Enchanted Gardens Design

Client Questionnaire

This is your personalised garden design questionnaire. The more information you give us, the more the garden design will suit your tastes and needs. Please Save As a document with your name on it, so that this is easily traceable to you in our files. You can return it to us as a Word document, or print it out, fill it in, scan it and email it back. We pledge to you that all your information is safe with us and will never be divulged to any third parties.

YOUR CONTACT DETAILS:

Name and surname:

Address:

Postal code:	Country:

Telephone number:

Email address:

Date:

Where did you hear about Enchanted Gardens Design? Your answer: xxx

Your garden size:

What is the size of your garden in square metres? Measure the length and multiply it by the breadth to obtain the square metres. Your answer: xxx

You can paste here a picture of your current garden (click on Insert, then browse to a picture stored in your computer or phone):

xx

Please describe in a few words: xx
The current state of your garden: xx
What you don’t like about it: xx
How you would like us to help you: xx
What your budget is: xx
Please add any extra notes here: xx

FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS:

1.	Number of occupants? [This will assist us in deciding the size of outdoor areas like lawns, parking areas and patios. To gauge the size of a patio area, it needs to be 2 to 3 metres2 per person using it.]

Your answer: xx

2.	Age range? [Is the garden to cater for children or the elderly, or a combination? This will explain whether we need to include play areas and easy access around the site. We may need to create areas to be viewed from inside the house if walking is a problem. With children we have to pay heed to toxic or thorny plants.]

Your answer: xx

3.	Any family allergies? [Hayfever, pollen, sensitive skin etc. If anyone has hayfever or pollen problems we should avoid pollen-laden plants like the ‘bottle brush plant’, Callistemon pallidus;‘Common tree ivy’, Hedra helix ‘Arborescens’.]

Your answer: xx

FRONT GARDEN OR PUBLIC AREA (this is if you want your front garden to be designed, as well as your back garden). If not applicable, please strike through or type ‘Not applicable’.

1.	Are there any visual problems to be overcome? [e.g. wheelie bins, neighbour’s garden, anything that is aesthetically unpleasing; views of cars travelling on the road or parked on the street; pedestrians walking past and viewing right down to the back of the property; unsightly views. All this can be addressed with careful plant selection and planting.]

Your answer: xx

2.	Are there any functional problems to be overcome? [e.g. uneven paving, anything that needs to be amended, e.g. ramp for wheelchairs or pram. Access, shade, waterlogging, moss on lawns or driveways? To combat this, we should design the garden to allow as much light as possible to the affected area.]

Your answer: xx

3.	Are there any visual elements to be retained or enhanced? [A plainness of garden and a lack of year-round colour or interest? Through use of careful plant selection and planting combined with decorative non-living objects and structures, we should be able to overcome this. Excessive ground slopes or rock outcrops: consider planting, removal or terracing. A lack of light due to previous incorrect planting or pruning: we may suggest hard pruning. Beautiful views etc.: you may want to borrow views of neighbour’s planting or of naturally occurring countryside growth, for example, gorse or heather on rolling hills. There may be views of impressive or quaint buildings. You may have a stream or river within view. You may have slopes or rocky outcrops that are attractive; we’ll retain these if you wish.]

Your answer: xx

4.	Are there any functional elements to be retained or enhanced? [You may want to retain parking spaces, lawn area, access to both sides of the house etc. If the garden is quite easy to maintain at the moment, you may want to retain this work level. A clean driveway is important to many people; if it is important for you, avoid Cherry blossoms as the shed flowers go all over the driveway. Also avoid conifer trees that will shed their leaves and needles, for example, pines and junipers. These are extremely hard to sweep up.]

Your answer: xx

5.	Do you require privacy from the road? [If so, we can address this with screen planting or built screens, for example, wall, fence, etc. or a combination of both.]

Your answer: xx

BACK GARDEN/OUTDOOR LIVING AREA:

1.	Are there any visual problems to be overcome? [The same as the front garden with these possible extras: Unsightly views of oil tanks, bins, sheds, septic tank covers, clothes lines or spinners. Neighbours overlooking the paved seating area or maybe your garden is overlooking the neighbour’s back yard.]

