Garden Designer & Plantswoman | Bel Grierson | Loughborough, Leicestershire
  • Home
  • Garden Design
  • Planting Design
  • Portfolio
    • Contemporary Country Garden - Stanford on Soar
    • Country Garden - Rothley
    • Plant Lovers Garden - Shepshed
    • Small Town Garden - Loughborough
    • Large Family Garden - Burbage
    • Low Maintenance Garden - Ashby
    • Gravel Garden - Rothley
    • Family Garden - Ashby
    • Sloping Garden - Ashby
    • Long Narrow Garden - Shepshed
    • Courtyard Garden - Market Harborough
    • Plant Lovers Paradise - Ragdale
  • Contact
  • Advice Hub
  • Home
  • Garden Design
  • Planting Design
  • Portfolio
    • Contemporary Country Garden - Stanford on Soar
    • Country Garden - Rothley
    • Plant Lovers Garden - Shepshed
    • Small Town Garden - Loughborough
    • Large Family Garden - Burbage
    • Low Maintenance Garden - Ashby
    • Gravel Garden - Rothley
    • Family Garden - Ashby
    • Sloping Garden - Ashby
    • Long Narrow Garden - Shepshed
    • Courtyard Garden - Market Harborough
    • Plant Lovers Paradise - Ragdale
  • Contact
  • Advice Hub

Advice Hub

Garden Inspiration, Expertise and Advice

How Much Does a Planting Design Transformation Cost?

31/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
When a client contacts me about planting design it's usually when they've realised that they need help from a professional when selecting, combining and planting the right plants for the right place in their garden.  I've been working with plants for 20 years and over that time I've developed a wealthy of information and knowledge about which plants work well together and where plus when they need to be planted.  When you're considering transforming the planting in your garden, how much will it cost?

There are a few things to consider when you're thinking about budgets for a planting design project:

How big is your garden?  The size of space to be transformed has a huge effect on the overall costs. Large gardens take considerable time to design, prepare and plant plus there will be large quantities soil improver and plants needed...

Read More
0 Comments

How Much Does a Garden Design Transformation Cost?

31/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Small town garden, Loughborough
Small garden costing approx. £25k
Gravel Garden, Rothley Leicestershire
Medium garden costing approx. £30k
When a potential new client gets in touch with me i ask a few basic questions about their garden as it is now, what they would like to do to the garden and how much they would be comfortable spending on the transformation. All simple questions and the first two are generally easy for clients to answer but the budget question can be a difficult one for them.  Creating your ideal garden takes design expertise and knowledge, a skilled workforce and a whole host of materials, so it's not a cheap undertaking. It's important to think about how much you are happy to spend and what is feasible with the funds you have available. 

There are a few things to consider when you're thinking about budgets for a garden project:

How big is your garden?  The size of space to be transformed has a huge effect on the overall costs. Large gardens take considerable time to design, landscape and plant plus there will be large quantities of all the materials needed where as small gardens can be much less costly overall. A small garden can be expensive however, if the client has a long wish list of requirements....

Read More
0 Comments

Computer Aided Design - Creating Garden Design Plans & Visuals

29/11/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
Hand Drawn Plans versus Computer Aided Design
Many garden designers opt to create hand drawn design plans, which can be works of art in their own right. Although i do love to draw, I find that hand drawing, colouring and labelling plans can be very time consuming, especially if a mistake is made and its back to beginning again! 
I've always been technology savvy and I'm also pretty proficient with pen and paper too. Up until 2018 i had been combining my skills by hand drawing 2D concept designs and planting plans and then using CAD software to add the finishing touches - colouring in the plans and labelling them, i found  colour rendering and annotating on a pc the most efficient use of my time, with consistent neat results and easy alterations.
In January 2019 i progressed on to using 2D and 3D computer software for the whole design process, from initially creating a to-scale plan of the site through to the final concept design plans and 3D visualisations.​
​Why have i opted to go use CAD software? Well increasingly i've wanted to be able to offer my clients a really accurate to-scale representation of their garden...

Read More
1 Comment

Garden Transformation - Small Town Garden

2/10/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
When i first viewed this garden, it was a mess of poor DIY paving, dangerous steps and had a rather ugly concrete garage. The owner had a clear vision of what she wanted her garden to be like and how she would use her outdoor living space. The key requirements for the space were to screen the unsightly garage, create a seaside inspired upper terrace, design a calming patio area for yoga practice on the lower terrace and to revamp the existing raised sleeper beds and decking. The property has far reaching views of the countryside beyond which the client was keen to use as borrowed landscape. However, neighboring proprieties interrupted this view so privacy screening needed to be worked into the garden design plan.
​
With a modest budget, some of the existing elements were combined into the new design allowing the client to make the most effective use of her funds. The lawn was removed and the existing patio relaid with contemporary Indian sandstone paving in grey and inset paved pathways where created within a gravel seaside style area on the upper level...

