Linsey Evans is a garden designer based in Berkshire, designing gardens throughout Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, London and Hampshire.
One of Linsey's specialities is designing for sloping gardens.
Here Linsey talks a bit about that process as well as life as a garden designer in general.
Anyone who has ever had to design or build a garden on a slope will know it's a challenge.....How do you go about it and where do you start?
I’ve designed many sloping gardens and absolutely love them. Even a small sloping site can be designed with several different linked areas that create an interesting journey round the garden. But gardens need to have flat spaces in order to create usable areas like a patio and a lawn.
So what are your first thoughts and what do you look for first?
The most important thing about designing on a slope is to understand the level changes within the garden. I create a design that is visually pleasing and meets the requirements but also addresses the technical challenges presented by the level changes. My approach is to create flat terraces retained by walls connected by steps and or ramps.
First the house and garden need to be measured accurately. Then the levels are surveyed to find out the differences in ground level around the garden. The ground levels are checked at regular intervals in comparison to the benchmark or ‘datum’– a fixed point that will not change during garden construction, usually outside the front or back door of the house.
These levels and measurements are then used to create cross-sections of the garden, which help decide the position and heights of retaining walls necessary to create the garden structure.
A garden in Gerrards Cross before work began
How thorough is this process and what are your margins for error?
Accurate surveying is crucial to the success of the design and ultimately the build. The level measurements must be correct, as they help calculate how high a retaining wall needs to be for any given distance away from the house. Where possible I avoid creating very high retaining walls, and I try to split the garden into fewer, shallower levels.
That's a good point about high retaining walls; they can be overpowering and heavy to look at but there must also be 100% structural integrity. What are your favoured construction methods?
The materials we most commonly use for strength and integrity on garden walls are concrete blocks. Blockwork walls form the mainframe with which we can add a variety of facing materials: the aesthetical bit. Blockwork may either rendered (plastered), or faced (clad) with another material such as stone, brick, or even steel.
Walls over a certain height – my cutoff point is 1.2m high – should be specified by a structural engineer. The higher the wall the more important it is that the footing is adequate to ensure structural integrity and longevity. So, where higher walls are unavoidable it is important to involve a structural engineer.
Do you have any favourite materials you especially like to use for cladding, for example?
I particularly like slate cladding tiles and pebble mosaic tiles which look beautiful in a garden setting. Mixing together different wall finishes helps to introduce textural contrast and breaks up a long, harsh run of walling. A rendered wall with an occasional section of stone cladding adds interest and reduces the potentially overbearing impact of hard landscaping. I would love to do a project where I can use coloured mosaic tiles on a retaining wall. So, I’m waiting for a client that loves Gaudi and the Mediterranean look.
Terracing a garden is an obvious solution for dealing with slopes but they bring their added challenges. For example access is often difficult. There's also the logistics or getting materials into site and up to the various levels but also, coming out you have to deal with excavations. Do you have an effective plan for dealing with this?
Digging footings for walls and excavating terraces will create a pile of excess soil which needs to be disposed of. However where possible we use soil from excavated areas to level and to fill the voids behind retaining walls on built up areas. This process, called cut and fill, is an important and useful way of making use of as much existing soil and hardcore as possible reduces the costs of removing it from site and avoids us having to bring in extra soil to top up levels. I designed a steep garden in Buckinghamshire last year with a 3 metre drop over a very small distance. We did not remove any hardcore or soil from site it was all re-used to infill behind the new retaining walls. This reduced the build costs by around £2000 – a significant amount when clients are on a tight budget.
What is it about designing gardens on slopes that makes them more appealing?
I believe that gardens with different levels are the most interesting. The exiting or natural changes in level help to dictate where the garden is to split into different areas, each will then bring its own distinct character. Terraces and retaining walls can be used to create gorgeous water features too: paths can weave gently down through the levels: Steps can be used as architectural features rather than just functional transitions.
How do you go about choosing the materials for each job?
The building and finishing materials chosen will depend on my client's budget and personal preferences, and the style of the garden. If I'm designing a wall, the building materials chosen depend on what the wall is to support. For example, a railway sleeper wall is not suitable for creating very high walls that will be required to retain a great deal of soil, it is much better to use a solid concrete block wall construction for this purpose.
