Garden Design and Consultancy
Building a new garden is a rather complex process involving significant investment of time and money and a wide range of elements and possibilities.
Differences in the way these elements are laid out, and the materials and construction methods used, can make major differences to the cost, quality and usability of the final result. For anything but the simplest works a garden design and construction plan of some kind is essential for the following reasons:
- Good design will mean your garden will look better
- Good design will mean that your garden will be more functional and practical
- Good design will save you money
- Having a garden design will give you flexibility and control in the construction of the garden
- Design plans provide clarity so that all parties are aware of exactly what works are being undertaken
Van Leeuwen Green offers a range of garden design options in Melbourne that cover the full range of budgets, gardens and design goals. By breaking down the process into various design types, we are able to offer you a service that is more tailored to your needs and therefore represents better value for money. From landscape construction to edible garden design in Melbourne we can help.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
Initial consultation
Whichever design option you may ultimately choose, the process begins with an initial consultation.
The purpose of this visit is to:
- Help you identify opportunities for improving and transforming your garden
- Discuss your wishes and ideas
- Allow us to examine the site
- Provide you with some rough estimates of the potential cost of various landscape elements you wish to include. This helps you decide what possibilities can realistically be achieved
- Clarify which of our design services are best suited to your needs
- Provide you with a written quote for the design option/s of your choice
Final design plan
In some cases, we can go straight to a final design plan. This plan shows the exact layout of all elements and the materials used. For example, the exact location of every plant will be shown, and its name listed. Such a drawing can be used by us (or by a different contractor) to provide an accurate quote.
Concept plan
However, because of the complexity of many design situations, it is often advisable to break the process into two steps. Thus, before the final design plan is produced, a concept plan is drawn-up. Concept plans are a ‘first draft’. They are a preliminary version of the design with a focus on getting the layout right, and allow you to further discuss and refine the design before completion.
Cost
Design costs vary depending on many factors such as the overall size of the landscape, the number of discrete garden areas (such as front and rear gardens, courtyards) and the complexity of the elements involved. Obviously a design process involving two steps (concept and final plan) will cost more than a one-step plan (final plan only).
GARDEN DESIGN ADVICE
Our consultancy service is suitable for one-off garden issues such as tree selection, and for clients who wish to fine-tune the design of their own garden or install the garden themselves but who need a degree of guidance. Beyond the consultant’s ideas, we can also provide plant sale services to our clients in Melbourne in order to save their time and trouble in finding a particular plant. By using this service you can save money by undertaking your own gardening work, safe in the knowledge that the right choices have been made from the start. Consultancy involves site visits to provide ideas or solve garden problems such as general garden layout (including hard landscape elements such as paving), plant selection, and existing garden problems. Advice can be provided ‘on the spot’ or as a written report. Whether you're looking for garden design in Malvern or Surrey Hill we can help.