Survey, assessing and planning the garden
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Accessing the space you are commissioned to design is first step in the garden design. Thorough work is needed, and every detail and element must be covered in your survey. |
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Use check lists you have previously drafted to clear up as many issues with the client as possible. You have task to understand client’s wishes, needs and requirements, even if they cannot envision them themselves. |
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Take numerous measurements and notes about property and its surrounding. Use checklists, draw sketches and take a lot of notes. Everything is important on this stage. |
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Preparation is a crucial in the process of designing the garden. Remember: there is no information too small or trivial. Explore and experiment with different ideas, and you will find your creative juices flowing. |
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Don’t leave next stage of design to long after survey and assessment. Planning is best to be done whilst your brain is still fresh with memory of the space you are about to transform. |
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INTRODUCING REFERENCE LIBRARY: |
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We are strongly recommending forming your personal reference library. Start collecting images and notes from different sources: |
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Your previous work files, projects you are satisfied with and have similar profile as your present project; |
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Ideas that were left incomplete, or didn’t sit well with particular clients can be useful in one of your next projects, so never dispose of your old sketches and notes, they can prove useful; |
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Magazines, books and publications from the fields of design regardless of the aspect of design. Sometimes you will find a perfect solution in the places you are not considering your main source of inspiration. Keep your mind open to new possibilities. |
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Images! Collected from any source possible, but most importantly your own taken with your trusted camera... Again, do not limit yourself in taking pictures of gardens; anything can become your inspiration in the right moment: sand blown by the wind; sunset colours, interesting pebble, wild grass pattern by the sea... |
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As well as collecting the images, collect your notes. Record thoughts and ideas, write about things you have seen, and experienced. You might be able to recreate personal moment of owe in the remarkable garden one day! |
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On this point, start by browsing through your reference library. Constantly compare existing garden survey notes, and client’s wishes and requirements with your thoughts and ideas, searching for the perfect match. Put aside all the material (notes, images...) you think might be useful. Don’t worry if you have a big amount of material. You will discard most of it during the process, but you’ll be sure you have choices around you. |
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Draw Existing Garden Plan in scale. This will help you to envision given situation in right proportion. Include all the relevant details and notes of the current situation, what do you want to be “getting rid of”, what do you want to be left in the garden, and what to be altered. |
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Good idea is to make good copies of your Existing Plan, leaving out anything you will leave out in your design. This will be your “empty canvas”. Many copies will enable you to experiment freely. Be careful not to lose accuracy of the scale by copying/ using badly adjusted copying machine. |
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Now, when you have a lot of copies of “empty canvas” garden, you can start to experiment your ideas. Don’t be afraid to write notes, constantly checking your original Existing plan. Use of the “bubble diagram” is great idea: allocate separate spaces of the garden, and experiment with different layouts. Make sure to include all the requirements and needs your client have, transferring from the assessment and survey notes and sketches. |
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