This document provides an introduction to garden design and week 1 topics which include site appraisal and user requirements. The key points covered are: - The initial design stages focus on use rather than appearance and determining space, movement, sightlines and style before selecting plants. - Conducting a site appraisal to identify the house/setting, soil/climate, existing features, services and any legal issues. - Identifying user requirements such as what the garden will be used for, any needs, locations, times of use, and users. - Limitations to the design from site features, budget, and available space need to be considered.

1. Introduction to Garden Design
Week 1 – Introduction, Site Appraisal
and User Requirements.

2. Housekeeping
 6 weeks – last session 5th November, no
session on 16th October
 Learner Diaries – for you to record your
progress and any queries or comments.
Hand it in and I will comment every other
week and in the last week.
 Each week I ask you to build on the
session by doing a practical task. Please
try to at least attempt it as it forms the
basis for the start of the next session.

3. Learning objectives
 Name four of the component areas of a
site inventory
 State what existing features and elements
of the site need to be identified
 Describe five issues that need to be
addressed in identifying user
requirements
 State three limitations to design process
and how these can be identified via site
appraisal

4. The Plants Come Last!
 Initial design stages are primarily
about use not appearance.
 Completely opposite to the way
most gardeners think!
 Use of space, movement through
the space, sightlines and style are
all selected before plants are
chosen.

5. Starting to think about design
 Notebook – design is a thinking process,
so keep notes or you will forget.
 Design ‘styles’ are useful guides – not
handcuffs!
 Start to collect images, items, colour
combinations
 Identify strong dislikes – but otherwise
keep an open mind.
 ‘Mood boards’, ideas boxes, scrapbooks
 Not particular plants!! (put them in your
notebook)

6. Site Appraisal
 House and setting – approach, views,
location
 Soil and climate
 Existing features
 Services and access
 Legal/regulatory issues?

7. Users requirements
 What? What is the garden to be
used for?
 Why? Any particular needs?
 Where? Where should the uses be
located?
 When? When will the garden be
used?
 Who? Who uses the garden?
regularly or just sometimes?

8. Limitations – ‘you can’t always get what
you want’.
 Site-related – fixed features, slopes,
soil type etc
 Budget related.
 Space available for the ‘brief’– need to
prioritise uses (and plan for change
over time).

9. Learning outcomes
 Name four component areas of a
site inventory
 State what existing features need to
be identified
 Describe five issues that need to be
addressed in identifying user
requirements
 State three limitations to design
process and how these can be
identified