One of the great joys of our work is having the opportunity to collaborate with a range of different people and experience the varied perspectives they bring to the table. In return we get a kick from imparting our knowledge and experience with those whom we have built a sound working relationship.
We maintain great working relationships with a number of garden designers and will often refer them to clients and projects that we feel would they would enjoy being involved with.
Is always good to be involved from the start with a designer’s project. We can offer guidance and advice from the outset and help overcome any pitfalls before they are ‘planned in’. Once a designer has secured a potential project we are often asked to help out with site surveys, discussing levels, budget considerations and other technical details.
Terrace courtyard
When Matt Childs asked us to build his Hampton garden design we became heavily involved in the artistic process itself with input into everything from the colour of the walls to the style of the fixings. Its great to be able to get under the skin of a project and to ‘know’ it from the inside out. And even better when you win Gold.
Similarly, when we built our BALI award winning garden we came up with the idea, mid-build, of raising the rear section of the space in order to accentuate the importance of the fireplace focal point and to punch it up above the eyeline of the central pool. We understood the necessity of implementing this change but convincing the client was another thing altogether. The designer of this project, Simon Thomas likes the way that we are able to communicate effectively and keep everyone in the picture at all times. We like to work with him as his designs are always strking, exciting and challenging to build and whenever we meet potential clients that want to see these elements in their gardens, we put them in touch.
Sometimes designers like to simply deliver the plans and let the contractor get on with it. When we built this Richmond garden design for Anthony Henn the process was done entirely remotely. Anthony was fully engaged with other work in North London at the time and so, sent us the design, gave us the brief and left us to manage the project from start to finish. Much to the delight of the client who managed to avoid paying project managments fees!
Most designers like to have some presence however, and its always nice to see a smile when they turn up on site to view their plans coming to fruition.
Above all, its about fun. Lets face it, most of our waking hours are given over to working. If we can’t raise a smile and share a joke with our workmates and collaborators, whats the point?
Until the next time.
Ben