A view of the garden after completion
What are you and how do you define what you do?
I am a garden designer - not to be confused with gardeners or landscapers. We all work together to create the garden, but our roles are different. I design outdoor spaces in the same way an architect designs houses and indoor spaces. I create the plans for a garden, based on clients’ requirements and the specifics of each site. I provide a creative solution to the practical problems presented by an outdoor space.
How long have you been designing?
9 years.
What route have you taken to get to your current position (i.e. college; self-taught; mentoring)?
I re-trained – I was working in IT and had had enough. I did a diploma in garden design. I also took a series of practical courses on garden construction. I am always learning. I do regular professional development courses through the Society of Garden Designers and local colleges. I am always learning new ways of solving problems from my excellent contractors.
How many designs do you do in a year?
It varies, especially in these uncertain times. It also depends on the size of projects – two large sites will take as much time as several smaller gardens. However, this year is exceptional. Since the beginning of the year I have designed four gardens, two one-acre sites, a small courtyard and a steeply sloping front garden. I am working on a very exciting 40-acre estate – this client has also asked me to look at his house in Vienna. I have just started another design for a medium-sized rear garden and have four gardens waiting to be designed for a high-end housing developer. I am retained by a 60-acre estate doing various sized projects. I also work regularly for a golf club – this year I am re-designing the club house surrounds. So, it’s looking like a very busy year already.
What is their average build value?
Again, hard to say. The largest budget I’ve had so far is £500,000 and the smallest £6,000. On average, I would say budgets range from £30,000 to £60,000, but this year many of the budgets will be much larger.
Another view of the completed garden
Typically how long do you spend on each design?
To produce the initial concept design on a small/medium-sized project will take about a week the larger ones can take much longer. I need a great deal of creative thinking time to make sure each design is unique, meets the requirements and will work in a specific site.
Thereafter, other plans are required to enable the garden to be constructed and these can take several days or weeks depending on the size and complexity of the project.
What gives you most pride, designing the garden or seeing it built?
I love the design process and never present a drawing to clients unless I am one hundred percent happy with it. But, the point of the design process is to create a great garden. So, my sense of pride comes from standing in the completed garden with the clients telling me how much they love the garden. Also, in showing potential clients my portfolio and having them say how beautiful they think the gardens are.
What's the most pleasing aspect of your job?
Having a tangible end product that people can use and enjoy and knowing that I had the confidence and vision to create it.
What irks you most about the garden design and landscaping industry?
Reluctance of clients to pay a realistic design fee. There are so many designers who are undercharging. I understand why – clients have an unrealistic expectation of how much work goes into creating a great design and will often simply choose the cheapest quote.
Also, landscapers who, when asked for ideas, do not involve a designer. I don’t know whether this is because they think the designer will interfere, or whether they simply don’t understand what a designer can add to the project. There are some awful gardens built by contractors which could have been so much better if they’d had even a very basic plan to work from.
Does the Chelsea Flower Show inspire you or is it unrealistic?
For most people Chelsea presents concepts that are unrealistic, but that is not the point. I believe the purpose of flower shows like Chelsea and Hampton Court is to provide ideas and inspiration, not to tell the average garden owner what their garden must look like. I have taken an idea that I got from a Chelsea garden and re-worked it for one of my gardens. Chelsea is wonderful for bringing gardens and garden design to the public and raise the profile of the importance of a well-designed garden. I am all for anything that promotes our industry in a positive way.
Do you design every day?
Not normally. There are many other things that go along with running a garden design practice (some of them very mundane) that I have to do as well. I also have to attend to my new business pipeline – networking, making calls, preparing quotes, etc. I need to keep accurate financial records which I currently do myself. Being a garden designer involves many other activities that are not to do with actual hands-on design. I take my own surveys, I write specifications, I attend site meetings. The list of tasks is long and varied.
How much time per day do you spend designing?
Some times all day (and half the night) sometimes none at all. Each day is different. When I’m working on a large or complex plan I sometimes barely leave the house for days at a time and design all the time.
