Landscape design is the thinking stage: reading the site, setting the layout, resolving levels, materials and planting on paper. Landscape construction is the delivery stage: excavation, drainage, structure, surfaces, soil, planting and finishing. Design decides what happens; construction decides how well it is done.
What landscape design covers
- Site analysis: levels, soil, drainage, sun, wind, existing trees and views
- How the household will move through and use the space
- Layout of terraces, paths, lawn, planting and structures
- Material selection and how surfaces meet one another
- Planting composition, mature sizes and seasonal structure
- Anything needing engineering, permits or specialist input
What landscape construction covers
- Site protection, demolition, excavation and earthworks
- Drainage before surfaces, always
- Retaining walls, footings and structural elements
- Paving, decking, concrete, steps and edging
- Soil preparation, irrigation, planting and turf
- Lighting, screening and final presentation
Why one team matters
When the design and the build sit with different parties, the compromises made on site are invisible to whoever drew the plan. Details get simplified, junctions get fudged, and the reasoning behind a decision is lost.
Because we design and construct, the person who chose a level or a material is the person standing on the site when it is set out. The original idea survives contact with reality.
Common questions
Can you build a design someone else prepared?
Often yes. We review the documentation for buildability, levels and drainage, and raise anything that needs resolving before work begins.
Do small projects need a design stage?
A single wall or path may not. Anything involving multiple elements, levels or drainage almost always benefits from planning first.