Your answer: xx

2.	Are there any functional problems to overcome? [You may need an area for sitting out. The children might need an area for playing ball games; or, there may be too much grass for cutting. Sometimes, in the countryside, a field next to the garden is neglected and left untopped, this can cause seeds to spread into the garden which will grow to troublesome weeds. If you foresee this happening, keep exposed soil areas to a minimum to prevent weed germination. A combination of mulching and hand weeding should keep everywhere else weed free.]

Your answer: xx

3.	Are there any visual elements to be retained or enhanced? [Beautiful views, etc. Basically, the same issues crop up as in the front garden.]

Your answer: xx

4.	Are there any functional elements to be retained or enhanced? [Sunlight, parking, access, etc. Basically, the same issues crop up as in the front garden.]

Your answer: xx

DESIRED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:

Please place an X alongside the activities you foresee taking place within the garden:

Barbecues	Football or play area
Sitting	Eating
Gardening	Entertaining
Keeping pets	Walking

Other (please specify) Your answer: xx

DESIRED SITE CHARACTER/STYLE:

Please place an X alongside the character (or style) you would like for the garden:

Formal	Cottage
Informal	Modern/Architectural
Open	Oriental
Enclosed	Rustic
Prairie/naturalistic

Other (please specify)	Your answer: xx

[Here is a description of these characters/styles:

•	Formal. This garden will include some, if not all, of the following features: a central axis with mirror images either side. Straight paths, straight beds or borders and the use of geometric shapes. Most plants and hedging clipped tightly. This style can be quite sterile and therefore unsuitable for a family garden. However, in informal gardens it is quite acceptable to have the area closest to the house in the formal style and gradually becoming more informal as you move away from the house.

•	Informal. This garden will include some, if not all, of the following features: it can be geometrical but does not have to be symmetrical. Curves are allowed to flow, but not to become too fussy. Flowing paths and irregular shaped beds and borders. The borders are usually wider than in the formal style. This style can accommodate all varieties of plants. Hedges will be clipped looser.

•	Open. This is either formal or informal, but it will have the vast majority of the area from the centre outwards open and free of clutter. It may be open with grass, gravel, etc. You can usually see all around unobstructed.

•	Enclosed. This is a garden which is usually enclosed by hedging or screening on all sides, very little, if any, of the garden can be seen until you enter it. An enclosed garden can incorporate any of the other styles mentioned here.

•	Cottage. This garden has no formality save maybe for a central path which can be constructed from reclaimed brick or quarry stone. The vast majority of plants in this garden are perennials and all plants are clumped together. It is a pick and mix of colours, forms and sizes. Colour clashes are allowed. Plants are allowed to get loose in shape. Herbs can be mixed in along with other plants in the bed or border. Rambler roses are a must. The house must not look too modern or this style will jar with it.

•	Modern or Architectural. The colour in this garden will come from the paving, walls and decorative containers. Any plants are grown for shape and form, not flower. The form is usually year-round. Cut stone cubes and spheres are often used, as are chrome and coloured glass. These types of gardens tend to frighten the traditional gardener due to their lack of planting and use of very modern materials. Large grasses are a must.

•	Oriental. This style is usually quiet and enclosed, giving a sense of sanctuary. Based around the three basic elements of nature: wood, water and stone. It will have simple, understated planting often only in shades of green. Structures and stones will be weathered. Moving or still water is used; the still water will often be used as a pool to reflect the sky. Raked gravel is sometimes used. Azaleas and Japanese maple are common.]

•	Rustic. This is a natural, rough-hewn style, with plenty of wooden and stone surfaces, and a casual, country style. There may be rusted garden implements used as ornaments.

•	Prairie/naturalistic. This will include many grasses and textured, long-stemmed plants, that will have a natural and almost wild appearance. This type of planting can be used in combination with many of the styles above.

GENERAL GARDENING:

Please bear in mind that the more items you select within this section, the higher the cost of garden construction. Also, certain items like vegetable gardens, lawns and tall hedges are very high maintenance.

1.	Do you intend to carry out the project yourself or do you require the services of a landscape contractor? Please underline, circle or explain.

