Garden Design Services

Our mission is to maximise the potential of your outdoor space. It’s not just about designing a pretty garden, it’s so much more than that: it is extending your home beyond its four walls; it is having a relaxing place to unwind and recharge outside after a long, stressful day;  it is being inspired by year-round colour in your garden every day, come rain or shine;  it is spending time in nature amongst wildlife. Our aim is to design a living investment which you can enjoy for years to come.

Caroline’s signature style is ‘contemporary-cottage’ which marries clean architectural lines and shapes with abundant, free-flowing planting schemes. Planting schemes rich in evergreen perennials, strong architectural grasses, and all-season interest.
Picture yourself sitting outside in your ‘secret’ hideaway spot surrounded by tall feathery blooms swaying in the gentle breeze. You are out of sight, and the only sounds keeping you in the ‘here and now’ is the soft movement of the wind through the plants, the birds singing, and the occasional bee flying past. 

Our services are tailored specifically to your project, your requirements and your budget. We can offer as light or as comprehensive a service as is needed. Either way, it all starts with you getting in contact to say hello. 

introductions

We can arrange to come out to meet you, to see your outdoor space and listen to what you hope to achieve- this would be a free-of-charge appointment so that we can fully understand your budget and requirements. Caroline is either listening carefully to what it is you want to achieve or, if you need inspiration, highlighting the possibilities of your garden. After the initial consultation, we will then send you a proposal which sets out our understanding of the project and outlines the associated fees. If you are happy with our proposal, the journey begins…

getting to know you and the site
Our most important job throughout the process is listening to you. We will aim to understand your vision, your style, and the feelings you want your garden to give you. We will aim to understand your list of practical ‘needs’ and ‘wants’. We will want to know how much you want to ‘garden’ in your garden. We will draw on your unique knowledge of your garden- what has worked well in the past, what has not worked well, and that pesky water-logged area in which nothing seems to grow. 
We will take steps to ascertain site context, soil conditions and site exposure. Depending on the size and complexity of the site, we will either do our own measured survey of the site, or advise you that specialised survey services will be required.
concept design
Our concept designs are hand-sketched illustrations of what your outdoor space could become. Key shapes, hard and soft will be indicated, along with material suggestions and mood boards showing planting concepts, ideas, and seasonal interest.
Our concept designs are fully-annotated to allow you to ‘get inside’ your future space and understand its key features. If you are simply looking for an outline plan, inspiration, or perhaps you are looking to construct the garden yourself, we can leave you with your concept design. If you are looking for the full service, we can assist further…
technical design
Details matter. Caroline knows this from her experience working in the design and construction industry. Studio Stassen designs are not just pretty pictures. There is so much construction detailing behind making the picture-perfect garden. It may look like ‘just a pretty picture’ on paper, but contractors need specific instructions and dimensions to allow them to turn the design into reality. No guesswork, no ambiguity. Just clear instructions to leave everyone knowing precisely what they need to do.
This technical design package is important before any contractor even breaks ground. It is critical to have as little ambiguity as possible so as to allow contractors to quote for the work properly. Without robust designs, good contractors end up pricing the job ‘high’ (adding contingency into their pricing for items they know they will need) and poor contractors end up pricing the job ‘low’ (not including for items they do or don’t know they will need).
We can help recommend local landscapers who we think would be well-suited to your project, and we can help assist with the tendering process and tender reviews.
prices
Our fees are tailored to the requirements of each project. Our fully illustrated and annotated concept design package typically start at £1,500.
Not sure you’re ready to take that step? We can kick off your journey with a high-level ‘ideas session’ based on your vision and goals, for £200, which will be credited towards future fees if you move forward with our design services. 
 
We will consider working on an hourly time-charge in some cases. Please get in touch to discuss your specific needs.
get in touch

Areas Served

We offer garden design services throughout the North East of England, including: Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, Alnwick, Ashington, Cramlington, Hexham, Morpeth, Ponteland, Rothbury, North Tyneside, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, South Tyneside, County Durham, Sunderland.

We also cater for clients in London and the Home Counties.

If your area is not listed, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are always happy to discuss projects across the North East and beyond.

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