Landscape designer · near Derby, UK

How your garden project works

A warm, clear process from first chat to first bloom. We design thoughtful, buildable gardens for homeowners who want to build it themselves or bring in a builder. Here’s exactly what happens, step by step — no jargon, no surprises.

Start with a quick hello See the 8 steps

The 8 steps

  1. Step 1 · Enquiry

    Tell us about your garden

    Drop us a line with your goals, a rough budget, the style you like, and when you’d hope to get started. A few photos of the garden as it is now really helps us get a feel for it.

    • Your goals, budget, style and timescale
    • A handful of current garden photos
    • If you’re further afield, we’ll send a welcome pack and a simple upload link

  2. Step 2 · Discovery

    How you want to live in it

    A relaxed 20-minute video call — or a questionnaire if you’d rather type. It’s all about how you actually use the garden day to day.

    • How you use the space, must-haves and nice-to-haves
    • Maintenance level that feels right for you
    • Pets, little ones, and anything you’d like to keep

  3. Step 3 · Site capture

    Measuring up

    If you’re within 45 minutes of Derby, we come and survey the site — that’s included. If you’re further away, we guide you through it so it’s straightforward.

    • Quick sketch of the plot with north marked
    • Boundary and house wall measurements
    • Photos from every corner — tape measure in shot
    • Levels with a spirit level, sun and shade at 9am, 12pm and 5pm
    • A note on soil and drainage, then upload

    We give you a step-by-step guide with examples, so you know exactly what we need.

  4. Step 4 · Check

    Making sure we’ve got it all

    We go through your photos, sketches and notes carefully. If anything’s a bit blurry or missing, we’ll let you know — so the design starts from a solid, accurate base.

    • We review everything you’ve sent
    • We ask for anything unclear, no faff

  5. Step 5 · Concept

    Two directions to choose from

    We put together two layout options plus a mood board of materials, planting feel and atmosphere. You pick the direction you love and tell us what you’d tweak.

    • Two distinct layout options
    • Mood board with palette, materials and planting feel
    • You choose one and share comments

  6. Step 6 · Design

    Your garden, on paper and in 3D

    From your chosen concept, we draw up the full design so you can really picture it. One round of revisions is included, so we can fine-tune it together.

    • Scaled 2D plan
    • 3D model with renders from key viewpoints
    • Detailed planting plan
    • One round of revisions included

  7. Step 7 · Build pack

    Everything you need to build it

    A clear, builder-friendly pack that takes you from bare ground to finished garden — whether you’re hands-on yourself or handing it to a builder.

    • Logical order of works
    • Step-by-step guides with tools, materials and quantities
    • Simple diagrams and short how-to videos
    • Safety notes throughout
    • Photo checkpoints you can send us for a second pair of eyes
    • Tidy shopping list

  8. Step 8 · Aftercare

    Helping it settle in

    Gardens take a little time to find their feet. We give you a plan for the first year and check in to see how it’s getting on.

    • 12-month planting and maintenance calendar
    • Friendly check-ins at 3 and 12 months
    • Optional paid support if you’d like more hand-holding

What you’ll get

A complete pack to build with confidence. Everything in one place — clear drawings, planting, and practical how-to — so you or your builder know exactly what to do next.

Start with a quick hello

Tell us your goals, budget feel and style. Photos help — no need for perfect ones.

Get in touch info@dapplegrove.co.uk

Planning a home garden? See garden design for homeowners.