HEATHER STEVENS GARDEN DESIGN
Creating Beautiful Surroundings
Welcome to Heather Stevens Garden Design.
We’re thrilled you’ve decided to visit us - please browse our site to discover what we’re all about.
ABOUT US
All Gardens Great & Small
We are a Christchurch based garden design studio that offers a full garden design, planting and advice service for clients throughout the South of England, who are seeking an outside space which is both beautiful and functional. We can provide an individually tailored garden design to compliment and enhance your lifestyle, whether you need space to entertain, somewhere for the kids to play, a plot to grow vegetables or simply a place to relax. Contemporary or traditional, large or small, low maintenance or a plant lover's retreat - whatever your needs, we can create a dream garden that's perfect for you.
​
​Heathers love of being outdoors and enjoying the beautiful surroundings she creates has led her to expand the maintenance side of her business. Contact us today to discuss your gardens maintenance requirements.
HEATHER STEVENS GARDEN DESIGN
The process
INITIAL VISIT
Let the adventure begin.......
This first visit is a no obligation meeting as it is an essential opportunity to see the site, meet you and discuss what you hope to achieve in the garden, determining exactly what you want from your new garden.
You might want it to become a space for entertaining, for relaxing, for children to play in, or for growing fruit and vegetables. Or maybe a combination of all these and much, much more! We will consider themes and styles that you aspire to.
Budgets will be discussed as this will impact on the scale of the project and materials used.
From this meeting I will have collected all the information required to provide you with a Design brief and quotes for the design work to be undertaken.
SITE SURVEY
Getting the Measure of Things
Once the brief has been agreed, a detailed site survey is carried out, which will include existing buildings, boundaries, existing features, trees, levels and all measurements required for the development of accurate design plans. This stage is vital as a proper site survey reduces unnecessary and unplanned expense during the building phase. I can do this for you or arrange for a surveyor to do it if the site is exceptionally large or complex. I will also take this opportunity to appraise the site and where necessary take soil samples to test for pH and nutrients as well as on-site examination of soil depths and condition and evaluation of existing plants and trees.
CONCEPT PLAN
Setting the mood
Before creating a Master plan of your garden, I will produce concept plans. These will include hand drawn sketches, aerial plans and any accompanying illustrations to help you really visualise how your new garden will be. Generally, these are not always to scale. Client input/feedback will guide the final design from these concept ideas. Samples of proposed materials will be shown at this stage and cost options discussed. From here we can agree on the general components of your garden, before moving onto the full design.
MASTERPLAN
The Big Picture
This is a scale plan drawing showing the new design for your garden. It includes all the new structural features and planting areas, as well as any existing features to be retained. Three dimensional visuals can also be produced to bring the plan to life. These can illustrate almost any view of the garden and can be so much easier to interpret than a plan drawing.
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS
Its all in the detail
Construction drawings and specifications are produced to provide the detailed information for a landscape contractor to build your garden. It incorporates any amendments agreed with you and is the larger scale, detailed Plan. This ensures that the garden is built exactly as its intended to be. It also enables you to request like for like quotes to be obtained from more than one landscaper, which can give you peace of mind that you are getting a fair price for the work.
PLANTING PLAN
Plants, plants and more plants
The Planting Plan overlays the Master Plan, showing the location and spacing of all the plants both old and new in your beautiful new space. Plants are chosen with great care to suit the soil and situation that they will be planted in. Choices will also consider the amount of time you want to spend gardening. You will receive an accompanying Plant Schedule listing all the plants, sizes and quantities together with a colour image of each plant, making it easy for you to identify unfamiliar varieties. The schedule is essential to aid in costing, ordering and setting out the plants
LIGHTING PLANS
Shedding some light on the matter
The correct use of lighting not only extends your use of the garden, but it also introduces a whole new character. I can devise a lighting scheme, including recommending specific light fittings, and liaise with the electrician over installation.
CONSTRUCTION
The big build
You may wish to use my designs to build the garden yourselves, have a trusted landscaper in mind, or require quotes from some of the landscapers we work closely with. I can be on hand ensure that the ideas we have developed together on paper are represented fully and accurately on the ground.
PLANTING
The best bit
Planting in the garden is like painting a picture, it can soften even the most contemporary gardens with clean architectural lines and strong bone structure.
You may have an existing garden which is structurally well designed but has some gaps or areas of inappropriate or tired planting. In this case, we can also offer a planting service. This could involve a total redesign of your borders or could simply be supplementary or seasonal planting.
Follow up visits can be organised after planting to ensure that plants are healthy and growing well. This is also great time for you to ask questions about any of the plants. These visits can continue at regular intervals to advise you as the garden develops.
We can also prepare easy to understand Maintenance Guides to ease you gently into caring for your new garden.
We work with a small selection of specialist independent plant nurseries to source the best possible plant specimens.
Styling;
We can also source and supply pots, planters, furniture, sculpture and other styling elements.
​
GARDEN MAINTENANCE
Prestige Coast & County Garden Care
Based in Christchurch, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by the luxury, period and characterful residences of Dorset and The New Forest. We specialise in caring for these beautiful gardens and ensuring they are sympathetically maintained, whilst giving them the opportunity to flourish
All gardens require on-going attention and care to keep them looking their best. To assist you with the upkeep of your garden, we offer a range of garden maintenance and management services.
Contracts can provide for regular maintenance with monthly, fortnightly or weekly visits. Alternatively, a one-off or short block of visits can be arranged if you just require occasional help.
HEATHER STEVENS GARDEN DESIGN
Just some of the packages that we offer
PACKAGE 1- THE GUIDING HAND
The perfect gift
This is a great option for those who want to improve their garden themselves but just need a helping hand.
If you are simply looking for guidance with your existing garden, whether it is design ideas, or planting advice for a difficult site, we also offer this as a standalone service. A fresh pair of eyes or a new planting scheme can inspire and transform a tired garden.
We spend time in your garden discussing what can be improved and how. Garden too shady? Overlooked? Awkward shaped plot? Whatever the issue, we can discuss how to re-imagine and re-design your space.
Afterwards I provide a not to scale plan recording the ideas and discussions. I can also supply planting ideas.
Looking for an unusual and useful gift that the receiver will benefit from for years? This package makes a great gift for loved ones.
PACKAGE 2 SOFTLY, SOFTLY
Perfect if your project doesn't require construction detailing just a artistic touch
I will meet with you to discuss your requirements and dreams for your garden – an outside entertaining space, a calm space to relax, a water feature, place for the children to play and grow or a or a haven for the birds and bees? Whatever your aspirations I can help.
following a survey of your site I will create a professional concept plan and mood board showing my ideas for your space.
I also provide a planting plan showing the names and position of plants.
I can obtain and plant the plants too if you wish and you can request a maintenance schedule for your planting. We are always on hand for future maintenance needs.
PACKAGE 3 OUTSIDE IN
Plants aren't just for gardens
Indoor plants can have a positive effect on our air quality, our mood, and even our mental health. We offer a interior landscaping service for your home or workplace. Plants can absorb sound; therefore background noise in could be reduced.
GET IN TOUCH
The Pointy House, 74 Sopers Lane, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1JF
07976356796
OPENING HOURS
Mon - Fri: 8am - 6pm
​
