Questions to Ask a Garden Designer Before You Hire Them

Choosing a garden designer is about considerably more than finding somebody whose photographs you like.

For a substantial garden transformation, the designer may influence decisions about:

• Layout

• Levels

• Drainage

• Paving

• Walls

• Planting

• Trees

• Privacy

• Lighting

• Outdoor living

• Construction

• Budget.

Those decisions can affect tens of thousands of pounds of subsequent landscape work.

It therefore makes sense to ask the right questions before appointing a garden designer.

The objective is not to interrogate the designer.

It is to establish whether there is a good fit between:

your project + your expectations + your budget + their approach.

Kirman Design provides professional garden design and landscape construction throughout North West England, including Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and the Ribble Valley.

What Should I Ask a Garden Designer?

Some of the most useful questions include:

1. What type of gardens do you design?

2. Can I see examples of completed projects?

3. What is your garden design process?

4. What is included in your design fee?

5. What drawings will I receive?

6. How do you approach the landscaping budget?

7. Do you provide planting design?

8. Do you consider drainage and levels?

9. Can you design around an extension or new build?

10. Do you offer design only or design and build?

11. Who will actually build the garden?

12. How are changes handled?

13. What are your current lead times?

14. How long might the design process take?

15. What happens after the design is complete?

The answers can tell you considerably more than simply asking:

“How much do you charge?”

1. What Type of Gardens Do You Design?

Start by understanding the designer's area of work.

Some designers may specialise in:

• Small urban gardens

• Country gardens

• Contemporary gardens

• Planting design

• Large landscapes

• Family gardens.

Others work across a wider range of styles and property types.

The important question is whether their experience is appropriate for your particular project.

2. Can I See Examples of Completed Gardens?

Yes — and ideally look beyond one or two attractive photographs.

Ask to see a range of completed projects.

Look at:

• Overall layout

• Planting

• Material detailing

• Relationship with the house

• Variety between projects.

A portfolio should help you understand how the designer thinks.

3. Have You Designed Gardens Similar to Mine?

Similarity does not necessarily mean identical style.

A more useful comparison may involve similar:

• Scale

• Budget

• Site constraints

• Property type.

For example, if your garden is extremely steep, experience of level changes may be more relevant than finding a photograph of a garden with exactly the same paving.

Our Sloping Gardens page explores the complexity involved in designing with levels.

4. Do You Design Large Gardens?

If you have a substantial plot, ask about experience with larger landscapes.

Large gardens require more than simply scaling up a small garden.

They may involve:

• Masterplanning

• Garden rooms

• Long views

• Tree structure

• Large planting areas

• Phased construction.

Our Large Gardens page explores why larger properties need particularly strong structure.

5. Do You Work With My Type of Property?

The architecture should influence the landscape.

Ask about experience with properties such as:

• New builds

• Period houses

• Listed buildings

• Country houses

• Contemporary properties.

For older homes, our Garden Design for Period Properties page explores the relationship between architecture and landscape.

6. Have You Worked With Listed Buildings?

If your property is listed, this is an important question.

The designer should understand that:

• Planning

• Listed building consent

• Heritage considerations

may influence what can be done.

Our Garden Design for Listed Buildings page explores this in more detail.

7. What Is Your Garden Design Process?

Ask the designer to explain what happens from the first meeting through to the completed design.

A process might include:

• Consultation

• Survey

• Brief

• Concept design

• Revisions

• Detailed design

• Planting design

• Construction information.

The exact process varies.

What matters is that you understand what happens and when.

8. What Happens at the Initial Consultation?

Ask what the first meeting is intended to achieve.

Our What Happens at a Garden Design Consultation? page explains the type of discussion you can expect.

A good consultation should explore more than aesthetic preferences.

It should consider:

• Lifestyle

• Problems

• Site

• Budget

• Priorities.

9. What Should I Prepare Before the Consultation?

Ask whether the designer wants you to provide anything beforehand.

Our How to Prepare for a Garden Design Consultation page provides a practical checklist.

Useful preparation might include:

• Inspiration

• Existing plans

• Priorities

• Budget

• Known problems.

10. What Information Do You Need From Me?

Ask what information the designer requires to start work.

