Design fees
Charged as a fixed fee based on site size and project complexity, agreed before any drawing begins. Typically structured in stages — concept, then detailed design — so you can pause between them.
What we do
Five disciplines. One studio, one drawing set.
Every project draws on the same five capabilities, in different proportions — a small courtyard might need planting and lighting only; an estate masterplan touches all five. Below is what each looks like in practice.
01 — Landscape architecture
Master planning & design
The foundation of every project: a site analysis, a concept that responds to how you'll actually use the space, and construction-ready drawings that our build teams — or yours — can price and execute with confidence.
Site survey & analysis — topography, drainage, soil, sun-path and microclimate mapping
Concept masterplanning — spatial layout, material palette and planting concept
3D visualisation — photorealistic renders and a walkthrough model
Construction drawings — detailed plans, sections and specifications for tender or build
Planning & permit support — drawings prepared to meet local planning authority requirements
Typical scope: design-only commissions are available — many of our drawings are built by clients' own contractors, particularly for larger estate and commercial projects.
Request a design proposal
02 — Hardscaping & structures
The bones of the garden
Stone, timber and steel — built by our own stonemasons and carpenters, not subcontracted out. This is the work that determines whether a garden feels solid in twenty years or starts cracking in two.
Terraces & patios — natural stone, porcelain and timber decking, fully detailed for drainage
Retaining walls & level changes — engineered for soil type and load, finished in matching materials
Pergolas, screens & outdoor structures — timber and steel, designed alongside the planting that will grow through them
Steps, paths & access — including accessible routes specified to local building regulations
Outdoor kitchens & fire features — built-in counters, pizza ovens and fire pits to a finished spec, not a kit
Materials: we work primarily in regionally-sourced stone to reduce transport impact, and disclose material origin on request for any commercial or estate project.
03 — Planting & horticulture
Plans that account
for year ten, not just day one
Our in-house horticulture team writes every planting plan with mature size, seasonal succession and maintenance load in mind — and, where lead times allow, propagates specimens for a project up to two years ahead of planting.
Planting design — species selection matched to climate, soil and light conditions on site
Specimen sourcing & pre-growing — semi-mature trees and shrubs reserved or grown ahead of planting day
Soil preparation & remediation — testing and amending soil before a single plant goes in
Irrigation design — zoned, weather-linked drip and spray systems sized to each planting area
12-month establishment plan — scheduled visits through the first year while plants root in
04 — Lighting & water features
The garden after dark
Lighting is designed as its own layer — not bolted on at the end. The aim is always restraint: enough light to use the space safely and beautifully, with as little visible hardware and light pollution as possible.
Architectural & path lighting — layered low-voltage LED schemes, circuit-zoned and dimmable
Reflecting pools & water walls — recirculating systems designed for minimal evaporation loss
Swimming pool integration — pool placement and surrounds designed as part of the wider landscape, in partnership with pool engineers
Dark-sky compliant design — shielded fixtures and warm colour temperatures, available where required by local ordinance
Note: for pools and major water features, TerraLux designs the landscape integration and surrounds; pool shell engineering and pumps are delivered through licensed local pool contractors we've worked with for years.
05 — Maintenance & estate care
The work that keeps
a garden on track
A design is only as good as its upkeep. We offer maintenance contracts for gardens we've built — and, in regions where we have a horticultural team, for established gardens we didn't.
Scheduled horticultural visits — pruning, feeding and seasonal renewal on a planned calendar
Irrigation servicing — seasonal start-up, winterisation and zone re-calibration
Lighting & hardscape upkeep — fixture servicing, re-pointing and seasonal cleaning
Seasonal colour & renewal — optional rotating planting for terraces, pots and entranceways
Annual review walk-through — a yearly site visit with the original designer to assess how the garden is maturing
Investment
How projects are scoped & priced.
We don't publish a fixed price list — every site, climate and brief changes the numbers too much for that to be honest. What we can tell you upfront is how pricing is structured, so the first conversation is useful rather than vague.
Build costs
Priced against the finished construction drawings — by square metre for hardscaping and planting areas, and itemised for structures, lighting and water features. You receive a single itemised quotation before work starts.
Maintenance plans
Quoted as an annual contract based on visit frequency and site size, with the option of monthly billing. Most residential clients move to a maintenance plan after the 12-month establishment period ends.