Planting design is charged at a £35 hourly rate with a minimum of 16 hours.

We first work out which way the garden is facing to know the sunny and shady areas. Then to test the soil pH and perform a simple drainage test by digging a large hole and pouring several buckets of water in. 

We sit down and go through a book ‘The Gardener’s Palette’ by Jo Thompson. This helps me to find out your tastes in terms of colours and forms, and we talk about which plants may or may not survive in your garden because of factors such as soil pH, shade and drainage (2-3 hours).

Regardless of the quality of your soil, compost can be added where each plant is to be planted. Once or twice a year applications of chicken manure pellets can dramatically improve soil quality.

I measure the area, work out how many plants are needed and then research where to source the plants from, and their potential costs. You will need to have a budget in mind.

Smaller plants are cheaper but may take years to fill out a space. It is common to put in more than there eventually will be needed and to thin out the plant numbers as they expand. Larger plants make an immediate impact but are expensive.

I give aftercare advice and can help with maintenance but watering and their survival will ultimately be the customers responsibility.