Our What Information Does a Garden Designer Need? page provides a comprehensive guide.

Depending on the project, useful information might include:

• House plans

• Extension drawings

• Surveys

• Drainage information

• Planning information.

11. Do You Need a Site Survey?

For substantial projects, accurate site information can be extremely important.

Ask:

• Who carries out the survey?

• Is it included?

• Is a topographical survey required?

• What information will it record?

A complex sloping garden may need considerably more survey information than a small flat plot.

12. What Garden Design Drawings Will I Receive?

This is one of the most important questions.

Ask exactly what the design package includes.

Depending on the project, drawings might include:

• Concept plan

• Masterplan

• Setting-out plan

• Levels

• Sections

• Elevations

• Planting plan

• Lighting plan

• Construction details.

Our Do I Need Drawings for My Garden? page explains the different types of garden drawings and why they may be needed.

13. Are Construction Drawings Included?

Do not assume that a concept drawing automatically contains enough information for a landscaper to construct the garden.

Ask what information will be available for:

• Setting out

• Levels

• Walls

• Steps

• Bespoke features.

The appropriate level of detail depends on the project.

14. Do You Provide a Planting Plan?

If planting matters to you, ask whether detailed planting design is included.

A planting plan may specify:

• Plant varieties

• Quantities

• Locations

• Groupings.

This can be very different from simply receiving a suggested plant list.

15. How Do You Approach Planting Design?

Ask how the designer balances:

• Seasonal interest

• Structure

• Colour

• Texture

• Maintenance

• Soil conditions.

If you like a looser style, our Naturalistic Gardens and Prairie Gardens pages show how apparently informal planting can still be carefully designed.

16. Can You Design a Low-Maintenance Garden?

If maintenance is a major priority, discuss what you actually mean by “low maintenance”.

No living garden is genuinely maintenance-free.

The designer can potentially reduce maintenance through:

• Plant selection

• Lawn reduction

• Simpler layouts

• Appropriate materials.

Our Low Maintenance Garden Without a Lawn page explores one approach.

17. How Do You Establish the Design Style?

A good designer should not simply impose their favourite style on every client.

Ask how they respond to:

• Architecture

• Location

• Client preferences

• Existing landscape.

You may be interested in a Modern Garden, Contemporary Garden, Formal Garden or Country Garden.

The important thing is that the style feels appropriate to the site and client.

18. What If I Do Not Know What Style I Want?

Ask how the designer helps clients who have no defined aesthetic.

You should not need to arrive saying:

“I want a contemporary naturalistic garden with formal influences.”

It is perfectly reasonable to say:

• I like lots of plants

• I dislike straight lines

• I want it to feel calm

• I love natural stone.

The designer should be able to interpret those preferences.

19. How Do You Work With the Architecture of the House?

This is a particularly useful question.

A garden should respond to:

• Doors

• Windows

• Views

• Materials

• Geometry.

This becomes especially important where the house has large areas of glazing.

Our Garden Design for Indoor Outdoor Living page explores how house and garden can be designed as connected spaces.

20. Can You Design Around Bifold or Sliding Doors?

If your property has extensive glazing, ask how the designer will respond to it.

Our Garden Design Around Bifold Doors and Garden Design Around Sliding Doors pages explore:

• Sightlines

• Paving alignment

• Levels

• Views.

21. How Do You Deal With Level Access?

If step-free access is important, ask how external levels and drainage will be handled.

Our Level Access from House to Garden page explores this relationship.

Accessibility should be considered from the beginning rather than added to a finished design.

22. Do You Design Accessible Gardens?

Where mobility is an important consideration, ask about experience with:

• Gradients

• Paths

• Seating

• Raised beds

• Level access.

Our Accessible Garden Design and Wheelchair Accessible Garden Design pages explore these issues.

23. How Do You Deal With Sloping Gardens?

If the garden has significant level changes, ask this directly.

The designer should consider:

• Terracing

• Retaining

• Steps

• Drainage

• Views.

Our Landscaping a Steep Garden page explores particularly challenging gradients.

24. How Do You Deal With Drainage?

This is a particularly important question in North West England.

A garden design should not simply show where the paving and plants go while ignoring how water moves through the site.