Read More
0 Comments
    Welcome to the
    Advice Hub
    Here you will find lots of useful information, Tips, Ideas and Advice on Garden Design, Planting Design, Garden Maintenance and on how to get the most from your outdoor space. 
    Need more help from a Garden Expert?
    Contact Bel today.
    Picture

    Author: Bel Grierson

    Expert Plantswoman and Garden Designer with 20 years experience in horticulture.  Bel loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with those with gardens large and small.

    Categories

    All
    3D Design Plans
    CAD Software
    Climbing Plants
    Concept Design Plans
    Design Costs
    Fragrance In The Garden
    Front Garden Ideas
    Garden Bulbs
    Garden Care Advice
    Garden Design Ideas
    Garden Expert
    Gardening Tips
    Garden Inspiration
    Garden Structures
    Garden Styling
    Garden Transformations
    Landscaping Ideas
    Low Maintenance Gardening
    Planting Advice
    Planting Design
    Planting Expert
    Planting Up Pots For Spring
    Planting Up Pots For Summer
    Plantswoman
    Screening & Privacy
    Wildlife Gardens
    Winter Interest

    Archives

    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019

    RSS Feed

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
We are absolutely delighted with our beautiful new garden designed and installed by Bel! We had an unusually shaped garden which we didn't have the knowledge to handle, but at the same time had quite specific ideas of what we liked and disliked. Bel listened to our ideas and the challenge didn't phase her at all! The preparation of the the soil by her team, and the planting of the garden by Bel herself over three days couldn't have gone smoother. We would highly recommend Bel in terms of her expertise, conscientiousness and friendly, easy going personality and we can't stop looking at our amazing new garden!

Mrs Prist, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
"Bel is brilliant. Easy to work with. Lots of ideas and plans but great at listening and quickly tapping into what you like, want and need. She has bags of style with a healthy dose of practicality and is 100% reliable. Totally recommend." ​

Mrs Munden - Thrussington, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
"Bel delivered professional advice in a friendly way after she had established what her clients wished to achieve.  All in all - it has been a pleasure to work with her"

Mrs Harrison - Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
"If you are looking for advice on your garden or a new designs then look no further than Bel Grierson. We have used her on several aspects of our garden to lower the maintenance and update the planting with spectacular results. Bel is easy to work with and is totally in tune with all our requirements."

Mr Stapleton - Rothley, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
"Bel has delivered a delightful garden with a design that has transformed a shallow plot surrounded by fences, into a garden full of interest.  Bel listened carefully to our concerns and gave her total attention to each step of the way." ​​

Mr & Mrs Bayley - Loughborough, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
​​"Our 20 year old garden was looking tired and boring. No colour and a mishmash of plants that were past their sell-by date. We had no idea what to do to rescue the situation as we knew very little about what plants would do well. Then we found Bel. Our garden is transformed; beautiful colour that just keeps coming all through the year, easy maintenance and a joy to sit and look at with an appropriate glass in one hand. Bel interpreted our thoughts perfectly and has produced an extraordinary result. She is patient with non-gardeners, knowledgeable and highly professional. Not afraid to get her hands dirty and endlessly helpful. I simply cannot recommend her too highly."

Mr & Mrs Benussi - Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
"Bel redesigned and planted our garden this summer. It has transformed it from dark and dingy to a fresh open space. Bel is a pleasure to work with, friendly and helpful, full of ideas and always ready to listen to what you want and find the best way of delivering it. Recommended!"

Mr Goodman - Loughborough, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
​"Bel provided good advice and warm, friendly and professional support at all stages of our garden transformation. Her knowledge about plants and her design ideas gave us confidence from the outset. We are delighted with the result, and now look forward to enjoying our new garden in the months and years to come."

Mr Corner - Rearsby, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
"Bel has recently redesigned a large area in my garden which was previously a 'wilderness'. I was very pleased with the design that she came up with - it was clear that she had paid attention to what I had said I wanted and understood my style. Great communication throughout the process and now that the planting is finished I am looking forward to next spring and watching it develop."

Mrs Phillips - Ratby, Leicestershire

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
For more Reviews of Bel Grierson Garden Design see Google Reviews
Join Bel on Social Media
Instagram @ belgrierson_gardendesign
Facebook @belgriersondesign
Pinterest @belgrierson
Linkedin
All work Copyright Bel Grierson. 
Proudly powered by Weebly