Tel: 01905 885 321
OUR SERVICES
The Design and Build Process
We follow the recognised industry standard method for designing and costing a landscape project. Once you initiate the process, we make the rest happen for you.
The same process is followed, be it for a town courtyard or a 10 acre country garden, but it is flexible and can be tailored to your requirements.
3D models offer a unique experience, allowing you to view a life-like preview of your garden before it is even built.
Our designers use the powerful tool of 3D design to communicate complex ideas, planting styles, and materials textures during the design phase.
Play the video for a short example
We offer 3D design
as standard
The Process
1. the initial enquiry
If you enjoy what you see on Envisage's website, then you will want to speak to one of our Designers. Please get in touch by phone or email to book your phone call.
You can chat to one of our Designers over the phone to discuss your requirements.
You may find it helpful to browse our Library first.
If you would like to explore the idea of design further, we will be delighted to make an appointment to visit you and your garden.
2. the initial consultation
One of our Designers will come to your site and discuss the project with you.
At this complementary meeting you can talk about your requirements for the garden, view our extensive portfolio of plans and project photographs, and ask about typical costs.
This is also an opportunity for us to get to know you, your tastes, and understand what you would like to achieve.
If your site is within a 25 mile radius of Grafton Flyford, Worcestershire, there is no charge for this first visit. We are more than happy to travel further afield, but we may ask for a contribution towards mileage costs and driving time.
3. site survey and analysis
If you choose to go forward with Envisage, we will then undertake a Site Survey.
The Site Survey is a detailed record of the current landscape condition and includes a photographic study, digital land survey (measuring the garden), and notes of existing vegetation.
Depending on the size of your project, we may be able to undertake the digital land survey in-house as we have our own survey equipment, or we may recommend you enlist the services of our trusted survey partner.
You will receive a printed copy of the land survey data i.e. a drawing of your site in its current condition.
The site analysis enables your Designer to understand how your landscape behaves - taking note of wind patterns, your soil type, sun and shade, slopes, views, etc.
4. the design brief
This is a meeting at your site where we all exchange ideas for the new garden. This meeting can take a long time, depending on how much input you would like with your new garden, as we like to ensure you are getting the garden of your dreams.
It may be helpful to find some inspirational images to bring to this meeting, if you have seen any. Or, you may wish for your Designer to take charge!
We will formalise the notes from this meeting into a Design Brief and ask you to approve them, as this will form the backbone to the Fee Schedule and the Sketch Design.
5. sketch design
Your Designer will draw up their interpretation of your Design Brief, usually with additional proposals to resolve issues raised.
We will then arrange another meeting to discuss the design with you.
We will bring a plan of your site with a sketch design proposal and, if appropriate, moodboards/perspective sketches/a digital 3D model to give you an understanding of how your garden will look.
As each Envisage design is hand-crafted, the drawings will most likely be hand-sketched. The design is very flexible at this stage.
6. 3D design
We offer 3D design to all of our design clients.
Scroll to the top of this page for a short example.
The 3D model is produced during the design phase and can be altered as the design progresses.
You can view the model in the comfort of your own
You can view the model in the comfort of your own home to aid interpretation of the plans, and to enable you to make decisions or communicate feedback to your design team.
3D models are included in our design work as standard, so are not charged as an extra on top of our usual fees.
6. contractual drawings and specification
Your Designer will amend the plan, if required, draw up a Contractual Plan of the finished design and meet with you again. The Contractual Plan ensures you get the garden you have asked for!
Once you have approved the final design, your Designer can provide a costing of material supply and installation. It may take a few weeks to get quotes from suppliers.
We will then meet with you to discuss materials and prices.
By the end of this stage, you should have a clear idea of how your new garden will look and how much it will cost.
7. construction
Once you have approved the final plan, the design team will check the survey details, refine and label the plan, draw up the specification document and the order form.
At the time of ordering, you will receive a fully annotated copy of your new plan, a detailed construction schedule, a copy of the order form and your first invoice for mobilization of the construction works.
We will also give you a provisional start date for your project (weather permitting).
It is the plants that bring a garden to life and during the final stages of the hard landscaping we will begin the next stage, which is to clarify ideas on vegetation and develop The Planting Plan.
Once construction begins your Designer will visit the project at every significant stage. Garden meetings with your Designer ensure that the project is completed to your satisfaction.
Gardens can be installed 'all in one go' or phased over several years, to suit your time frame and cash flow. Clients with very large estates sometimes choose to develop their garden over a few years.
8. the planting plan
This is one of the most important stages of garden design.
Your plants will have been discussed during the design concept stages, but once construction is underway it is time to develop the Planting Plan, showing each plant in its exact location in your new garden.
The plant selection determines the style of the garden, for example; traditional cottage garden, or spiky Mediterranean, or low maintenance. Plants are the main element in a garden so it is worth spending time getting it right.
Natural-style planting schemes that support wildlife are becoming increasingly popular and are of specific interest to us at Envisage.
Clients are actively encouraged to take a major part in deciding which trees, shrubs or perennials to use, but they can leave it all to the designer if they prefer or feel unsure.
9. planting the garden
Plants are supplied from our own Nursery and specialist nurseries and, in some cases from Europe. We will carefully choose plants for your specific site conditions and design requirements, so they are often species and varieties that you won't find in a garden centre, which adds to that 'designer look'.
You may wish to do the planting yourself, or leave it all to our team of trained horticulturists, or we can plant the larger, structural elements and you can finish off planting the smaller ones!
Due to the seasonal nature of trees/shrubs/bulbs, the plant-sourcing stage may take between several months to a year to complete, but this will help to ensure you get the best value and healthiest plants available.
