The Dream Garden Checklist Helps You Make Your Perfect Garden A Reality

Terraced garden for entertaining

So, you want to makeover your garden, but you don’t know where to start? To get the perfect garden design there’s a number of key aspects you must consider to ensure your garden is not only stunning to look at but is practical for you and your family’s needs. Many homeowners (like yourself) are overwhelmed by the details that go into a garden re-design.

In this article we’re going to guide you on all the important questions you need to ask yourself before you begin transforming your outdoor space. Garden design is an investment, and you only need to do it once if it’s done properly to your needs.

And we’ve made it even easier for you with a free downloadable checklist to print off as prompts for when you are ready to speak with a professional landscaping company. Any landscaping company worth one’s salt will naturally ask you the questions we’ll be covering in this article during a consultation. So, it’s also a great tool to work out if the company you approach is the best fit for you.

Download your free printable Dream Garden Checklist here.

Let’s Get Personal

When we consult with clients, you’ll be amazed at what pours out of them, because they always are. Each garden we transform is a personal journey for our clients and there’s always an emotional reason why you choose to makeover your outdoor space.

To get the perfect garden design right for you, it’s more important to focus on how your garden makes you feel and what you want to use the space for. Each choice concerning your garden’s layout, features, and materials should always circle back to what you want to use the garden for and how you want it to make you feel.

Modern entertaining garden

What Do You Actually Want to Use the Garden For?

It may seem an obvious question to ask but when you delve deep into it taking into consideration the questions below, you’ll quickly learn about what you ultimately want to use the garden for. The layout, the features you include and the materials you choose should always support that ultimate need. Then your perfect garden forms effortlessly.

Ask yourself:

  • Do you want to use the garden for social gatherings or relaxing? Maybe both.
  • How many people to do regularly entertain for?
  • In which areas would you be most likely to sit, when and why?
  • Do you require any storage areas or garden buildings?
  • What time of day do you use your garden most?
  • What is your top priority for your garden?
  • What time of year do/will you most use your garden?
Dog relaxing in garden

How Do You Feel About Your Garden Space?

How you experience life, and your surroundings are purely based on feelings. Understanding in detail what you like and don’t like about your garden will help you understand what needs to change so you feel better about your outdoor space. Really analyse the pros and cons of your current garden here.

Ask yourself:

  • What do you like about the space you have available?
  • What don’t you like about your garden?
  • What do you wish was different?
  • Are there areas in your garden that are un-useable right now?
  • Is your garden too shady? Does your garden get a lot of sun?
  • Is your garden overlooked? (More on privacy next)

Analyse Your Garden’s Privacy

Your garden’s privacy (or lack of) is a huge factor in how comfortable you are in your garden. You’ve got your dream home, but you feel exposed in your garden. When you’re overlooked you don’t feel comfortable. And when you’re not comfortable you can’t relax, spoiling your outdoor living experience. Ultimately leading to you loving your dream home, less and less in time.

Ask yourself:

  • How overlooked are you? How private is your garden?
  • Do you need to build in extra privacy? Why? Where?
Low maintenance gravel garden in a new build home

Establish The Level of Maintenance You’re Willing to Make

Ask life gets busier, a ‘low maintenance garden’ is frequently requested by our clients. Often low maintenance is mistaken for no maintenance. And no garden is completely chore-less, by understanding the level of maintenance you are willing to make, determines a more manageable end result when re-designing your outdoor space. It’s also another helpful way of looking deeper into what you need to change so you can enjoy your garden time more.

Ask yourself:

  • Do you love gardening so would love to work on your garden yourself?
  • Is time-limited so you need a low-maintenance design?
  • Do you spend more time working in your garden looking after it than relaxing and enjoying it?
  • Will you regularly have a gardener to maintain your garden for you?

In short

Understanding what you like and don’t like about your current garden influences your new re-design more than you may have considered. By answering these questions and getting your thoughts out onto paper you’ll have a clear goal and an in-depth understanding of how you want your dream garden to look, what you want to use it for, and what issues need resolving.

Your Dream Garden Checklist is a great tool to prepare for your meeting with a landscaping company. It will also help you understand if the company you have chosen fully understands your needs.

Remember to download your free printable Dream Garden Checklist here.

When you have your checklist completed and you need some help piecing it all together, let our team turn your garden dream into reality! Call us today on 0116 210 0760 to get started with the design process.

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