Ask how the designer considers:

• Surface water

• Clay soil

• Patio falls

• Garden levels

• Waterlogging.

Our Garden Drainage page explores why drainage starts with understanding the source and destination of water.

25. Do You Have Experience With Clay Soil?

Many gardens across North West England have heavy clay.

Our Clay Soil Gardens page explores the implications for:

• Drainage

• Planting

• Lawns

• Groundworks.

A good design should respond to the actual site rather than assume ideal conditions.

26. How Do You Solve Privacy Problems?

If your garden is overlooked, ask how the designer approaches privacy.

A good answer should involve more than:

“Put up a taller fence.”

Our Overlooked Garden page explores how:

• Sightlines

• Trees

• Screens

• Pergolas

• Layout

can work together.

Our broader Garden Privacy page explores the full range of privacy solutions.

27. Can You Design for Children?

If you have children, ask how the designer will balance:

• Play

• Safety

• Adult use

• Appearance.

Our Family Garden Design page explores how family gardens can evolve as children grow.

28. Can You Incorporate a Trampoline?

If you have one, ask.

Do not allow an unrealistic design to be produced with the trampoline conveniently omitted.

Our Garden Design with a Trampoline and Sunken Trampoline Ideas pages explore practical options.

29. Can You Design Around Dogs?

Dogs can affect:

• Boundaries

• Planting

• Lawns

• Routes

• Materials.

Our Dog-Friendly Garden Design page explores these considerations.

30. Can You Design an Outdoor Living Space?

If lifestyle is a major part of the brief, ask how the designer creates outdoor spaces rather than simply adding features.

Our Creating an Outdoor Living Space page explores how:

• Seating

• Dining

• Planting

• Shelter

• Lighting

can work together.

31. Do You Design Outdoor Kitchens?

If an outdoor kitchen is important, ask whether the designer can integrate it into the overall layout.

Our Garden Design Around an Outdoor Kitchen page explores why:

• Circulation

• Dining

• Services

• Position

need to be considered together.

32. Can You Incorporate a Fire Pit?

A fire pit affects more than aesthetics.

It can influence:

• Seating arrangement

• Circulation

• Evening use.

Our Garden Design Around a Fire Pit page explores these relationships.

33. Can You Design Around a Hot Tub?

Privacy and access become particularly important around a hot tub.

See Garden Design Around a Hot Tub.

34. Do You Design Swimming Pool Gardens?

For pool projects, ask about experience coordinating:

• Pool

• Paving

• Levels

• Planting

• Outdoor living.

Our Garden Design Around a Swimming Pool page explores this specialist relationship.

35. Do You Design Garden Lighting?

Lighting can dramatically change how the garden works after dark.

Ask whether lighting is considered during design or added later.

Our Garden Lighting Ideas page explores how lighting can highlight:

• Trees

• Planting

• Walls

• Water

without making the garden feel overlit.

36. Do You Design Water Features?

If water is important, ask about experience with:

• Ponds

• Rills

• Reflecting pools

• Contemporary water features.

Our Garden Water Feature Ideas page explores different approaches.

37. How Do You Approach My Budget?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask.

The designer should be willing to discuss budget openly.

Ask:

• When is budget discussed?

• How does it influence design?

• What happens if the design appears likely to exceed it?

• Can the project be phased?

Our How to Set a Budget for Garden Landscaping page provides a practical framework.

38. Why Does the Designer Need to Know My Budget?

Because design decisions affect construction cost.

A garden containing:

• Extensive retaining

• Large patios

• Mature trees

• Outdoor kitchen

• Pergola

• Lighting

• Water

cannot realistically be designed independently from budget.

Be cautious about a design process where nobody wants to discuss money until the drawings are complete.

39. How Much Does Garden Design Cost?

Ask exactly how the designer charges.

Our How Much Does Garden Design Cost? page explores the wider cost of professional garden design.

For charging structures specifically, see How Much Does a Garden Designer Charge?.

40. What Is Included in the Garden Design Fee?

Never compare design quotes on headline price alone.

One quotation might include:

• Consultation

• Survey

• Concept

• Revisions

• Planting plan

• Construction drawings.