What is your most creative time of the day?
I don’t have one. Although, if I have been thinking about a design throughout the night, which often happens, I will get up and go straight to the plan to try out ideas.
How do you get inspired to produce unique drawings every time?
The site specifics will dictate massively how the final design comes out. I am not someone who says there is something alchemistic about the design process, but there is a point at which everything comes together and it looks right. It is important to me that each garden looks different. I start each plan on paper on the drawing board. I spend a long time experimenting with different combinations of shapes and patterns to arrive at the final design.
As a designer you have to be creative. Can you define creativity?
I believe creativity is represented by an appropriate response to the technical challenges presented by the site. The way you style the garden is probably the most creative aspect of designing – the use and combination of materials to create textural contrast and interest. You must have an eye for how the 2-D plan will work in 3-D and be confident in your ideas.
Who is (or who are) your favourite designer(s)?
John Brookes. Andy Sturgeon.
Contemporary or traditional...what's your preference?
Contemporary.
Do you listen to music (or watch the television) when designing?
I listen to radio 4 but in the afternoon when it can get a bit dull I’ll switch to music.
Do you ever get designers' block?
If I’ve been working on one design then have to go straight onto another one I sometimes have trouble switching off from the last design. However, if I go out for a run it helps me clear my head and organize my thoughts for the new garden.
Do you consider you take risks when design?
I would not say that I take risks, but none of my designs are safe. There is a lot of structure in my work. I like building things and love bold structure in the garden. Some may consider this risky, but the plan and CAD model that I provide take the uncertainty out of any garden design. I present visuals that help clients to understand how the garden will look when it’s built so this reassures them and lets me design gardens that are more interesting.
Has a client ever said they don't like what you've designed for them?
No, but I think it’s because when I present my work to potential clients they can see exactly what type of gardens I design and if they decide to work with me they have a good idea of what they will be getting. I also take detailed requirements and get clients to sign off on these before I am prepared to start work. So, I have only ever been asked to make minor changes to a plan.
What makes a great garden designer?
It’s not just about creativity. A great designer is made up of a blend of many different skills. A great designer will have a good technical knowledge of how the garden is constructed. You need to be able to wear many different hats. You need to be prepared to work extremely hard and long hours. You have to be able to form good working relationships with your clients and contractors. You also have to be able to run a business in a professional way. You need to be able to solve problems with the build in a way that does not alienate either clients or contractors.
Hand drawn or CAD?
Everything starts out on the drawing board – I like to experiment with different shapes and patterns and this is best done freehand on paper. When I’m happy with the outline design I put everything onto the computer. I love my CAD – I use Vectorworks – it enables me to change plans quickly and create 3-D visuals much more easily than by hand drawing. It is these 3-D visuals (I sometimes do virtual garden walkthroughs for larger projects too) that help me explain and sell my concepts to clients.
After a busy week, how do you unwind and relax?
A nice big glass of red wine always does the trick for me. I also sing in a choir which is fantastic for de-stressing.
Who (or what) in your life has given you the greatest inspiration?
My Mum is an amazing woman - self-sufficient, selfless, supportive, resilient, creative, empathetic, fun and just an all round wonderful human being. If I can be half the person she is I’ll be OK.
What is your garden design motto?
I don’t have one, but if I did it would probably be along the lines of ‘your initial thoughts are usually correct.’
What would you like to do more of in the future?
I have just started working with a high-end house builder and I want to do more of this because I believe that more attention should be paid to the design of gardens for all new build houses. I also want to do some work abroad – preferably somewhere hot!!
Can you offer any advice to other designers?
Don’t get dispirited and give up. Everyone goes through lean patches, but if you’re good enough and determined enough you will succeed. Go out and tell everyone what you do – you never know who is listening and who they know.
Would you recommend garden designing to someone considering it as a career?
Yes, it’s wonderful. But, only if you’re serious about it and understand that it’s going to take you years to build up the knowledge, confidence and experience to earn a good living.
...and finally - please provide a photo of your design studio or drawing area.
Landscape Juice page: www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/profile/LinseyEvans
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