Why you shouldn’t use a Garden Designer

Did you know?

Not everyone should use a garden designer.

You’re probably thinking it strange reading that statement on a Garden Designers Website.

Let’s dig a little deeper into that statement.

For example: – If you have a large estate with vast gardens, and wish for it all to be developed and managed. Then you should be looking for a landscape architect to develop much of that land. And then a landscape or estate manager to keep it going. A garden designer would be appropriate for certain areas – formal gardens near the house for example. Of course with all of those professionals floating around, you may also need someone to manage them; a landscape or garden consultant, with enough expertise to have authority.

But if you don’t have a large estate why shouldn’t you use a garden designer? Let’s consider a few other reasons…....

1. Are you prepared to work with the garden designer to create a garden that suits you? I can design different gardens for you, all of them wonderful, of course – but without input from you, will they work for you in the long term? A successful garden design depends on collaboration and if you’re not prepared for this, then you shouldn’t use a garden designer. Or accept that the garden may well not turn out as you had hoped.

2. Good garden designers are experts in their field. Now whilst collaboration is essential, if they’re advising you, it pays to listen to their advice. If you decide not to follow that advice, that’s fine; it’s your garden, after all. But make sure you’ve listened.

3. Do you care about your garden? Are you bothered if it looks nice / is wildlife friendly / is a welcoming space? Some people are not interested in their garden. If that’s you, I would ask why you would use a garden designer for a full garden design. You could just have a wildflower meadow and a patio, a partial garden design, something else I could assist you with.

4. You think garden designers just plant a few trees and flowers. So you talk to a couple after you’ve let some non-gardening landscapers lay a patio, build some narrow raised beds and put up a shed. Without any thought to how these elements of the garden link to each other and the house or if they’re in the right place for your needs. Landscapers are not designers, although some think they are, and that they can do it. A rough hand-drawn scribble on a piece of scrap paper isn’t a design.

5. Oh and definitely don’t use a garden designer if you don’t appreciate that they cannot create a £40,000 garden on a £10,000 budget. Magician is not in the job description.

6. Whilst we’re talking about money, you shouldn’t use a garden designer if you’re not prepared to pay them. The number of times I hear “Could you just pop round and we can chat about my garden, and you can give me some ideas, and do a quick sketch…nothing fancy” Would you go to work without being paid?

So if these are reasons why you shouldn’t use a garden designer, what would be some reasons for using one? I’ll keep you posted in my next blog.

A good garden designer can save you money by aiming to keep within your budget.

Consider the scope of the project – for your garden re-design, use a garden designer, use A New View Garden Design.