Another might include only a concept plan.

Ask for clarity about:

what you actually receive for the fee.

41. How Many Revisions Are Included?

Design is an iterative process.

Ask:

• How feedback is provided

• How many revisions are included

• What happens if substantial changes are requested.

This avoids misunderstandings later.

42. What Happens If I Change the Brief?

Changing a plant preference is very different from deciding halfway through that you now want:

• Swimming pool

• Outdoor kitchen

• Entirely different layout.

Ask how significant changes to the agreed brief are handled and charged.

43. How Do You Keep the Design Within Budget?

No designer can guarantee an exact construction cost before the project is sufficiently developed and priced.

But ask how budget is considered throughout design development.

The important issue is whether design ambition and financial reality are discussed together.

44. How Much Might the Landscaping Cost?

Ask whether the designer can give you an early indication of the likely scale of investment.

Our How Much Does Landscaping Cost? page explores the main construction cost drivers.

45. Can the Project Be Phased?

For larger gardens, phasing can sometimes make sense.

Ask whether the design can establish a complete masterplan while construction happens over:

• Two stages

• Several years.

The key is to phase a coherent design rather than build unrelated areas independently.

46. Do You Offer Design Only?

If you want to take the completed design to other contractors, ask whether this is possible.

Our Garden Design Only Service page explores this approach.

47. Do You Also Build the Garden?

Some designers provide design only.

Others provide an integrated design-and-build service.

Our Complete Garden Design and Build page explores the latter.

Neither approach is automatically better.

What matters is understanding who is responsible for what.

48. Who Will Actually Build My Garden?

If the designer also offers landscaping, ask:

• Is the construction undertaken by your own team?

• Is it subcontracted?

• Who supervises the work?

• Who is my point of contact?

The person designing the garden may not necessarily be the person managing construction.

You should understand the structure before committing.

49. How Does the Design Transfer to the Landscaping Team?

This is particularly important on technically detailed projects.

Ask how:

• Drawings

• Materials

• Levels

• Planting

• Design intent

are communicated during construction.

Our Landscape Construction page explores the process of translating a design into a built landscape.

50. Can I Use My Own Landscaper?

If you are commissioning design only, ask whether the drawings are suitable for another contractor to price.

Also establish what involvement the designer can provide during construction if questions arise.

51. How Do I Compare Landscaping Quotes?

Once the design is sufficiently developed, contractors should ideally price a reasonably consistent scope.

Our How to Choose a Landscaping Company page explores the contractor-selection process.

52. Can You Recommend a Landscaper?

If the designer does not provide construction, ask whether they regularly work with contractors they trust.

But still carry out your own checks.

53. What Questions Should I Ask the Landscaper?

Once you reach the construction stage, a different set of questions becomes important.

Our Questions to Ask a Landscaper page provides the corresponding contractor checklist.

54. What Are the Warning Signs When Choosing a Landscaper?

If the designer recommends external contractors, you should still understand how to assess them.

Our Warning Signs When Choosing a Landscaper page explores potential red flags.

55. How Long Does Garden Design Take?

Ask about the likely timescale for:

• Consultation

• Survey

• Concept

• Revisions

• Detailed drawings.

There is no universal answer.

A small project and a major £100,000+ landscape should not necessarily follow identical timescales.

56. How Far in Advance Should I Book a Garden Designer?

Ask about current design availability.

Our How Far in Advance Should I Book a Garden Designer? page explains why substantial projects should normally begin planning months rather than weeks before the hoped-for construction period.

57. How Far in Advance Should I Book the Landscaper?

Design availability and construction availability are different things.

Our How Far in Advance Should I Book a Landscaper? page explores landscaping lead times.

58. When Could My Garden Realistically Be Finished?

If you have a specific deadline, ask this question early.

Tell the designer about:

• Wedding

• Birthday

• House completion

• Major event.

A responsible answer may sometimes be:

“That timescale is not realistic.”

That is more useful than being promised an impossible completion date.

59. Will Planning Permission Be Required?

Ask whether any obvious elements may need further planning investigation.

Our Do I Need Planning Permission to Landscape My Garden? page explores:

• Decking

• Boundaries

• Structures

• Levels

• Protected trees

• Listed properties.

