If the general shape of your design looks right, you can move to the detailed design. The hard landscaping, followed by the soft landscaping and ending with the sowing or laying of the lawns should be the order of construction of a garden. After all, you would hardly lay your carpet and put up the pictures before plastering the walls inside.

Hard Landscaping Details

Some of the hard landscaping links the house to different areas in the garden. Individual layers of your design should show each of the following, so that lengths, areas and volumes of material can be calculated and costed:—

• Irrigation system (part of this can be laid under the paths and patios). (See Terraced House Back Garden for Wildlife - Case 5 in Case Studies)
• Drainage system (required for damp or swampy areas).
• Paths, patios, steps
• Walls and fences
• Lawns (use a ‘mowing strip’ of concrete pavers between the lawn and beds to prevent the grass invading the bed. Use simple shape for lawn to make mowing easier)
• Pond (See Creation of Pond - Case 8 in Case Studies)
• Pergola, trellis, arbour
• Greenhouse
• Shed
• Electrical system (use Armalite cable for garden lighting)
• Entrance drive (See Drive Foundations - Case 3 in Case Studies)
• Coal/wood store
• Built-in barbecue
• Sandpit or swings
• Garage
• Croquet lawn
• Children’s playhouse
• Tennis court
• Conservatory

There is a huge choice of materials for most of these features, and they are likely to prove expensive. It is a completely false economy to cut down on the preparation and foundations, however tempting it might be. There are standard formulas and British Standards for calculating most needs, and they really will give a better long term result.

Soft Landscaping Details

This is the bit you will most likely want done first, because it is like choosing paint or carpets, rather more immediate than the foundations. Of course it is important to establish personal preferences, but the raw materials have the most influence over what is included. There is not much point in planting rhododendrons on pure chalk or tender plants in a frost hollow — they are just not suited to their environment, and you will be wasting time and money.