It’s one of the questions I’m asked most often, and the answer depends on what you’re trying to achieve.
If you’re replacing an existing patio, repairing fencing or carrying out straightforward improvements, and you’re fairly clear and confident in your ideas or requirements, a landscaper may be all you need. They’re the skilled craftspeople who build gardens and bring designs to life – and a good professional landscaper will make plenty of suggestions, from their experience.
However, if you’re looking to transform the way your garden looks, feels and functions, I’d always recommend starting with a garden designer. My role is to understand how you want to live in the space and develop a design that brings all the different elements together into one cohesive vision.
I’ll think about how the garden connects to your home, how people move through it, where the sun falls, how to improve privacy, what planting will thrive and how the garden will look throughout the seasons.
In many ways, I see my role as being similar to an architect – and an interior designer – for your outdoor space. Once the design is complete, the landscaper uses those plans to build the garden. When designers and landscapers work together, the result is usually a far more successful and enjoyable garden.
When you hire a garden designer to work with you, they are on your side – their independence means they should put what you and your landscapes needs first.
