Garden Design Process

Our Garden Design & Build Process

At Creative Gardens & Driveways, we take pride in offering an outstanding garden design service to our clients. Working with us brings you closer to your dream outdoor space as we make your vision a reality.

Operating across Cheshire and the surrounding areas for over 25 years, we have developed a comprehensive garden design and build process that is bespoke and can work with all kinds of outdoor spaces, budgets and customer needs.

We believe that a clear, structured process helps our clients feel confident with us from the start. From the initial meeting with our team until you step into your finished garden, we ensure that every stage of the process runs smoothly and is finished to the highest standards.

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1. Initial Meeting

Your journey with Creative Gardens & Driveways begins with a complimentary consultation with our founder, David Hadley.

David brings more than 25 years of experience in the garden design and landscaping industry, and this consultation is an opportunity for you to talk with him about your ideas and aspirations. 

During this consultation, we will share our unique garden design approach to help you determine whether we are the right fit for you, as well as sensible project phasing if that is required. 

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2. Design Brief Meeting

To create a garden that truly reflects your lifestyle, we need to understand how you want to use this space and how you want it to feel.

This is why we take things further with an in-depth design consultation, where we will explore both the practical elements of your landscape, as well as the kind of atmosphere you want to create. The desired and required investment in your landscape is also discussed as part of the design brief.

We will also take into consideration elements such as your property’s style and the needs of everyone within your household to create the best garden for you. 

3. Site Survey

Each project starts with a thorough site survey. During this visit, we take precise measurements of your outdoor space, noting ground levels, boundaries, and any existing features.

We also consider architectural details such as doors and windows, as these often influence key design decisions.

By gathering this information at the very beginning, we ensure that our plans are not only creative but also practical, accurate, and perfectly tailored to your property.

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4. Concept Design

Using the information from the site survey, we then prepare a concept plan which shows the proposed layout, key features, and overall style of your new garden. 

Concept designs are a bird’s-eye view of your garden, showing key features such as lawns, patios and planting areas.

This is a collaborative stage, as your feedback is welcome and any refinements can be implemented before moving forward. 

5. 3D Visuals

Many clients struggle to picture their finished garden from the plan alone. This is why we provide computer-generated images and video walkthroughs to bring the plans to life. We can even provide Virtual Reality visualisations using the latest headset technology. 

These 3D visuals let you explore your garden design before any work begins, seeing the garden at different angles and points in the year.  This stage in the garden design process is vital, as it really brings your garden to life. 

Once the concept is approved, we will develop detailed drawings and specifications covering all hard and soft landscaping elements. 

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6. Other Services

While we offer a comprehensive garden design service, which revolves around planning your new outdoor space, some additional services are out of this scope and will need to be arranged separately, such as:

Planting Plans: Planting plans are tailored to your site conditions and personal preferences, ensuring seasonal interest and long term structure. These documents form the blueprint for construction.

Construction and Setting Out Drawings: Full technical drawings are included as part of our landscaping service, and not as part of our garden design package. These drawings will be made available during the implementation stage of your project.

Virtual Reality Walkthrough: Using 3D design technology and virtual reality equipment, we allow our clients to take a virtual walkthrough of their new outdoor space – before any landscaping has taken place. Through the VR headset, we can clearly demonstrate the work we intend to do in a space ahead of time.

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6. Fixed Price Quotation

With the detailed design complete, we can provide a comprehensive quotation and schedule for your upcoming project.

We clearly set out all the costs and timelines associated with your project, so you know exactly what to expect. We can also agree to any phasing if the project is being delivered in stages.

Once you have accepted the quotation we ask for a deposit payment to hold your place in the installation schedule. The deposit is typically 10% plus any bespoke items that are specific to your project.

7. Construction

The next step is for our skilled landscaping team to bring your design to life. We always arrange a prestart meeting around 1 week before we start your project so you can meet the team and we can fine tune the logistics to minimise disruption for you and your neighbours.

We manage every stage of the construction process, ensuring that all work is carried out with precision and care. Throughout this stage, like all others through our garden design process, we maintain clear, open communication with you.

Our team will provide regular communication and catch-ups with you, so you are always up to date with what is going on.

As leading landscapers and garden designers, our focus is always on delivering the highest quality of workmanship to our clients.

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8. Completion & Handover

During the construction process every element of the garden is constructed in line with our exacting standards.

When we hand the garden over to you all the little details are attended to so you don’t have to worry about making a list of snags.

Once the project is completed we walk through the garden with you, explaining features, finishes and care so you feel confident in looking after your new space.

9. Maintenance

A garden is a living thing that evolves throughout the seasons, and we offer tailored maintenance services to keep it looking its best.

Our garden maintenance services are delivered by a dedicated horticultural team, who cover all requirements. From regular lawn care and seasonal pruning to specialist treatments, we ensure that your garden matures beautifully and continues to thrive long after completition.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once your project moves to the Construction phase, our Operations Team will take the lead.

You’ll have a dedicated Team Leader who will oversee the day-to-day operations, while Simon (our Operations Manager) manages the behind-the-scenes planning and admin, and Chris (our Landscaping Manager) ensures top-quality workmanship on site.

You can also contact David Hadley, our company owner, at any time throughout the project if you need additional support.

Before we begin the Construction phase, we will arrange a pre-start meeting to introduce you to your Team Leader and confirm finer details, such as access, water supply, and power.

We’ll also make sure your neighbours are informed by distributing our ‘We’re working near you’ cards to ensure everything gets off to a smooth, friendly start.

Quality control is at the heart of everything we do at Creative Gardens & Driveways.

Our landscaping manager, Chris, carries out regular site visits throughout the process to monitor our team’s progress and ensure consistent high standards, while your Team leader ensures your garden design is implemented precisely to plan throughout the construction process.

As we approach the handover stage, your project will undergo a final review by our Landscaping Manager and your Team Leader. We will make you aware of any outstanding work that requires a return visit, such as planting certain plants that must be undertaken at a specific time of the year.

Following our checks, your Team Leader will then do a walk-through of your new garden with you to ensure you’re completely happy before the handover.

Yes, we provide tailored aftercare documents for your specific project. These cover everything from looking after new lawns and planting to caring for decking and timber buildings. If you ever have any questions after completion, we are only a phone call away.

If you need help with ongoing garden maintenance we offer a comprehensive maintenance service that covers everything from lawn care and weeding to pruning and hedge trimming.

We know that outdoor work can sometimes affect nearby properties, so we make every effort to be considerate and communicative with your neighbours.

Before work starts, we deliver ‘working near you’ cards, so your neighbours know who to contact directly with any queries. Once the project is complete, we will send thank-you cards as a courtesy gesture for their patience.

We understand that your ideas can evolve. If you would like to discuss a variation or adjustment, speak to your Team Leader or Simon, our Operations Manager.

We’ll assess how best to accommodate your request and make sure it’s reflected in the updated plan or schedule before proceeding.

Our process combines bespoke garden design with precise project management, ensuring complete transparency throughout. By working with Creative Gardens & Driveways for your garden design and build, you’ll always know who’s handling each stage of your project, from the design through the aftercare.

Every member of our team, from owner to labourer is focused on ensuring your garden project is delivered seamlessly, safely and beautifully.

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