A garden designer can identify potential issues, but specialist planning, heritage, arboricultural or structural advice may sometimes be required.

60. Do You Deal With Protected Trees?

If there are mature trees, ask how they will be incorporated.

Tell the designer about any known:

• Tree Preservation Orders

• Conservation-area restrictions.

Mature trees can be among the most valuable existing assets in a garden.

61. What Other Consultants Might My Project Need?

Larger or more complicated projects may require input from:

• Structural engineer

• Arboriculturalist

• Planning consultant

• Architect

• Heritage specialist.

Ask whether the designer will identify where additional professional input is necessary.

62. How Do You Deal With Retaining Walls?

If your site involves substantial retaining, ask whether structural engineering may be needed.

Our Garden Retaining Walls page explores their role within landscape construction.

63. Do You Carry Professional Insurance?

For a professional garden design appointment, it is reasonable to ask what relevant insurance the designer or business carries.

The appropriate cover will depend on the services being provided.

64. Do You Belong to Professional Organisations?

Professional membership can provide additional evidence of:

• Commitment

• Standards

• Industry involvement.

But membership alone should not replace checking:

• Portfolio

• Experience

• Process

• Communication.

Assess the whole business.

65. Can I Speak to Previous Clients?

For substantial projects, you may wish to ask for references or testimonials.

Look for evidence relating not only to the finished garden but also to:

• Communication

• Budget

• Construction

• Problem solving.

66. Who Owns the Design Drawings?

Ask what rights you receive to use the drawings.

This can be particularly relevant where you intend to:

• Use another landscaper

• Build in phases

• Return to the project later.

The designer's terms should explain the position.

67. What Happens If the Project Stops After Design?

Ask whether you can retain and use the agreed design according to the terms of appointment if construction is delayed.

This can matter where projects are postponed because of:

• House building work

• Budget

• Personal circumstances.

68. How Will We Communicate?

Good communication is extremely important.

Ask:

• Who is my main contact?

• How is feedback provided?

• How often will we speak?

• How are design changes confirmed?

A good relationship does not require constant communication.

It requires clear communication at the right points.

69. How Involved Will I Be in the Design?

Some clients want to be involved in every detail.

Others want the designer to take the lead.

Explain which approach you prefer.

The designer should listen carefully without expecting the client to do the designing themselves.

70. Will You Tell Me If One of My Ideas Is a Bad Idea?

This is an underrated question.

You are appointing a professional partly because you want professional judgement.

A designer should be prepared to explain why something may not work because of:

• Space

• Proportion

• Levels

• Maintenance

• Budget

• Site conditions.

A designer who agrees with everything you say is not necessarily providing the best professional advice.

Questions About Garden Design Style

You may also want to ask:

• How would you describe your design approach?

• Do you have a preferred style?

• How will the garden relate to my house?

• How do you combine planting and hard landscaping?

• How do you create year-round interest?

• How do you avoid a garden looking dated?

These questions can reveal the thinking behind the portfolio.

Questions About Planting

If planting is important, ask:

• Is planting design included?

• Who chooses the plants?

• Are plant quantities specified?

• Who supplies the plants?

• How is soil condition considered?

• How is maintenance considered?

• How is seasonal interest developed?

The planting should be part of the garden design, not simply decoration added at the end.

Questions About Trees

For substantial gardens, ask:

• Will existing trees be retained?

• Are new specimen trees proposed?

• How will trees be positioned for privacy?

• How is mature size considered?

Trees can create the long-term structure of the garden.

Questions About Hard Landscaping

Ask how decisions are made about:

• Paving

• Walls

• Steps

• Edging

• Gravel

• Timber.

A designer should be considering:

• Architecture

• Durability

• Proportion

• Maintenance

• Budget

rather than simply selecting fashionable products.

Questions About Garden Lighting

Ask:

• Is lighting included in the design?

• Is electrical infrastructure considered before paving?

• What should be illuminated?

• How do you avoid overlighting?

A well-designed garden at night should still contain darkness.

Questions About Drainage

Ask:

• How are patio falls handled?

• What happens to surface water?

• How are waterlogged lawns addressed?

