Designing for the long view.

A garden is never only the moment in a photograph. Light moves, plants grow, furniture changes and the people using the space develop new habits.

A useful design gives that change a clear structure. Paths, sitting places and the main view can hold the garden together while the softer parts find their character.

Maintenance belongs in the first conversation. There is no single right amount of tending; there is the amount that works for the person and the place. A garden should not depend on a routine nobody wants to keep.

When you begin your brief, describe the time you would like to spend enjoying the garden as well as the time you can spend caring for it.