When does landscaping transform a garden into a livable space? And is there a difference between garden and landscape designers? From experience a garden becomes a landscape when views shift, when tons and tons of earth are moved, features built or exposed, views are restored or enclosed all in order to bring privacy or openness. The skills required are immense and in line with both residential and commercial architects. Artistry, mathematics, visualisation, research and an un rivalled knowledge of fauna and horticulture aligned to a deep understanding of construction, materials science and of course the British weather. Having developed residential and commercial projects over many years its seems that this is a growing and profitable component in home renovations. Perusing the to 40 garden designers at House And Gardens [article can be read here] though there are many familiar names, none of our chosen partners are listed, even though their pedigree and past works speak for themselves.
So who to trust and more importantly what will they bring to the project. Scale, brief and budget are the first concerns, for they must match the designer. I wouldn’t recommend Landform Consultants Ltd for a terraced house in the Home Counties or a semi-detached home in Pinner. It is not their capability but the fit.
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As they state: ‘Landform is an award winning company, creating high quality gardens & landscapes, throughout the UK’ and they do that and so much more. If you have a country retreat, a sizeable garden requiring a complete makeover or even a secluded terrace or garden in Chelsea or Knightsbridge and you believe your project requires something special Landform are certainly worth checking out.
More locally two designers come to mind.
Firstly, Landcraft Garden & Landscape Design. Based in West London they represent some of the best in the landscape business: As they say on their website: ‘We believe that designing and installing the perfect garden is a collaborative effort. We walk you through every stage of the process, sharing our wealth of knowledge, ideas and creativity to make the very most of your outdoor space.’ And Jonathan and his team have delivered some excellent projects including awards at Grand Designs Live and RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.
In Buckinghamshire we also have Paul Luker of The Landscape Connection and also Ben Edward of Ben Edward Design
