Garden designer - asking for a few hours consultation

[Mirocat]

I've done a few hours consultation with an interior designer before and I found it hugely helpful. We can't afford a huge amount of work done on our garden (most seem to work on projects from £30k+) but I feel I need a bit of guidance. Is there a service that does this?

I feel I need a bit of guidance. Is there a service that does this?
Yeah. It's called MN.

How big is the garden?

It's quite large - the area to be planted is about 40m2.

Haha, thank you @senua Any suggestions on favourite shrubs? I need some that grow tall and others under 1m.

I'm about to do this, with a small local garden charity.

It costs £100 for a consultation with the head gardener, and you get that back if you go ahead with any work (which is cheeper than usual as it's done by horticulture students).

It's the Walworth Garden, if you happen to be in South London.

Haha, thank you @senua Any suggestions on favourite shrubs? I need some that grow tall and others under 1m.

Are you after design ideas or planting ideas? - they are different things.

What a garden designer will do is start by looking at your site. What is the soil like, what is the aspect, how much sun does it get, how much wind/sea spray/pollution.

Also think about how you are going to be using it. What do you mostly do in the garden, what do you want to get out of it, how much time do you want to spend on it on an ongoing basis.

If you answer these questions, you are halfway to getting a garden that will work for you. And anyone you ask for advice will be much better able to help you.