Frequently asked questions

When all I want is a new garden, why do I need a designer?

The TV makeover programmes make it look easy, but there’s more to making garden improvements than it may appear. Even when the changes are modest, making things fit is very important and choosing the right materials is essential.

A designer can help you look at your property in a more holistic way, to create a more integrated garden.

A garden design is an accurate map with instructions on how to build something. You should be able to hand the design to any competent contractor and they will be able to give you a price and then build you the scheme.

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What should I look for in a garden designer?

• Flair to get you excited about your garden and how it could become quite different.
• Experience and understanding to know how gardens are built.
• Good working knowledge of plants, how and where they grow, what colours work well together and what they need to help them grow.
• Good at problem-solving to find appropriate solutions for you.
• Good co-ordinator to fit your ideas to the site and budget.
• Good listener to ensure they understand your needs.
• Communicates well in plain English, to explain the process, issues, technology and solutions both to you and the contractor.

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Why should I choose Veitch Garden Design?

My 38 years experience as senior designer with Notcutts has provided me with a range of skills, to blend the innovative with functional design. My portfolio will testify to working with a range of clients from an Elizabethan Manor to a small city plot.

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How do I know I will like the Design?

There are no absolute certainties in life but you can get the best results by going through the process with a designer who listens to your concerns from the beginning and gives you feedback. It’s too late to wait until the scheme is finished.

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If I get a Design how will I know it will fit?

Designs must work with the site and the scheme needs accurate site measurements. I call this the Map and part of the cost of carrying out a scheme is the process of drawing up that map. Missing out this part can lead to disappointment, delays and possibly extra costs.

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How long does it all take?

Depending on the complexity of the scheme it can take anything from a few weeks to several months. I will advise you on how long a job is likely to take at the start and I’ll try to fit in with your timescales.

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Can I short-circuit some of the steps in the process?

Yes, if you want to pass the whole process over to me and only need to be involved when signing contracts and other major stages. However, if you want to be more involved the process can be more of a partnership.

I plan with you how many of the steps we need. These are not fixed and we can change the way we work, as the process moves forward.

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What insurances should a garden designer have?

As a basic minimum you should look for a designer with Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurances. In addition to these I work to the Terms and Conditions of the Society of Garden Designers, the professional organisation for the Garden Designers; and those covering the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Horticulture.

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I just want a new terrace, do I need a new design?

It depends on the scale, complexity, ability of the builder, and the particular circumstance. If it’s a straight replacement, the ground is flat and you know the materials, then you should be able to get quotes. If there are any doubts then a design will give you some protection from things going wrong.

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Veitch Garden Design services

What is the best way for me to do the work myself?

I have a service that is made for you, called “You Build on My Ideas”. Together we work out what you need from me, in terms of information, support and monitoring your work. Usually I will need to visit your garden, to get a full picture of your requirements. Once an appropriate map is made, I will draw up the ideas and you build the garden. It will be tailored to your competence in building and the complexity of the scheme.

See more information about my self-builders service.

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I only want advice. Can someone just visit my garden?

Yes, an advisory visit will cost from £65.00. The rest depends on how much more you need to sort out the issues. If you live outside the Solihull area you may have to pay extra for my travelling. I will charge extra for reports, plant lists, sketches and plans.

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My garden is overgrown; can you give me pruning advice?

Yes, I have a service “2 Cut or not 2 Cut”, which I have designed to help people with a variety of plants related issues. This can start with an advisory visit and work though additional stages, including getting contractors involved, pruning the garden, cutting down trees, planting new plants to fit into the spaces and drawing a new plant care plan.

See more information about my pruning service.

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I want to give someone a present. They need a little bit of advice, is this too small for you to do?

No, I can offer you “a difference with a present”, which is a voucher service, so you can buy them an hour of my time and they can have this visit whenever is suitable for them. The minimum charge is £65.00. The rest depends on how much more you need to sort out the issues.

See more information about my landscaping gift service.

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What area do you cover?

I normally work within 50 miles of the Solihull area. Work outside this area will normally incur additional travel costs.

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Do you build gardens as well as designing them?

Not directly - my talents are designing, organising and monitoring the work. I work with contractors who will carry out the work for you. You pay them for the construction and me for the design and monitoring. This means you can still get an independent assessment once the construction work is complete.

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Can you give planting plans, or supply me with the plants?

Yes, I can give you a planting plan to bring out the best in your garden, assuming you are already happy with the general layout. I can also give a competitive quote to supply the plants to you from a reputable nursery.

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Landscaping costs

I don’t know if I can afford to have my garden designed?

Sometimes the question is “can you afford not to have it designed for you?” Although many people like surprises, there are some we can do without, and a botched garden makeover is one of these.

Appropriate attention to the design stage of the process can ensure that expensive mistakes aren’t made later on. A good design will help you get the right costs from a contractor. With my approach you can even save money by undertaking the construction work yourself

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I want to give you a design which works for you at a fair cost. Rather than using a scale based on contract value or garden size, I charge only for the work that you need doing. Prices for a full design service start from as little as £650.

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How much should I spend on my garden?

Gauging how much to spend is a personal matter. It can be as false an economy to spend too little as it can be to spend too much. You can treat it in the same way as the rest of your property allocating a percentage of the property value for any improvements. You can decide on your budget and I can advise on what is achievable within that budget.

When you want best value you need to compare like for like, and a good designer will help you get comparable quotes. Designers, like architects often quote figures per square metre for garden works, which helps to make comparisons.

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How do we keep within our budget?

I can help you prepare the documents you need to get a competitive price for the construction work. It helps if you are up front about the budget at the start - then we can get a ball-park figure for the garden, based on what is essential.

Once you have agreed the scheme it is important to keep to the brief. If you change your mind halfway through you can incur variation charges from the contractor. However, if you are prepared to be flexible about materials and methods of construction this may help keep costs down.

It may seem better to have different contractors to do different parts of the scheme, but failure to control the work may cost you more in the end. Get a proper plan and specification before you get a fixed price quotation that includes all the costs.

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Why should I pay you for visits to my garden?

I earn my fees through the work I carry out for you. Visiting you allows both of us to keep informed about what is going on and our latest thoughts. Your feedback will mean that the process doesn’t go on in a vacuum. Whilst I can do some of this by email, phone or through correspondence, seeing you in person to explain what things on the plans mean, answer a question or show you another option, is often the best way.

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