FAQ’s

Every project starts with an initial site consultation where Ernest visits you to discuss your ideas, understand your requirements, and assess the site. From that conversation he'll put together a design proposal covering your needs, a cost estimate, and a timeline. If you're happy to proceed, the next stages are a detailed site survey, a Vision Plan showing provisional ideas for your approval, a full Master Plan used to guide construction, and finally a Planting Plan with botanical names, quantities, sizing, and maintenance notes. You're involved at every stage — nothing moves forward until you're satisfied with the direction.

The initial consultation is an informal two-hour meeting at your site. Ernest will talk through your ideas, explore the aesthetic and functional possibilities, and begin building the client brief that shapes the entire project. There is a small charge for this professional time which is offset against a design commission— it ensures Ernest is able to give the visit his full focus and prepare properly for it. Many clients find it one of the most valuable parts of the whole process.

Not at all. Many clients come to Ernest with nothing more than a feeling that their garden isn't working — or a patch of ground they've never known what to do with. His role is to ask the right questions, listen carefully, and translate what you actually need into a design that feels right. If you have photos of gardens you admire, bring them — but equally, a blank slate is fine. The conversation is the starting point, not the end.

Geo Designs offers garden design, as well as planting and implementation. For more complex projects, detailed construction drawings can be produced for use by independent contractors if you prefer to appoint your own builder. Either way, Ernest can remain involved throughout to answer questions and ensure the design intent is carried through faithfully to the finished garden.

Yes — we're happy to recommend landscapers from our trusted network of contractors. When choosing a landscaper independently, we'd always recommend checking online reviews, asking for references, and verifying membership of a trade body such as the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), who actively vet their members. Never let cost be your only consideration; a well-built garden is an investment you'll enjoy for decades.

Design fees depend on the size and complexity of your garden and the level of service you need. As a guide, a full garden design including survey, consultations, concept plan, master plan, and planting plan typically starts from around £3,000 for a smaller garden. Design fees are often calculated as a percentage of the projected build cost — usually around 8–10%. We're always transparent about costs upfront and happy to discuss a package that suits your budget. Planting Plans - if you'd like a detailed planting plan, this is priced separately based on the area to be planted. The rate per square metre reduces as the planting area increases — a small border requires just as much thought per plant as a large one, but larger schemes benefit from economies of scale in the design process.

If you're not sure how much of your garden will be planted, a good rule of thumb is around one third of the total area. We can use this as a starting point for your estimate and refine it once the design takes shape.

Build costs vary considerably based on size, materials, and complexity. As a rough guide, a small courtyard with paving, raised beds, and planting might start from around £15,000. A small to medium residential garden typically starts from £20,000–£40,000. Larger or more intricate projects can run to considerably more. Think of it as a long-term investment — a beautifully designed garden enhances your quality of life and can add real value to your property. We'll always be open about what things cost and help you prioritise where your budget is best spent.

The Highlands present conditions that simply don't exist elsewhere in Britain. Wind here isn't a minor inconvenience — it's a fundamental force that shapes what can grow and where. Soils are often waterlogged in winter and iron-hard in summer. The light behaves differently this far north, and the scale of the surrounding landscape is unlike anything in England or the central belt. A design approach that works beautifully in a Cotswold garden can fail completely on the Black Isle. Ernest has spent over 30 years learning what this particular landscape asks of a garden — and building that knowledge into every project he takes on.

Geo Designs works across the whole of the Scottish Highlands and Islands, including Inverness-shire, Ross-shire, Sutherland, Moray, Skye, and the Black Isle. Site consultations are offered across this entire area. If you're unsure whether your location falls within the working area, simply get in touch — Ernest is happy to discuss it.

It's one of the most common situations Geo Designs encounters. Many clients arrive with beautiful gardens behind them and quickly find that the plants they've always relied on — and the assumptions they've always made — simply don't apply up here. The honest starting point is to understand the site: what the soil is doing, where water sits, which way the wind comes, and what the surrounding landscape is telling you. Ernest is experienced in translating that understanding into a design that feels at home in its setting, even for clients who are new to the Highlands. A site consultation is the ideal first step.

Yes — restoring or creating grounds for estates and larger rural properties is well within Geo Designs' experience. Ernest has worked across diverse Highland settings, from windswept coastal sites and exposed moorland to sheltered glens with the potential for more ambitious planting. Larger and more complex sites may require the involvement of a land surveyor at the survey stage, which Ernest will advise on early in the process.

The range is broader than most people expect. Geo Designs has created classical formal gardens, wildlife gardens with meadows and ponds, coastal gardens built to withstand salt-laden winds, native woodland edges, ornamental kitchen gardens, low-maintenance courtyards with planters, and gardens on open moorland. The style of garden is less important than understanding the site and designing with it — that's the foundation of everything Ernest does.

Yes. Geo Designs has established relationships with trusted wholesale nurseries throughout Scotland and the wider UK and can supply all horticultural materials directly. This includes semi-mature and mature specimen trees for immediate impact. All planting is carried out by Ernest and his team, and seasonal monitoring visits can be arranged to track establishment and ensure everything is settling in as it should.

Timing matters more here than in most parts of the UK. For trees and hedgerows in particular, dormant-season planting between November and March can significantly aid establishment — roots have time to settle before the energy demands of the new growing season begin. That said, many plants can be put in year-round with the right preparation and aftercare. Ernest will advise on the best approach for your specific planting scheme and site conditions.

Absolutely. Geo Designs offers standalone planting design and plans complete with botanical and common names, sizes, quantities, habitat notes, and a maintenance schedule. If your garden's structure is already in place but needs a thoughtful planting refresh — or if you simply need the right plants in the right places — a planting-focused service may be exactly what you need.

Yes. Geo Designs includes outdoor kitchen design and installation as a distinct service, which can be incorporated into a broader garden design or approached as a standalone project. An outdoor kitchen is an investment that works best when it's properly integrated into the overall design — positioned with the prevailing wind in mind, connected thoughtfully to the house and entertaining spaces, and built to withstand Highland weather. It's worth discussing early in the project if it's something you're considering.

Yes — Geo Designs offers commercial garden design and landscape services, as well as consultations for businesses and hospitality properties across the Highlands. Creating outdoor spaces that guests will love is a particular area of interest: a well-designed exterior can make a significant difference to the first impression a property makes. Ernest has experience working at Chelsea Flower Show, with different brands and at national garden events,  which gives him a distinct perspective on designing for impact.

Timescales depend on the scale and complexity of the project, as well as contractor availability and the Highland weather. The design phase alone — from initial consultation through to Master Plan and Planting Plan — takes approximately six to eight weeks for a straightforward project and longer for larger or more complex sites. It's always wise to start the design process as early as possible, so that all plans are in place and ready to build when conditions allow. Ernest provides a timeline as part of the initial design proposal.

Yes, and it's a sensible approach that many clients take. Getting the complete design done first means you have a coherent plan to work towards, even if the build happens in stages. Hard landscaping is typically completed first; planting can follow in subsequent seasons as budgets allow. The design ensures that each phase fits logically into the whole, avoiding the fragmented look that often results from gardens that develop without a plan.

Most domestic garden projects don't require planning permission, though there are exceptions — particularly for new-build developments, listed buildings, or structures above certain heights. We'll advise you if we believe your project is likely to require any permissions, and we can prepare landscape design documentation should your local council require it as part of a planning application.

You can call Ernest directly on 01997 477319, or use the contact form on the website. Every project begins with a conversation — there's no obligation, and no pressure. If you're unsure whether a full design is what you need, a Garden Consultation might be the right place to start.