Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brigitt Stevenson on February 2, 2012 at 19:25

John I think the whole idea of Design is meeting the Client and you get their points of view... T

Then you as a Designer work with that,

every household is different, every person is different in their lifestyle and the garden, which they have or what I

believe must reflect them as their own Individual !!!

Pro DesignerPermalink Reply by Marie-Plews Garden Design on February 4, 2012 at 13:24

I get where you're coming from John, and whilst I've always done the individual garden for an individual client approach like Brigitt, I can perceive that there are times when some 'standard' items could be useful.

but maybe we already do this in some way anyway? eg, when we come across a client who has a similar sized garden to an earlier client, same aspect, same number & ages of children, similar needs?

PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Jen@A&J Owenwindows&gardens on February 4, 2012 at 13:35

I am not a garden designer but I actually think is an excellent idea in that you can have some 'template' gardens as a guide and then personalise these to the individual, I would have thought it would cut down on prep time. I think this would work particularly well for new developments with postage stamp back gardens.

Permalink Reply by Fenlandphil on June 10, 2012 at 8:42

I suggested something like this a while back and it wasn't well received.

Van Hages at Great Amwell had several show gardens in their centre and the plans planting lists etc were available free to customers.

When someone moves into a brand new house they have a bare patch of earth, showing them want could be done with a price tag helps them decide whether something like your template design, would suit their property and be affordable to them.

Permalink Reply by Unreal Gardens - John Stobart on June 11, 2012 at 18:12

I agree with this In different ways John, as you know I set up my business last year more for the people of this world who don't know their daisies from their daffodils, but still like the idea of a 'Garden' that they don't need to do anything to, to keep it looking like a garden.

I am by no stretch of the imagination a gardener, landscaper or horticultural expert, I am a businessman who listens to my customers needs and provides a solution to their problems where possible. I think that your predesigned garden portfolio is an excellent concept and without droning on too much about the technicalities of why it will or won't work, it's more a case of marketing the idea and making what you do uniquely specialist, sort of making them 'yours' and yours only, kind of like putting a trademark on a new product, same as many of you here will listen to your customers requirements as they turn to you to help them to realise their dream garden. After all if they knew what they wanted and could do it themselves, why would they come to you in the first place?

I'm 90% certain that many of the customers you and I visit will have some idea of what they want in their garden - it might be something they have seen somewhere before, it could be something they have designed as a feature that they need you to build, but they need you to make it happen for them.

Many people see me and my company as a kind of Antichrist or something and think that anything remotely artificial has no place in a Garden or landscape. But our 'Garden' or Landscape concepts are much more than just a cheap cop out - artificial products and alternatives have much more to offer in terms of enhancement and conservation.

My point is this, any idea is a good idea until its proven to be a bad one and it's not necessarily the idea which wouldn't work but as a business it would more likely be the marketing and pitching of it which would need adapting.