• How does clay soil affect the design?

Do not accept drainage as something to be “worked out on site” where it is clearly fundamental to the project.

Questions About the Landscaping Budget

Useful questions include:

• What is a realistic budget for this brief?

• Which features are driving the cost?

• Where should we spend more?

• Where could we simplify?

• Can the project be phased?

• What contingency should we allow?

This turns budget into a design tool rather than a conversation avoided until the end.

Questions About Design Fees

Ask:

• Is the fee fixed or hourly?

• Is VAT included?

• Are surveys additional?

• Are planting plans additional?

• Are construction drawings additional?

• Are site visits additional?

• Are revisions included?

Compare the scope, not just the number at the bottom of the quotation.

Questions About Construction

If the same company is building the garden, ask:

• How will the work be quoted?

• Is there a written specification?

• What is included?

• What is excluded?

• How are variations handled?

• Who manages the site?

• What happens if unexpected ground conditions are discovered?

These questions become particularly important as the financial value of the project increases.

Questions for a £50,000–£100,000 Garden Project

For projects at this level, our Garden Design £50,000–£100,000 Budget page explores how design and budget can be coordinated.

At this level, ask particularly about:

• Detailed drawings

• Cost control

• Groundworks

• Material specifications

• Planting

• Construction coordination.

Questions for a £100,000+ Garden Project

For larger investments, our Garden Design £100,000+ Projects page explores the additional complexity.

Ask about:

• Masterplanning

• Project stages

• Specialist consultants

• Procurement

• Construction management

• Phasing.

Questions for New-Build Gardens

If you have a new-build home, ask how the designer will address:

• Overlooking

• Poor soil

• Drainage

• Levels

• Developer boundaries.

Our New-Build Gardens page explores these common problems.

Questions for Country Gardens

For a rural property, ask how the garden will relate to:

• Wider landscape

• Existing trees

• Views

• Boundaries

• Architecture.

Our Country Gardens page explores this approach.

Questions for Large Country Properties

Substantial rural properties may need a wider masterplanning approach.

Our Garden Design for Large Country Properties page explores how formal areas near the house can transition into the wider landscape.

Questions for Small Gardens

Small gardens present a different challenge.

Ask how the designer will make every metre work.

Our Small Garden Design page explores:

• Proportion

• Storage

• Privacy

• Planting

• Seating.

Should I Ask Several Garden Designers the Same Questions?

If you are comparing designers, asking some consistent questions can be useful.

It allows you to compare:

• Services

• Process

• Fees

• Deliverables

• Timescales.

But do not reduce the decision to a spreadsheet.

Garden design is a creative professional service.

The quality of:

• Thinking

• Communication

• Design judgement

also matters.

Should I Choose the Cheapest Garden Designer?

Not automatically.

A lower fee may represent excellent value.

But it may also reflect a different scope of service.

Compare:

what is included + experience + design quality + drawings + level of involvement

rather than simply comparing headline fees.

Should I Choose the Garden Designer Who Can Start First?

Not automatically.

Good designers can have lead times.

Our How Far in Advance Should I Book a Garden Designer? page explains why availability should be considered alongside suitability.

Immediate availability is not necessarily a warning sign.

But neither should it be the main reason for choosing someone.

How Do I Choose Between Two Garden Designers?

Consider:

• Whose work do you respond to?

• Who understood your priorities?

• Who explained their process clearly?

• Who was comfortable discussing budget?

• Who demonstrated practical understanding?

• Which service best fits the project?

• Who do you trust to challenge your ideas constructively?

For a fuller guide, see How to Choose a Garden Designer.

Warning Signs When Talking to a Garden Designer

Potential concerns may include:

• No interest in your budget

• No discussion of site conditions

• No clear explanation of deliverables

• No written fee proposal

• Unclear design process

• Little interest in how you use the garden

• Promising unrealistic timescales

• Producing a design before properly understanding the site.

One concern does not automatically mean a designer is unsuitable.

But it may justify further questions.

Garden Designer Interview Checklist

Before appointing a designer, consider asking:

Experience

• Can I see completed projects?

• Have you worked on similar properties?

• Have you dealt with similar site problems?