Construct myself	Employ landscaper

[There is no reason you may not create your own garden once you have the time. You could carry out all planting, mulching and basic construction yourself, while saving approximately 50% of the overall construction cost. If you are from a construction background, you may attempt the larger-scale projects such as paving, raised beds and pergolas. You will receive full instructions for carrying out these, with the working plan, if you opt for this. However, please understand that if a project is going to take you three weeks on and off, the amount of rained-off days you may encounter or how many times you will be called away on an errand, will delay your finalisation times. This is where a landscaper with a crew comes in handy, because of their manpower, and need for profit, they will finish the task in a fraction of the time.]

Your answer: xx

2.	Will you have time to maintain the garden? Please place an X or explain.

Minimum	Moderate	High

[Minimum: Mulch your beds and borders. Grow evergreens which will give very minimal leaf fall. Select varieties with a slow growth habit. Create paths from concrete. Minimise your lawn area.

Moderate: The middle ground between minimum and high maintenance.

High: Roses are high maintenance to get them looking well; they are always in need of feeding, pruning, deadheading, spraying with fungicides for blackspot, etc. Also high maintenance are high trimmed hedges, topiary, large fine lawns, vegetable gardens, some fruit growing and annual or container bedding.]

Your answer: xx

3.	What do you like to see in planted beds, borders and the rest of the garden? Please add an X or explain.

Roses	Trees
Bulbs	Shrubs
Herbs	Perennials
Climbers	Grasses
Heather	Topiary

Other (please specify)

Your answer: xx

4.	Do you wish to grow fruit trees/bushes? If so, what types? [Apple, plum, pear, strawberries, blackcurrant, gooseberries, raspberries etc.]

Your answer: xx

5.	Do you wish to have a vegetable garden? If so, what size? [Do not go overboard on this as a large vegetable garden is high maintenance for a novice gardener. Allocate a moderate sized area with an option to expand in time to come. Try to give vegetables an enclosed area, hedging perhaps, to protect tender seedlings and to offer closure during late autumn and winter when the vegetable garden is not very pretty.]

Your answer: xx

6.	Do you need container plantings? If so, what type? [Lots of great choices available notably the coloured and glazed pots, but remember, we will need to use frost-proof terracotta.]

Your answer: xx

MATERIALS:

1.	What building materials do you like for pavements, walls, fences, beds and borders? Please add an X or explain.

Brick	Patio slabs
Concrete	Bark mulch
Natural stone	Wood
Cobbles	Wrought iron
Gravel	Porcelain
Engineered wood
Your answer: xx

2.	What are some of your favourite plants?

Your answer: xx

3.	What are some of your least favourite plants?

Your answer: xx

4.	What are some of your favourite plant colours?

Your answer: xx

5.	What are some of your least favourite plant colours?

Your answer: xx

GARDEN FEATURES:

1.	What features would you like to see in your ideal garden? Please add an X or explain.

Pathways	Water features
Pond	Shed
Rockeries	Landscape lighting
Gates	Bird feeder
Patios or paving	Summer house/gazebo
Pergolas	Fencing
Trellis	Arches
Greenhouse	Wild area
Raised beds	Herb area
Compost area	Utility area

Other (please specify)

Your answer: xx

2.	Is there any intermittent wind exposure or ground flooding you would like us to know about?

Your answer: xx

3.	Are any areas likely to change, for example, new builds like a house extension or sheds?

Your answer: xx

4.	Do you feel you have a problem with neighbouring cattle or horses, etc.?

Your answer: xx

What is your house type/style? We try to match the style of the garden to the style of the house, unless you want a specific style of garden.

Your answer: xx

Please use the space below to make any comments that we may not have addressed in the topics above.

Your answer: xx

Don’t forget to save your document with your name on it, PDF it (Save As, then choose from the dropdown list on the bottom right under the filename, scroll down to PDF, state where to save the document) then email back to us at enchantedgardensdesign@gmail.com !

Thank you for taking the time to fill in this questionnaire. We will take all your needs and preferences into account.

Enchanted Gardens Design

www.enchantedgardens.design