As we enter the spring and summer, those of us who are lucky enough to have a garden space turn our attentions to its social appeal. We want it to be looking its best for those long balmy evenings. Evenings where we will entertain friends and family around the bespoke fire pit.
We will want our visitors to wow at the well-manicured lawns and pristine borders and to love the fact we have an outdoor kitchen built on an exquisite porcelain patio. An area where we can discuss the latest news and cook under the protection of a well-lit automatic canopy.
For some of us this is reality, but for a lot of us it’s the dream. For those of us that fall in to the latter, just how do we go from one to the other.
We all know there are plenty of Garden Designers out there and Landscapers and Design and Build companies, but how do you sort the wheat from the chaff? There are organisations that exist such as the one I manage. Our members are vetted to ensure they can deliver the dream and not a nightmare, it is our aim they can deliver your garden just as you imagined it. But this generally comes at a cost, a cost that is usually surprising to most.
Professional Designers, Landscapers and Gardeners are not cheap. Nor should they be. They have years of training and experience under their belts.
For example, A garden designer can be involved in all elements of the design and build process, from surveying and creating a design to the hard landscaping, specifications, construction drawings and selection of plants.
A garden designer has to develop a knowledge of a wide range of plants and materials, and how to use them. Many will have studied hard to gain the knowledge required to create a design that can be used by a landscaper. On top of that many will have years of experience and a passion. You just can’t wake up one morning and be a garden designer. It takes a lot of work.
Similarly, it is the same for A Landscaper. Landscapers are very often over looked when it comes to being considered a profession. But did you realise that most landscapers potentially have far more skill and artistry than your builder, who are widely considered a professional.
Landscapers must understand levels, drainage, soil types, construction, planning, logistics, carpentry, lighting, irrigation and let’s not forget plants. There are a whole range of skills and knowledge bases required by a professional landscaper.
Professional Gardeners are probably the category that are potentially undervalued the most. It can take years to become a fully experienced professional gardener. In fact, part of the appeal of the work is that you are always learning.
A professional gardener needs to understand drainage and soils, planting and pruning. Seed sowing and timings. Lawn Care and treatments, plant identification, weed identification. Pest and diseases and the list goes on and on. Professional Gardeners are highly experienced individuals.
As an industry, horticulture is blighted with people that decide one day they can enter any of these highly skilled professions at the drop of a hat.
It is almost undoubtably because of the very low start-up costs for any of these businesses. A landscaper or a gardener realistically needs and few tools and a van, a quick Facebook page or cheap website and they can become a gardening business. A designer set up costs are even cheaper.
Year after year the industry is saddled with these new entrants, that disappoint and drag prices and professionalism down for the industry.
For many this is not intentional, they are following a dream. A desire to work outside, a lifestyle. But it is done without the knowledge of the complexity and skill required to maintain a career in any of these professions.
Sadly, this is reinforced by the average member of the public looking at the costs and usually underestimating the value of their project and the people involved in bringing it to life.
A lot of the programmes that feature on our TV’s don’t help to dispel these thoughts. You cannot build a garden of 120-150m2 in 3 days for £5,000. It’s just not possible.
So, what can you do to ensure the people you approach to do your garden design, build or maintenance are good enough to do the job properly.
Check their credentials. See if they are members of a governing body. The Association of Professional landscapers has Designers (MAPL), landscapers and gardeners all accredited through its vetting process. There are other organisations doing similar processes.
Even if they are not members of a Trade body (and many are not) check their history, You can do this simply by checking out their websites. Social media is also useful in seeing what the company is like. So start to follow a few of the possible candidates on Instagram, Facebook etc……….
Once you have narrowed your search you can contact them. But be sure you know what you want, be clear on your brief and what investment you wish to make in your garden. If its maintenance, be clear about the areas of the garden you wish to have maintained.
A lot of organisations advise getting at least three quotes. You can do this, but please remember a garden design and build is about relationships more than money. If it is a complete project, having a garden designer that gets/understands your vision and has a good relationship with a landscaper, one whom they have worked with on several occasions can very often deliver the best results. Also, a Professional gardener that you can get on with and shows an empathy for your garden space and needs will usually be the right fit. It’s not all about costs.
Once you get to the stage of quotes, ensure that the quotes cover all the areas you require. If you have more than one quote, make sure they are like for like. If one is significantly cheaper than another, do not just accept it, ask why. There must be a reason. If having areas of hard landscaping, it is usually a good idea to have samples of the materials. Look at them wet and dry. Retain these to ensure that what is delivered matches what you chose.
These are just some simple tips to follow, these are what a professional would expect to do. This is what a professional looks like.
There is obviously lots more detail I could go into. If you wanted more advice or guidance, then please do contact the Association of Professional Landscapers. www.landscaper.org.uk I or one of my colleagues would be only too happy to help.
After reading this you may well want to join this fantastic profession. Horticulture is a diverse industry. It ranges from growing plants, to retailing plants, marketing, maintaining gardens, R and D work, designing gardens and in my case building gardens.
Even with all this scope and opportunity to tempt, this industry still faces a skill shortage. This is quite often because the image of gardening that most people conjure in their heads is one of a man standing in the middle of a mud pool. Smiling, but cold, wet and dirty.
It can indeed be like this. But not all the time. The industry boasts an amazing track record of community and well-being. A job that you can relate a positive contribution to the environment and the happiness and well-being of others to. Horticulture has been widely linked to the support given to mental health, in that it enjoins us with nature, helps us to live in the now, gives us responsibility and doesn’t judge.
So, if you are starting out or perhaps looking to change careers, there are a lot of avenues available to you.
You can visit sites like https://www.horticulture.org.uk/grow-careers/ or https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/careers-horticulture
Both these incredible sites give you an insight into what a career in horticulture can look like and what the best route to take could be.
But remember, it does take a lot of hard work and a great deal of time and experience to be able to design, build, maintain and grow some of the fantastic plants and projects we have here in the UK.
I have been in this industry since I left school at 16, I have worked in most areas of horticulture. I can honestly say I have been blessed to have one of the most challenging, inspirational and rewarding careers I could have possibly had. Along with that I have met some of the best people. I am 52 years old now and the great thing is, I am still learning, I am still being challenged and Horticulture is still rewarding me.
Phil Tremayne
Association of Professional landscapers General manager.