Getting started
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A garden designer plans and details outdoor spaces. From an overall masterplan for how the garden works, down to planting design and the technical details of terraces, driveways, pools, and other hard landscaping. It's not decoration after the fact; it's the structure the garden is built on.
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A consultation is better suited if you're looking for advice or want to focus on a specific problem with your garden. It can also be a useful starting point if you aren't sure you need a full design. A full design is right when the garden needs to be reconsidered from the ground up.
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No garden is too small, plain, or boring. In fact, small gardens often benefit most from considered design, because every decision carries more weight. There's no minimum scale for good thinking.
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Yes. Most clients arrive with a feeling rather than a plan; a sense that something isn't right, or an ambition they haven't put into words yet. Part of the design process is drawing that out through conversation and site visits, not asking you to arrive with a brief already written.
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This depends on the scale and complexity of the garden, and the level of involvement required. Rather than working from a fixed price list, each project is scoped individually after an initial conversation, so the quote reflects your garden and not a generic package. That said, even for the smallest garden you should expect to invest at least £750 in the design.
the design process
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A no-obligation visit to see the garden, understand how you use it, and talk through what isn't working and what you'd like to change. This shapes the design direction and our fee.
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Timelines vary with scale and season, but design work typically takes a month or two to move through site analysis, concept development, and detailed planning before anything is built or planted.
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Both! Studio Walker brings a clear point of view — gardens should be designed with certainty, not by committee — but the process is collaborative. Your use of the space, your preferences, and your observations all shape the outcome.
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Where new planting is agreed, plants can be sourced and supplied directly, costed separately from the design fee. This keeps plant quality and suitability consistent with the original design intent.
garden stewardship
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Maintenance focuses on keeping a garden neat & tidy. Stewardship is like having a garden designer on retainer and is aimed at continuously improving the garden over time. Each visit combines practical work — targeted pruning, editing planting, rebalancing structure — with ongoing design thinking, so the garden develops with intention rather than simply being kept in check.
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A minimum of six stewardship visits a year, usually more, with greater frequency during the growing season. Visits are timed to what the garden needs at that point in the year, not a fixed monthly slot.
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No. It suits any garden where ongoing attention would make a meaningful difference; including newly planted gardens that need careful establishment, and mature gardens that have drifted out of balance. It can be particularly useful where you have moved into a property with an established garden and feel overwhelmed by how to deal with it.
practical questions
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Studio Walker is based in Godalming, Surrey, in the UK. The majority of our work tends to be located in the home counties. We have worked further afield (including internationally) though, so do get in touch with your location and the scope of what you have in mind, and we'll confirm whether it's a fit.
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Design and planning can begin at any point in the year so don’t hesitate to get in touch. Starting outside the growing season often allows more time for thoughtful design before anything is planted. Planting itself is usually timed to suit the plants, not the calendar.
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You can reach us anytime via our contact page, email, or by phone.
We aim to respond quickly - usually within one business day - to discuss your needs with you and arrange an initial site visit.