Garden design and layout plan by Flourish Landscaping

Garden designs and plans

Professional garden design for you or your chosen contractor.

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Garden designs and planning

Our design-only service provides scaled layout plans, planting plans and detailed specifications for clients who prefer to manage construction separately or already have a trusted landscaper. You receive the same quality of design, the same attention to site conditions and planting detail, but remain in control of how and when the garden is built. Design work is led by our in-house garden designer Eli Jacobacci, with horticultural oversight from Craig Davis BSc (Hons) Horticulture.

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In this guide

Who this service is for

The design-only service suits clients who:

  • Already have a landscaper or builder they trust and want to work with
  • Are planning phased work over several years and need professional plans to guide the process
  • Require scaled drawings for planning permission, listed building consent, or conservation area approval
  • Want to self-build elements of the garden but need professional planting plans and material specifications
  • Prefer to obtain multiple construction quotes from different contractors using a single set of plans

If you would prefer one team to manage both design and construction, our design and build service may be more appropriate.

Clear plans and visual drawings

  • Scaled garden design plan
  • Burton Road garden design
  • Garden design visualisation
  • Detail of garden design plan
  • Detailed planting plan
  • Garden layout drawing
  • Garden construction drawing

Design led by Eli

All design work is led by Eli Jacobacci, who specialises in creating buildable, well-detailed plans for awkward sites and challenging conditions common across Kingston, Surbiton and Richmond. Eli’s plans are contractor-friendly, thoroughly specified, clearly annotated and designed to be priced and built without ambiguity.

The approach focuses on strong structural planting, practical circulation and materials that suit both the property and local conditions. Plans include full construction notes covering drainage, foundations and build sequence, along with detailed planting specifications and sourcing guidance. Any competent landscaper should be able to deliver the work accurately from the information provided.

Plant selection draws on a working palette of reliable performers for Surrey clay, including Carpinus betulus for structural hedging, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Salvia nemorosa and Hakonechloa macra for adaptable border planting. Final plant selection is always tailored to the specific site, aspect and brief.

What you receive

The design-only service delivers a complete set of professional drawings and specifications. The package typically includes:

  • Scaled layout plan showing all hard landscaping, structures, circulation routes and planting zones
  • Detailed planting plan with species, quantities, pot sizes and planting densities
  • Materials schedule specifying paving, walling, timber, aggregates and finishes
  • Construction notes covering levels, drainage requirements, foundations and build sequence
  • Plant sourcing guidance including recommended nurseries and acceptable substitutions
  • Aftercare notes for planting establishment and seasonal maintenance requirements

All plans are provided as printed A3 copies and digital PDFs. Additional site visits during construction can be arranged separately if required to ensure design intent is maintained.

The design process

The process begins with a site visit to discuss how you intend to use the garden, assess soil conditions and aspect, identify any drainage or structural challenges, and establish your expectations around maintenance and budget. This consultation typically lasts 60 to 90 minutes.

Following the visit, we provide a written design fee proposal outlining scope and deliverables. If you proceed, a detailed site survey is carried out and Eli prepares an initial concept design showing proposed layout, key structural elements and broad planting zones. This is presented as a scaled plan with supporting visuals.

Once the concept is agreed, Eli develops the design in detail, specifying materials, resolving levels and drainage, and working through planting at species level. Plans are annotated with construction notes to ensure your contractor has all the information needed to price and build accurately.

The final package includes layout plan, planting plan, materials schedule and construction notes, presented as printed copies and PDFs. From initial consultation to final delivery, the process typically takes six to ten weeks depending on project complexity.

Creating plans that contractors can build from

A good design-only service delivers plans that any competent landscaper can price and build without guesswork. Specifications must be clear, materials readily sourceable, and construction notes thorough enough to address the practical questions that arise on site.

Our plans include levels and falls for paving, foundation depths for walls and structures, drainage routes and soakaway positions, and planting pit preparation requirements. Material specifications are precise: not ‘natural stone paving’ but ‘tumbled limestone 600x900x22mm laid random bond with 10-15mm joints’. Plant specifications include pot size, root type (bare root, rootball or container) and acceptable substitutions where availability may vary.

