Detailed Garden Design
** ALL DESIGN SERVICES SUSPENDED DUE TO COVID-19 **
While we are happy to provide garden consults virtually, we can't in all good conscience offer design services without visiting your property first. In person visits have been suspended until further notice as part of our effort to limit the spread of Covid-19. We encourage you to consider whether a virtual garden consult might work for you in the short term during these challenging times. Thanks for your patience.
Stay safe everyone.
Section of a detailed design for a rural-residential property, showing main trees and shrubs but not ground covers.
The Detailed Garden Design is tailored to your needs. It can range from a moderately detailed design scaled at 1:100 (1 cm represents 1 metre) showing all trees, shrubs and berries, through to a 'paint by numbers' blueprint where every single plant is identified and detailed plant lists are supplied with your implementation report.
Service summary:
The Detailed Design Pack contains the following:
Plus, depending on the level of detail you require, it may also contain:
Cost: Total hours @ $70 per hour of work. Contact us to discuss your project and get an estimate of the likely number of hours it would take.
Service summary:
- Garden consultation(s)
- Detailed Garden Design pack to your specifications
The Detailed Design Pack contains the following:
- Site analysis diagram(s) (A3 size)
- Design(s) to your required level of detail (A3 size or larger) - e.g. major trees and understorey plants may be shown with separate drawings
- Explanations of permaculture techniques included in your design and other key information
Plus, depending on the level of detail you require, it may also contain:
- Initial concept sketches if using a collaborative and iterative design process
- Earthworks diagram(s)
- Detailed plant lists
- Detailed implementation advice/plan
Cost: Total hours @ $70 per hour of work. Contact us to discuss your project and get an estimate of the likely number of hours it would take.
Design FAQ's
Q: What do you use to draw the designs?
Until about a year ago all designs were hand drawn - but now thanks to the wonders of modern technology I use a hand drawing program called 'Procreate' on an iPad Pro. This allows precision and use of layers which is very handy, while still allowing for that nice, organic, hand drawn aesthetic. Because trees are never round!
Q: What are site analysis diagrams and why do I need them in my design pack?
Permaculture is based on systems thinking. In order to design a garden that harvests water, builds fertility over time and avoids unnecessary extra effort on your part, it's important to take account of factors like solar access, wind direction and shelter, aspect and slope, water flows during rain, soil type, fire risk, as well as the impact of buildings and existing plants. This analysis is included in your design pack to help you to see the underlying opportunities and limitations of your site and hence see the rationale behind the design. It's about helping you to see with the eyes of a permaculture designer! How you use your garden is also important, so in many cases a separate zone map is also provided.
Q: What scale will my design be?
Your whole property will usually be presented at 1:100 scale on A3 - this means every centimetre on your design represents a metre in your garden. For a standard residential block, this means a separate A3 design drawing for your front and back gardens. However, because the level of detail is up to you, we can zoom in closer than that to scales of 1:50 or even more.
Q: How much detail will I get in my detailed design?
As much as you like! Basically, the difference between this Detailed Design service and the Intermediate one is that you get to choose the level of detail you need, from providing all trees, shrubs and hardscaping right down to itemising every single ground cover if you need a 'paint by numbers' blueprint!
Where details of trees and many of the understorey plants are included, several drawings may be provided to avoid too much complexity on any one design drawing. For example, a design layout of major trees that includes relevant advice might form one drawing, while another drawing of the same area details the understorey plants and hardscaping.
If earthworks are recommended (for example, French drains, swales and berms, or terracing) a separate drawing indicating the locations, key points and how to manage the earthworks will also be provided.
This means, for a standard-size residential block, you might have as many as 4 or 5 design drawings, all showing different elements of the design in a way that it is easy to follow and nothing gets too cluttered.
But before you worry, thanks to the wonders of modern technology and the ability to draw on layers, this is still very cost effective as everything is drawn in layers over the one base drawing, saving my time and your money!
Q: What if I don't understand my design or something isn't clear to me?
While we strive to make your design and explanations as user-friendly as possible, please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions or feedback! I am always available by email or phone.
Next steps:
If you need assistance with landscaping, please note that Canberra Permaculture Design does not directly offer a landscaping service (my arms are not nearly muscly enough to give you good value for money!) but I can provide assistance with project management or working with your landscaper to ensure they 'get' the ideas behind the design.
Q: What do you use to draw the designs?
Until about a year ago all designs were hand drawn - but now thanks to the wonders of modern technology I use a hand drawing program called 'Procreate' on an iPad Pro. This allows precision and use of layers which is very handy, while still allowing for that nice, organic, hand drawn aesthetic. Because trees are never round!
Q: What are site analysis diagrams and why do I need them in my design pack?
Permaculture is based on systems thinking. In order to design a garden that harvests water, builds fertility over time and avoids unnecessary extra effort on your part, it's important to take account of factors like solar access, wind direction and shelter, aspect and slope, water flows during rain, soil type, fire risk, as well as the impact of buildings and existing plants. This analysis is included in your design pack to help you to see the underlying opportunities and limitations of your site and hence see the rationale behind the design. It's about helping you to see with the eyes of a permaculture designer! How you use your garden is also important, so in many cases a separate zone map is also provided.
Q: What scale will my design be?
Your whole property will usually be presented at 1:100 scale on A3 - this means every centimetre on your design represents a metre in your garden. For a standard residential block, this means a separate A3 design drawing for your front and back gardens. However, because the level of detail is up to you, we can zoom in closer than that to scales of 1:50 or even more.
Q: How much detail will I get in my detailed design?
As much as you like! Basically, the difference between this Detailed Design service and the Intermediate one is that you get to choose the level of detail you need, from providing all trees, shrubs and hardscaping right down to itemising every single ground cover if you need a 'paint by numbers' blueprint!
Where details of trees and many of the understorey plants are included, several drawings may be provided to avoid too much complexity on any one design drawing. For example, a design layout of major trees that includes relevant advice might form one drawing, while another drawing of the same area details the understorey plants and hardscaping.
If earthworks are recommended (for example, French drains, swales and berms, or terracing) a separate drawing indicating the locations, key points and how to manage the earthworks will also be provided.
This means, for a standard-size residential block, you might have as many as 4 or 5 design drawings, all showing different elements of the design in a way that it is easy to follow and nothing gets too cluttered.
But before you worry, thanks to the wonders of modern technology and the ability to draw on layers, this is still very cost effective as everything is drawn in layers over the one base drawing, saving my time and your money!
Q: What if I don't understand my design or something isn't clear to me?
While we strive to make your design and explanations as user-friendly as possible, please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions or feedback! I am always available by email or phone.
Next steps:
If you need assistance with landscaping, please note that Canberra Permaculture Design does not directly offer a landscaping service (my arms are not nearly muscly enough to give you good value for money!) but I can provide assistance with project management or working with your landscaper to ensure they 'get' the ideas behind the design.