GARDEN design

From initial consultation to planting day, Olive Tree Garden Design offers a fully tailored garden design service. Explore the process and discover how I can transform your outdoor space.

A backyard patio with outdoor wicker furniture and a lush garden with flowering plants, trees, and a well-maintained lawn under a blue sky.

Initial Consultation

nottinghamshire garden design by olive tree garden.A lush garden with various flowering plants, green foliage, and shrubs. A black outdoor chair is in the foreground, with a gravel pathway

Where Your Garden Journey Begins. Every great garden starts with a conversation. The initial garden design consultation gets to know you, your space, and your vision. At this first visit I we’ll talk through your wish list, exploring your ideas, style, and aspirations, and getting a feel for how you want your garden to work. Whether that’s a tranquil retreat to unwind in, or a vibrant, energising space to inspire and engage, I want to understand exactly what you’re looking for.

We’ll also take a good look at the garden together, discussing any opportunities or challenges that come with its location, aspect, or existing features. From there, I’ll begin to establish a realistic budget and time frame, so you have a clear picture of what lies ahead.

Garden Site Survey

Architectural floor plan of nottinghamshire garden design by olive tree garden

The topographical site survey forms the foundation of every garden design. This is a detailed, accurate map measuring a garden’s land levels, slopes, existing structures, trees, and boundaries which is uploaded onto professional CAD software. With your design proposal agreed, the real groundwork begins.

But it’s more than just measurements. This is also my time to get up close and personal with every corner of your garden - absorbing the detail, soaking up the atmosphere, and letting the space itself inform and inspire my design thinking. It’s a quietly important stage that shapes everything that follows.

Garden Concept Plans & Design Proposals

Top-down view of a garden patio with outdoor furniture, surrounded by lush greenery and flowering plants. nottinghamshire garden design by olive tree garden

Bespoke garden concept plans bring your vision to life through hand-rendered digital drawings and mood boards.

Drawing on everything gathered during the consultation, I will develop balanced, carefully considered concepts that capture the atmosphere, style, and inspiration you’re looking for.

Landscaping materials suggestions and initial planting proposals complete the presentation, offering a comprehensive picture of the direction and character of your future garden.

A dedicated concepts presentation then provides the opportunity to review the proposals together, gather your thoughts, and refine the design until it feels exactly right.

Master Plans

A garden layout with a central circular 6-seat table on a brick patio, surrounded by trees, bushes, and flowering plants, with pathways and a small blue structure. nottinghamshire garden design by olive tree garden

Precision drawings form the blueprint for your garden build, providing clear guidance for landscaping and planting teams to generate accurate costings.

With the concept agreed and refined, the design is translated onto professional design software to produce a precise and detailed drawings.

These technical plans form the blueprint for everything that follows and is the stage where creativity meets precision.

The Build

garden under contruction. nottinghamshire garden design by olive tree garden. nottinghamshire landscape gardener

Choose your own contractor or select from my trusted selection of skilled independent landscapers who have built many of my previous gardens.

Throughout the build, I’ll visit site regularly to oversee progress, ensuring the design is being translated accurately from the agreed plans to the layout on the ground.

Garden Planting Plans

Abstract digital illustration by Nottinghamshire garden design by Olive Tree Garden. Nottinghamshire landscape gardener

Plants are at the heart of everything I do. My bespoke planting plans are expertly curated to suit your garden, your lifestyle, and your personal style.

Plant Selection

Plants and trees are the soul of any garden - they breathe life into a space and play a defining role in shaping its character, mood, and personality.

Each planting plan is carefully and personally put together, with images provided for every plant to support their inclusion and introduce you to new varieties you may not have come across before.

Retaining favourite plants If there are existing shrubs or trees you’d like to keep, I’ll gladly work these into the plans.

Planting Process

I carry out the planting myself, ensuring every plant is positioned with care and precision. Should you wish to be involved in the process, plant alongside me - a wonderful way to connect with your new garden from the very beginning.

A garden with a curved wooden pathway, lush green plants, and purple lavender flowers, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background. by Nottinghamshire garden design by Olive Tree Garden. Nottinghamshire landscape gardener

Find out more about my garden design services