Process

• What happens after the consultation?

• Is a survey required?

• How is the brief agreed?

• How are revisions handled?

Drawings

• What drawings will I receive?

• Is a planting plan included?

• Are construction drawings included?

• Are levels considered?

Budget

• What level of construction budget is realistic?

• How do you design to budget?

• How much are the design fees?

• What additional fees might arise?

Practical Issues

• How do you deal with drainage?

• How do you address slopes?

• Can you design for accessibility?

• Can you solve overlooking?

Construction

• Do you build the garden?

• Who carries out the landscaping?

• Can I use another contractor?

• How is the design communicated during construction?

Programme

• When can you start?

• How long does design take?

• When could construction begin?

• How long might landscaping take?

Professional Matters

• What insurance do you carry?

• Do you belong to professional organisations?

• Can I see testimonials or references?

• What do your terms and conditions cover?

You do not necessarily need to ask every question.

Choose those most relevant to your project.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I ask a garden designer before hiring them?

Ask about experience, design process, fees, drawings, budget, planting, timescales and whether they provide design only or design and build.

Should I ask a garden designer about budget?

Yes. Budget should normally be discussed early enough to influence the design.

Should I tell a garden designer my maximum budget?

Providing a realistic overall budget helps the designer develop a scheme appropriate to your level of investment.

What drawings should I ask for?

It depends on the project. They might include a concept plan, masterplan, setting-out information, levels, planting plan and construction details.

Should a garden designer provide a planting plan?

If detailed planting design forms part of the service, ask whether the plan specifies plants, quantities and positions.

Should I ask about drainage?

Yes, particularly if the garden has clay soil, waterlogging, substantial paving or significant changes in level.

Should I ask for references?

For substantial projects, testimonials, previous projects or references can help you assess the business.

Should I ask about insurance?

Yes. It is reasonable to understand what appropriate professional or business insurance is held for the services being provided.

Should I ask whether they belong to a professional body?

You can. Professional membership may be useful supporting evidence, although it should be considered alongside experience, portfolio and process.

Should I ask whether planning permission is required?

Yes, if the project involves structures, substantial level changes, protected trees, listed buildings or other potential planning considerations.

Should I ask who builds the garden?

Definitely, where construction forms part of the service. Establish whether the work is undertaken in-house, subcontracted or tendered to separate contractors.

Can I use my own landscaper?

Potentially. Ask whether the designer offers a Garden Design Only Service and whether the drawings are suitable for contractor pricing.

Is design and build better?

Not automatically. An integrated Complete Garden Design and Build service can simplify coordination, while design-only allows you to tender the construction separately.

How much should a garden designer charge?

Fees vary according to the project's size, complexity and scope. See How Much Does a Garden Designer Charge?.

How long does garden design take?

It depends on the project. Consultation, survey, concept design, revisions and detailed drawings all require time.

How early should I contact a garden designer?

For a significant transformation, it is generally better to begin several months before you hope landscaping will start. See How Far in Advance Should I Book a Garden Designer?.

What should I prepare before meeting a garden designer?

See How to Prepare for a Garden Design Consultation.

What information will the designer need?

See What Information Does a Garden Designer Need?.

What happens at the first meeting?

See What Happens at a Garden Design Consultation?.

The Best Question Is Not “Can You Design My Garden?”

Most garden designers will answer yes.

A much more useful conversation is:

How would you approach my garden?

What problems do you see?

What information do you need?

How will you develop the design?

How will budget influence the decisions?

What drawings will I receive?

How will the garden eventually be built?

The purpose of asking questions is not to find a designer who agrees with everything you already think.

A good designer should:

• Listen carefully

• Understand your priorities

• Explain their reasoning

• Identify problems

• Challenge assumptions where appropriate

• Develop ideas you had not considered.

For a substantial landscape project, you are not simply buying a drawing.

You are appointing someone to make a series of interconnected decisions about your property, garden and investment.

Choose someone whose design ability, practical understanding, communication and approach give you confidence in those decisions.

If you are considering a garden transformation in Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the Ribble Valley or elsewhere across North West England, Kirman Design can take you from the initial consultation and garden design brief through detailed design and professional landscape construction.