Design Development in Garden Design
What is Design Development?
Design Development is the stage where an approved concept evolves into a detailed, buildable design. This phase transforms the initial vision and spatial layout into specific decisions about materials, planting, levels, and construction details. It is the bridge between the broad strokes of concept planning and the precise technical drawings needed for construction.
During Design Development, every element of the garden is refined and specified. The designer makes detailed choices about which stone to use for paving, how steps will be constructed, what plants will go where, and how different materials meet and transition. This stage answers the question: exactly what will be built, and how will it look and perform over time?
The process involves working drawings, material specifications, planting plans, and often visual aids like mood boards or samples. By the end of Design Development, there should be enough detail that contractors can price the work accurately and builders understand precisely what they need to construct.
From Concept to Detail
Where Concept and Planning establishes what the garden will be and how spaces are organised, Design Development determines how it will be realised. The concept might call for a “series of connected terraces with naturalistic planting”. Design Development specifies the exact dimensions of each terrace, the stone type and laying pattern, the retaining wall construction method, and the specific plant varieties that will create that naturalistic effect.
This stage requires both creativity and technical knowledge. The designer must make aesthetic decisions that strengthen the concept while also solving practical problems. How do you create level changes that feel natural but are safe and comfortable to use? How do you select materials that work together visually but also suit the site conditions? How do you compose planting that looks good immediately but improves over five or ten years?
Design Development is iterative. Ideas are tested, refined, and sometimes changed as details are worked through. A paving pattern that looked good in plan might feel too busy at ground level. A proposed material might not be available in the right size or finish. A planting combination might not suit the specific light conditions once you study them more carefully. These discoveries are part of the process.
What Gets Developed
Materials and Finishes: Every hard surface in the garden is specified—not just “stone paving” but which stone, what size, what finish, what color range, and how it will be laid. The same applies to walls, edging, steps, fencing, and any built structures. Material choices affect both appearance and longevity, so selections consider how materials weather, how they feel underfoot, and how they relate to the house and surroundings.
Levels and Earthworks: Any changes in level are designed in detail. This includes the height and position of retaining walls, the gradient of slopes, the rise and tread of steps, and how different levels transition. Getting levels right is critical—errors here affect drainage, comfort, and the overall feel of the space.
Planting Design: The planting plan is developed, showing exactly which plants go where. This involves selecting specific varieties, determining quantities and spacing, and composing combinations that work together visually and horticulturally. Good planting design considers not just flower color but also foliage texture, seasonal interest, eventual size, growth rate, and maintenance requirements.
Drainage and Services: While often invisible, drainage is designed during this phase. The garden must shed water properly, and this requires planning falls, drainage channels, soakaways, or connections to existing systems. Any services—lighting, irrigation, outdoor taps—are also specified and positioned.
Details and Junctions: Some of the most important design work happens at junctions—where materials meet, where horizontal surfaces meet vertical ones, where built elements meet planting. These details determine whether a garden feels well-crafted or roughly assembled. Design Development works through these junctions carefully.
Why is Design Development Important
Without thorough Design Development, gardens either fail to meet expectations or become more expensive than anticipated. Vague specifications lead to guesswork during construction, and different interpretations of the design by different contractors. This creates uncertainty about cost and outcomes.
Detailed development also reveals problems before they become expensive mistakes. You might discover that a preferred material does not work with the proposed construction method, or that a desired plant requires conditions you cannot provide. Finding these issues on paper costs nothing. Finding them during construction is disruptive and costly.
For clients, Design Development provides clarity and confidence. You can see exactly what you are getting and make informed decisions about where to invest and where to simplify. You understand what the garden will look like, how it will be built, and what it will cost.
In North London gardens, where space is limited and sites are often complex—with changes in level, poor access, or challenging soil—Design Development becomes especially important. Every detail matters when working within tight constraints. Precise planning prevents wasted space and ensures that construction can proceed smoothly despite site difficulties.
The Design Development Process
This phase typically begins once the concept plan is approved. The designer now has a clear direction and can focus on refinement rather than exploration.
The first task is often technical: surveying levels accurately, investigating ground conditions, understanding drainage patterns, and identifying any constraints that were not apparent during concept development. This information feeds into detailed planning.
Material selection happens early in Design Development. The designer considers what is appropriate for the style and concept, what suits the site conditions, what fits the budget, and what is practically available. Samples are often reviewed—seeing and touching materials is important for making good choices.
Planting design develops alongside hard landscaping. The designer considers how plants relate to built elements, what will grow successfully in each location, and how different plants work together. This is both artistic and horticultural—composing pictures that also function as ecosystems.
Throughout this stage, the designer produces increasingly detailed drawings. These might include detailed layout plans, construction sections showing how elements are built up, planting plans with every plant specified, and lighting or irrigation layouts if required.
Regular communication with the client is essential. Design Development involves many decisions, and client input helps ensure the final design truly reflects their priorities and preferences.
How Locorum Approaches Design Development
At Locorum, Design Development is where the garden’s character fully emerges. We refine every detail with the same care given to the overall concept, ensuring that quality and coherence extend through all scales—from the garden as a whole down to individual plant choices and construction junctions.
Our material selections prioritise longevity and appropriateness over fashion. We choose materials that weather well, that suit North London’s climate and context, and that will look better over time rather than dated. We prefer natural materials where they make sense, but we are not doctrinaire, the right choice depends on the specific situation.
Planting design is central to our work. We design plant combinations that provide interest through all seasons, that mature into increasingly beautiful compositions, and that require thoughtful maintenance rather than constant intervention. Our planting is structured but not rigid, generous but not excessive.
Because we manage the entire process from design through construction, our Design Development anticipates buildability. We detail gardens that can be constructed well, not just gardens that look good on paper. This integrated approach means fewer problems on site and better final results.
We involve our clients throughout Design Development, presenting options and explaining implications. The aim is for you to understand your garden thoroughly before construction begins, so you can make confident decisions and look forward to the result.
Beginning Your Garden Design
Design Development transforms concepts into reality. It is where careful thinking and detailed planning create gardens that function beautifully and endure gracefully. If you have a garden project in mind and would value thoughtful, detailed design, we would be pleased to discuss how we might work together. Contact us to start the conversation.