Collaboration that Works: How We Partner with External Garden Designers

As an award-winning design and landscaping company, we’re perhaps a little unusual in that we not only design gardens we don’t go on to build, but we also build gardens designed by others. Since we’ve been doing this for years, we don’t think about it too much but recently, after a number of conversations with fellow designers, it’s clear many are curious about how it actually works.

So, I thought I’d share the bare bones of our approach here. We love working with other creative minds, so if this resonates with you, do get in touch.

You can explore our portfolio and design insights elsewhere on our site, but here we want to share what experience has taught us about collaboration. Over the years, we’ve learned what makes partnerships with external designers run smoothly and how we can best support you to deliver your vision confidently, efficiently, and beautifully.

Understanding the Build Stage Challenges

After more than a thousand projects, we know that taking a design into and through construction isn’t always straightforward. From arriving at a buildable budget that stays true to your vision (often the first hurdle!) to navigating the realities on site, every project brings its own challenges.

We’re always happy to talk about how a project is set up so we can support it in a way that works for you both practically and commercially.

Building Trust Between Designers and Clients

At the outset, the client’s relationship is with you. While we’ll build our own relationship with them if appointed, we do this in tandem,  always mindful that our job is to help you deliver your vision seamlessly.

Our goal is simple: to make sure you come out of every project looking great. We’re not after a one-off collaboration; we’re building long-term partnerships and want to become the team you call for all your best work.

Supporting Each Other Through Every Stage

No matter how well you plan, things don’t always go perfectly. In more than 25 years, we’ve seen just about everything: demanding clients, miscommunications, supplier issues, on-site curveballs, and the occasional unexpected disaster.

We also know that the best outcomes come from tackling these moments as a united team. We can’t promise there’ll never be a problem, but we *can* promise we’ll be right beside you when it happens (and never throwing you under the bus).

Communication, Clarity, and Collaboration

Good documentation and clarity make everything easier for everyone; clients, contractors, and the wider design team. From the first budget conversation to final handover, we work transparently, making sure everyone knows who’s doing what.

This approach keeps projects profitable, reputations strong, and ensures we’re all pulling in the same direction rather than stepping on each other’s toes.

Balancing Creativity and Commercial Reality

We’re not a charity, and we know you aren’t either. It’s important that between us, we maximise the opportunities we’ve all worked hard to win. Open, honest conversations about how to achieve that, in a way that’s fair and sustainable for everyone are always welcome.

We know we’re not the right fit for every project, but we’d love to stay in touch and explore opportunities where we are the right team. If you’re looking for a build partner who’ll treat your design with respect, handle the complexities of delivery, and have your back from start to finish, we’d love to show you what we can do.

CGLA are an award winning team of Garden Designers, Landscape Architects, Landscapers and Garden Maintenance Operatives working in Buckinghamshire, London and the South East, as well as on prestigious design projects across the UK and abroad. We are currently working in Oman, Jersey and France, and welcome enquires for design, landscaping or garden maintenance. Contact us here