Because Eli has worked alongside construction teams throughout a career in landscape design, the information contractors need and the questions they will ask are well understood. Plans are designed to minimise queries during build and ensure design intent is maintained even when the designer is not on site.

Working with your contractor

If you do not already have a landscaper, we can suggest contractors who have successfully built from our plans in the past. We do not take referral fees or commissions, these are simply professionals we know to be capable and reliable.

Site visits during construction can be arranged separately if you would like Eli to attend at key stages to ensure design intent is being maintained, resolve any on-site challenges, or confirm planting positions and finishes. This service is charged at an hourly rate and typically involves two to three visits depending on project complexity.

We remain available to answer contractor queries during build and can provide clarification on specifications or substitutions if materials become unavailable. This support is included within the design fee and does not incur additional charges.

Design fees and timescales

Design fees for the complete service (consultation, survey, concept design, detailed plans and specifications) typically range from £1,200 to £4,500 depending on garden size and project complexity.

Smaller urban gardens (up to 100 square metres) usually fall within the £1,200 to £2,000 range. Medium-sized gardens (100 to 300 square metres) typically cost £2,000 to £3,500. Larger gardens, projects requiring planning permission or particularly complex sites may exceed £4,500.

From initial consultation to final plan delivery, the design process typically takes six to ten weeks depending on project complexity. Where planning permission or listed building consent is required, timescales extend to reflect local authority processing times.

Why choose Flourish for design-only work

Design informed by construction knowledge: because Eli works alongside an experienced in-house construction team, designs are buildable, appropriately detailed and grounded in an understanding of Surrey soils, drainage requirements and local material availability. Plans are practical, not aspirational.

Horticultural credibility: plant selection is informed by genuine horticultural knowledge, not aesthetic preference alone, with oversight from Craig Davis BSc (Hons) Horticulture. We understand soil pH, moisture tolerance, aspect requirements, and how plants establish and develop in Surrey’s heavy clay soils.

Contractor-friendly specifications: our plans are designed to be clear, detailed and unambiguous. Contractors can price accurately from the information provided, and build queries during construction are minimal because the specification is thorough.

Local knowledge: working exclusively across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond and Surrey means we understand local planning requirements, conservation area constraints, and the soil and drainage conditions that define how gardens perform in this area.

Independent accreditations: Flourish holds APL, TrustMark, Institute of Horticulture, Gardeners Guild and HTA accreditations. See our partners and accreditations page for full details.

Common questions about garden design plans

How long does the design process take from start to finish?

From initial consultation through to final plan delivery, the process typically takes six to ten weeks depending on project complexity. Projects requiring planning permission, listed building consent or conservation area approval take longer to reflect local authority timescales.

Can my own contractor build from your plans?

Yes, that is exactly what the service is designed for. Plans are produced to a contractor-ready standard with full construction notes, levels, drainage details, material specifications and planting plans. Any competent landscaper should be able to price and build from them accurately, and we remain available throughout the build to answer queries at no additional charge.

Do I have to use Flourish for the construction?

No. The design-only service is genuinely separate from construction. Many clients use the plans with their own preferred contractor, and we are equally happy to support a client who wants to manage the build themselves or obtain competitive quotes from several landscapers.

Can the plans be used for planning permission applications?

Yes. We routinely produce scaled drawings to a standard suitable for planning permission, listed building consent and conservation area approval. We can also liaise with the local planning authority during the application process where helpful.

What if my contractor cannot source a specified plant or material?

Plans include acceptable substitutions for the most common availability issues, and we remain available throughout the build to advise on alternatives. Plant substitutions are particularly important to get right, since the wrong choice can undermine the planting scheme; Eli will recommend equivalents that preserve the design intent.

Can plans be developed in phases over several years?

Yes, this is a common request. A single design can be planned for phased delivery over several years, with construction notes specifying the right sequence so each phase works on its own and integrates cleanly with subsequent phases. This is particularly useful where budget is being spread or where significant tree or hedge planting needs time to establish before later phases proceed.

Areas we cover

We provide design-only services across Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Richmond and the wider Surrey and South West London area. Key locations include:

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If you are planning a garden project and require professional plans for your own implementation or for your chosen contractor, we would be pleased to visit, discuss your requirements and provide a clear design fee proposal.

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