In the third of our series of blogs exploring the garden design process, we will look at the landscape and build elements of a project by asking the question, what does a landscape designer do? We’ve already explored How to choose a landscape gardener in our first blog, and looked at What does a garden designer do in our second blog. In this blog, we look at what a landscape designer does and how they can transform your garden.
When talking about garden design and landscaping, it’s important to understand the different roles involved. What does a landscape designer do that is different to what a garden designer, a landscaper gardener or a landscaper does?
Gardens by Keltie & Clark is a landscape design company. That means we offer services in both garden design and landscaping and have teams in-house to do this. The advantage of using a landscape design company with in-house garden design and landscaping teams means there is coherence all the way through a project, from the earliest design stage to the final construction and build.
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land. It combines different elements of horticulture and construction to transform a garden or outdoor space.
Landscaping is often talked about in terms of ‘hard landscaping’ which is the backbone to a garden – and ‘soft landscaping’ – the ‘dressing’ that adds softness and a sense of emotion, such as planting design and trees. Here’s a more in depth look:
This generally refers to the ‘build’ element of garden design. Laying a patio, installing an outdoor kitchen, designing a swimming pool, constructing a small out-building and creating ponds or bespoke sculptures could all be considered hard landscaping. These are features that a landscaper might construct to help you enjoy your outdoor space.
This involves transforming an outdoor space using natural elements such as planting and trees. You might employ a garden designer to create a planting plan for your garden, or a landscape designer who can design and implement your soft landscaping.
A good landscape designer has the skills and experience to envision how your garden could be and help you realise its potential. As Sam Clark, landscape designer at Gardens by Keltie & Clark, says: “a lot of time people see their garden for how it is, not what it could be. We challenge people’s perception of what a garden can be.”
One of Sam’s skills is in visualising a garden and understanding how it could work better for a client, in terms of both hard landscaping and soft landscaping. For all projects, Sam and his 10-strong team of garden landscapers in the Cotswolds work closely with the garden designers at Gardens by Keltie & Clark. There is a huge amount of collaboration between the teams which is essential as briefs can often change part way through a project. Working together means skills can be shared and the best solutions can be worked out, while staying true to the original design concept.
When looking at landscape design costs it is important to think long-term and look at the bigger picture. At Gardens by Keltie & Clark, we have a team of in-house team landscapers who work alongside our garden designers. This means there is a sense of cohesion throughout a project and a pooling of skills, expertise and resources that could save money and time in the long-run.
If you employ a builder to take care of the build side of your garden project, you will need to check that they have the right experience for garden construction. If not, there is a danger that the design concept could get overlooked and this lack of skill and knowledge could cost you. As Sam says: “Builders tend to build straight upwards – they don’t usually need to consider elements such as planting design, outdoor electrics and making sure the groundworks are laid in for garden features at a later stage.”
Choosing a landscape design company that integrates garden design with landscaping services should ensure a smoother, swifter and therefore more cost-efficient end result.
At Gardens by Keltie & Clark, our team of garden designers and landscapers in the Cotswolds can help you realise the garden you could have. The garden you have dreamed of but never thought was possible. To start your garden transformation, contact us to arrange a complimentary site visit.
