Chris Deakin Chris Deakin

As an award-winning Norfolk-based garden designer, I relish taking on projects across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire that are challenging, stimulating and creative. In particular, gardens and homes where I can lavish time and energy, manipulating and changing space, improving lives and delighting my clients.

Garden Design

Whether you are starting from scratch with a new home and garden, need to adapt and redesign your existing garden for a changing lifestyle, desire a showcase garden transformation or simply want to create a delicious haven for rest and relaxation, my expert advice can guide you through every step of the process.

Share with me your desired garden’s vision, practicalities, and requirements for your project. My expertise and precision will create a living, breathing space for you to cherish and enjoy. Your garden will tell your story through design and functionality. Whether you are seeking a modern garden or something more traditional and timeless, I am dedicated to bringing your vision to life.

Design Process

From beginning to end, I work closely with you to take your project from an initial idea to a completed garden. Take my creativity, flair and passion for design, and couple them with my technical expertise and you will have all the skills you need under one roof.

Step One Initial Visit

As part of our early conversations, you’ll have already shared your garden history with me along with how you’d like to see it transformed for the future. This on-site visit will allow me to see your garden first-hand, building a more detailed picture of the opportunities it holds and the challenges we need to navigate. More importantly, as we talk about landscape design, I’ll be learning more about how you wish to use the garden, what form and structure you’d like to see as well as the style, atmosphere and personality you’d like it to convey.

These first impressions, thoughts and desires will help me shape your garden design to accentuate the features of your home. It’s the perfect time for me to analyse your garden’s aspect, access, topography and soil structure and to get creative. I like to let my mind run, enlightening you as to how I can create an amazing garden for you to love.

At the end of the visit, you’ll feel informed as to the next steps of your garden design journey. Still, more importantly, energised and inspired about the potential your garden holds and confident you will see a design that exceeds your expectations.

Garden Design
Garden Design

Step Two Garden Design Fee Proposal

Following my visit to your home and garden, I’ll prepare a bespoke proposal outlining my design fees for the next stage with a written copy of the brief. This follow up will give you time to consider everything that has been discussed. Once the fees are agreed upon, I’ll begin creating your concept design.

Step Three Site Survey, Concept Design & Planting Plan

A topographical survey of your existing garden with accurate measurements of existing buildings, structures, trees, ground levels, soil analysis and photography.

It’s time to get creative! Using this analysis and the details from the brief, I will develop a concept for you surrounding our initial garden design introduction. This to-scale plan is presented to you along with mood boards, samples of materials. To hope you visualise the proposed scheme we can offer to prepare perspective sketches or 3D visualisations to convey the design ideas.

From walkways and feature walls to planted areas, lawns and hedges, your garden design will be brought to life for the first time. Detailed planting plans will show each plant in it’s position, at its mature size, providing layers of colour, scent, form and texture that will become a real talking point throughout the seasons.

Should you require that little something extra – a set of sculptures to attract the eye, an outdoor kitchen and new terrace for entertaining or a mesmerising water feature, everything will be styled and sensitive to the garden and your lifestyle.

At this stage, I allow two further amendments to the design should you need to make any changes following my presentation. This allows me to hone the ideas so that the design is just right for you, your setting and your home.

Once you are happy with the concept design, Stage 4 begins where I will work up the bespoke detailing. 

Garden Design
Garden Design

Step Four Bespoke Detailing and Master Plan

Here I’ll begin the bespoke detailing and refining of your garden design. Construction details, planting and lighting plans together with a specification/bill of quantities are drawn up to ensure every element of the garden design is thoroughly considered and specified.

By this end of this stage, you will have a series of plans and drawings that will be used to build your garden to the correct specifications.  These will be used to draw up a quotation for the project so that your budget is managed. Please note, all Bespoke Detailing Plans are charged at an additional cost.   

At this point, all the garden design and planting information will be complete. The next step is to decide who you would like to work with to build and plant your garden.

The two options of working with my recommended landscaper or tendering for a contractor of your choice are detailed in Steps 5A and 5B.

Step Five Tender Package Contract

It is extremely important to select the right contractor for your project who will ensure the best quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and a thoughtful and considered approach. I can recommend trusted professionals from landscapers, electricians, water and irrigation specialists, sculptures, Woven Willow fencers and many others.

Alternatively, through the tender process, you can select your own landscaper contractor who will construct and plant your garden. Charged at an additional cost, I can prepare a specification document outlining the precise work to be undertaken and construction methods and materials to be used. This will be sent to the contractors along with the design, contract documentation and any other relevant drawings so they can quote for the work on an equal basis. I can also assist you in reviewing the comparable quotes and helping you make a choice.  Once you have selected your contractor, I can be on hand to engage with them in a design consultant role, monitoring the project, ensuring the interpretation of the design is delivered as agreed. This will be at an additional cost.

Garden Design
Garden Design

Step Six Detailed Quote Review

Final checks! Before work begins, I’ll review the quote with you. As we can see the full breakdown for each element within the garden construction, together with relevant costs, it means we can make any adjustments quickly and accurately if need be.