need to be made and the level of information required for implementation. It might develop one element identified through an assessment or Whole-Garden Development Plan, or address a clearly defined design project from the beginning.
Bespoke work may include
measured or scaled layouts;
detailed planting plans;
plant schedules;
visual references and material direction;
alternative design options where appropriate;
phased implementation guidance;
coordination with suitable contractors or specialists;
follow-up advice or design adjustments.
The deliverables, number of revisions, implementation support and exclusions are agreed before work begins, so the scope and cost are clear.
From first conversation to implementation.
The process
01.
Tell me about your garden
Send some basic information about the garden, where it is and what you would like help understanding, changing or creating.
02.
Introductory conversation
For local projects, this will normally be a complimentary 30–60 minute garden visit. Remote enquiries begin with a brief conversation and an initial review of the available information.
03.
Agree the scope
I confirm the recommended service, what information is required, what you will receive, the timescale and the fee. More complex work receives an individual proposal.
04.
Assessment and design
You provide the agreed questionnaire, photographs, measurements or plans, and I carry out the consultation or site visit. I then complete the analysis and produce the agreed written plan or design.
05.
Decide the next steps
You may implement the recommendations yourself, ask Wessex Living Gardens to undertake selected practical work, or engage suitable contractors and specialists.
Next steps
Begin with a conversation
Tell me about your garden, where you are and what you would like help understanding or changing. You do not need to know which service you require before getting in touch.