THE SECRETS TO A SUCCESSFUL DESIGN JOURNEY
PUSH THE BOUNDARIES Juliet Sargeant FSGD says it is all about taking risks and allowing yourself to be open to suggestions. ‘Let your garden designer take you on a journey that may nudge you out of your comfort zone – I always say, nothing is set in stone until it is set in stone!’
BRING THE INSPIRATION Ben Chandler takes a look at tastes when it comes to defining the right style for a client ‘We ask our clients what they enjoy about gardens, whether they have favourite ones and if they have favourite plants. We gather information from the style of the house and interiors. If the client is already working with an architect or interior designer, the proposed works gives us a good steer as to what they may or may not like.’
THINK LONG-TERM Andrew Duff likes to think of the future as much as the present. ‘Having visited clients for over 25 years you have a good idea of what the client needs as well as what they want. You need to see through the aesthetic requirements and check if the function is correct. Again, flexibility is important, how long will you live in the house and are there any changes in the near future?’
“ALLOW YOUR DESIGNER AUTONOMY TO CARRY OUT THEIR JOB. BE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUILD THE ENTIRE PROJECT, OR DON’T
START UNTIL YOU DO”
LOUISA BELL, The Lovely Garden
RELATIONSHIP IS KEY For Louisa Bell of The Lovely Garden the most important thing is to like and trust your designer. ‘I like to look around my client’s house and get to know them. In a first meeting I ask how couples met, what books and films they’re interested in. I like to know the type of people they are as it helps with the overall design.’