Planting

The soft landscaping, or planting, is the final and perhaps most exciting phase. It’s where the magic happens and everything begins to take shape.

We’ve built gardens in different parts of the world as well as the UK. We've worked in an assortment of environments, soil conditions and climates as well as being exposed to a broad range of plants, so we’re confident we can tackle anything your garden throws at us!

We’ve combined all this knowledge into a service we feel offers a little bit extra when it comes to the soft landscaping stage. Good plantsmanship and attention to detail are vital in understanding what will survive where and what plants work well together.

We’ll leave you with a professionally designed garden that’s yours to enjoy for many years to come.

Construction

Hard landscaping, such as decking, pathways and paving, walls and water features, is the backbone of any garden. It’s the construction that is often the most expensive part of the project. That’s why we like to get it right first time.

We’re involved at every stage of the project and even do the construction ourselves. We wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s how we guarantee you get the garden you want, at the price we agreed, without any misunderstandings, mistakes, or delays.

It’s our philosophy that if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well which is why we won’t cut corners. We always use the best quality materials and proven construction methods to make sure our structure will last.

We think Second Nature is a rare combination. We are experts in soft landscaping - plants and horticultural principles. But we also have an in-depth knowledge of hard landscaping and construction. It’s a combination that results in beautifully integrated landscapes in which every element complements each other.

We’re easy to work with too. Always courteous and professional, we understand we are working in your home and always keep the site tidy.

Hard landscaping work also has an impact on your neighbours. We have neighbours too and know how important it is to protect that relationship. Although there will be noise and a certain amount of disruption at the construction stage, we aim to keep it to a minimum.

Design & Planning

At this stage of our design service we assess all the information we’ve gathered from you. We listen to everything you’ve told us in the brief. Besides pouring over your wish list, we take note of the small details we’ve picked up from our conversations and questions.

We combine your wish list with our experience and bring in the elements of good landscape design. The result is a creation that matches your lifestyle and interests.

We then present the first draft design to you for review. Our designs are very accurate and precise and will help you clearly visualise our proposal.

Often we get it right first time, however the design fee covers one set of alterations. The plan is then finalised, coloured and laminated to protect it.

Once we’ve completed the design we can put together our quotation.

Initial Consultation

Once you’ve commissioned us to design and landscape your garden, the next stage is an initial consultation.

We want to give you a garden that really reflects who you are and makes a space everyone in your household can enjoy. To do that, we need to understand your expectations and your garden design ideas.

The consultation is relaxed and enjoyable. It lets us dig a little deeper if you’ll pardon the pun!

We’ll ask about your garden aspirations and find out how you want to use the space. For example, do you want a place to relax, somewhere for the children to play, a space that’s safe for pets? Or even a combination? Do you want a low maintenance garden?

We’ll explore the various design options, covering issues specific to your site, situation, budget, interests, and style preferences. For instance do you prefer a modern, traditional, or an architectural style? What colour schemes, plant types, textures, structure, and forms do you like? If you do want a low maintenance garden, we’ll discuss ideas and schemes that are easy to look after.

From here we’ll start to make concept proposals and may offer sketches of various features. We then carry out a detailed survey of your site, taking lots of ‘before’ photos for our reference.