How do I make a summer party garden? How can I make it happen this summer?

Have you said since you moved in that you will sort the garden?

Do you have some key milestones you want to celebrate with a new outdoor kitchen and dining area?

Do you need a level lawn to play football with the kids?

Read on for advice on how to make this a reality, or call 01494 818991 or email us to book in a consultation with one of our designers. 

What is stopping you making a summer party garden? 

In most cases life simply gets in the way! Most often….. 

1. Time runs away – The time for planning a garden for next summer is definitely NOW. Before the run up to Christmas, and while you have time to plan it, arrange a team to make it happen, and book in the work before the summer. Otherwise you lose the garden during the summer or just another year rolls round!
2. Uncertainty on likely costs, disruption or process. Whilst we sadly can’t make the costs go away, a great designer can make sure that you get the best “bangs for bucks” and can advise on all other parts, minimising disruption and making sure you get the garden you want 
3. What if I am left with a design I can’t afford?- The CGLA team as part of their process will typically redesign if the first round of costs are too high (it does happen sometimes and we won’t leave you high and dry!). We will show you what you can achieve within your budget so that the decisions remain with you as to how to proceed. 

When should I plan my garden?

As soon as humanly possible! The time window to get a design completed, priced and value engineered in time to book in a team for next Spring is very narrow. Most of us are already discussing larger projects with clients ready for next year, and good landscapers are as rare as unicorns come Spring! 

Winter also is a great time to plan large tree and hedging installations as the rootball stock (which is cheaper and better for a given size) is available. If you miss the November to March window on this you will be looking at much higher costs for some stock, and for some items you will simply have to wait until next November for installation. Often it makes sense to get these items in before anything else just to hit the time window so if you know you need screening and hedging do contact us now and we will do our best to get something sorted for this years’ stock. 

What are the next steps and what will it cost me? 

A chat with a designer typically costs you nothing. You need to know this is someone you can work with and that inspires you with confidence! If not then this is the wrong person. 

We will come to your home, listen carefully to what you want to achieve, and share our ideas for the garden. After that, we will create a written brief and provide a fee proposal to cover the areas of work you have identified (see here for more information on costs) – whether this is a full garden design or a planting plan for a section of it, a masterplan or a detailed design pack for a new build.  

Fees are highly variable, according to needs, but the guidance from the Society of Garden Designers is to expect fees would be around 8-10% of the project value for larger projects (over £100k) with the percentage more variable for smaller projects. We do our utmost to focus on exactly what you need and how we can deliver this cost effectively.  

 And now?…. 

If this all feels like a much bigger makeover than you had in mind, here are some great ideas on how to dress the space you already have to make it feel special from Annie Diamond.

Achieving your Summer Party Garden is only a step away, call us for a chat 01494 818991 and we can help guide you through the process- next summer you can be sitting with a glass of wine and toasting your new garden! 

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