Why Garden Design Shouldn't be an Afterthought. How early collaboration between architects, clients and landscape designers lead to better projects.
- Joe Perkins
- Jun 15
- 6 min read
Gardens are often the last thing architects and interior designers think about. They shouldn't be.
We do work with architects and interior designers from the very start of a project, and those collaborations consistently produce the best results. But honestly, that's not the norm. More often than not, we get the call when everything else is nearly done, when the structural decisions have been made, the budgets are largely committed, and the garden is what's left. We make it work, and we always do our best for the client at whatever stage we come in. But there's no getting around the fact that something is always lost when the outdoor space is treated as a finishing touch rather than a fundamental part of the design.
What we've found, consistently, is that the sooner a garden designer is involved, whatever the starting point, the better the outcome for everyone: the client, the project, and the gardens themselves.
Why hire a garden designer from the start? Involving a garden designer at the beginning of a build or renovation means outdoor space is designed with intention rather than fitted around what's left over. It protects budgets, improves outcomes, and ensures the garden works as a seamless extension of the home, not an afterthought.
What a Well-Designed Garden Actually Does
A well-designed garden does far more than look attractive. It enhances daily life and interaction with our environment, provides privacy and shelter, extends living space outward, and creates a seamless relationship between inside and outside. It frames the views from your windows, sets the mood as you arrive home, and shapes how light moves through the house across different seasons.
When garden design is left until the end of a build or renovation, these opportunities are routinely missed. Layouts end up being dictated by what's left over rather than what's been properly considered. Levels get fixed, drainage becomes an afterthought, and planting can be compromised by problems that could have been designed out entirely at the start. By the time the garden comes around, the budget has often been spent too, and it shows.
The Wellbeing Case for Garden Design
We live increasingly busy, screen-heavy lives, and many of us are more disconnected from the natural world than perhaps at any other time in our history. A well-designed garden is more than an attractive addition to a home, it's one of the most effective tools we have for reconnecting with nature daily, without having to go anywhere.
The research is compelling: time spent in green spaces reduces stress, lowers cortisol levels, improves mood, and supports mental wellbeing in ways that are now well documented. But you don't need a study to tell you how different you feel after half an hour outside in a space that feels calm and considered, compared to one that feels neglected or unfinished. A thoughtfully designed garden should genuinely draw you outside, and that only happens when the design is right.
Designing for Biodiversity
A thoughtfully designed garden can also play a genuine role in supporting local ecosystems. Choosing the right planting, species that provide nectar, berries, shelter, and habitat, means your garden becomes part of a wider natural network. Pollinating insects, birds, hedgehogs, invertebrates: a garden designed with these in mind gives back as much as it takes. Supporting biodiversity is something we prioritise across all of our work at Joe Perkins Design.
Why Early Collaboration Produces Better Projects
The gardens we're most proud of have almost always come from early, genuine collaboration, between me and my team, the client, the architect, and the interior designer, all working in parallel rather than in sequence. When those conversations happen from the beginning, everything benefits. Materials can be chosen to flow consistently from inside to outside. Sight lines can be protected or created with intention. Terraces and paths can be sized and positioned in response to how the building is actually used, rather than retrofitted around it afterwards.
Budgets are better managed too. Decisions made late in a project, when groundwork is already done and building contractors have moved on, are almost always more expensive and more compromising than those made at the drawing board stage. Early involvement with good landscape contractors and craftspeople is equally beneficial in this respect.
Start the Garden Design Process Early, Even If Your Budget Is Tight
One of the most common things we hear from new clients is that they weren't sure whether to involve a garden designer until they had the full budget in place. In my experience, the opposite approach works better. We can establish a clear long-term vision from the outset, then help implement it in phases as budget allows. Starting with the areas immediately surrounding the house, the terrace, the entrance, the key views, means you're making considered decisions rather than temporary ones you'll need to undo later. Phased garden design done with a clear plan looks intentional; work put together quickly without one rarely does.
What a Garden Designer Does That an Architect Can't
Just as you wouldn't ask me to specify a kitchen or draw up structural plans, it doesn't make sense to rely on an architect or builder to make the detailed decisions about outdoor space. Garden design is a distinct discipline. We bring specific knowledge of planting, soil, seasonality, spatial proportion, and landscape character that sits quite separately from the technical expertise of a builder or the spatial logic of an architect. We're thinking about how a border will look in February as well as June, how to screen a view without blocking light, and how to use levels and materials to give a garden a real sense of purpose and calm.
Why Specialist Landscapers Deliver Better Results
The same logic applies when it comes to carrying out the work. A landscaper who specialises in garden construction will almost always deliver a better result than a general builder, not because builders aren't skilled at what they do, but because gardens require a specific understanding of drainage, levels, materials behaviour over time, and the kind of fine detailing that makes the difference between a garden that looks truly finished and one that always feels slightly off. Using the right people at every stage, from garden design through to build, is what allows everything to come together properly.
Outdoor Space Deserves the Same Investment as Interior Space
Your home is almost certainly the largest investment you'll make, and the garden is a meaningful part of that. The square footage is often greater than the interior, and the impact on how you live is significant. A well-designed outdoor space reliably adds value to a property, and beyond the financial return, it's also simply where life happens. Breakfasts, evenings with friends, children playing, quiet mornings with a coffee.
Getting the garden right, in coordination with the architecture and the interiors, means those moments feel effortless rather than incidental. Our aim is always to ensure that planting, hardscaping, and building work together as a coherent whole, not as separate decisions made by different people at different times.
In Summary
The garden should never be the last thing on the list. Whether you're building from scratch, renovating an existing property, or trying to get more from an outdoor space that's never quite worked, involving a garden designer early will save time, money, and the frustration of redoing work that was never quite right.
A home that extends thoughtfully into its garden is simply a better home to live in.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I involve a garden designer in a project? Ideally from the very beginning, at the same time as the architect and interior designer. Early involvement means the garden can be designed as an integral part of the home rather than fitted around what's left. That said, we work with clients at every stage, and a phased approach can work well even when we come in later.
What does a garden designer do that an architect doesn't? Garden designers bring specialist knowledge of planting, soil, seasonality, ecology, and landscape character. Where an architect is focused on the structure and spatial logic of the building, a garden designer is thinking about how the outdoor space feels across different seasons, how it connects to the interior, and how it supports both the people and the wildlife using it.
How much does garden design cost? Garden design fees vary depending on the scale and complexity of the project. At Joe Perkins Design, we offer an initial consultation to discuss your project and outline what's involved before any commitment is made. Get in touch to start the conversation
Can garden design be done in phases? Yes, and for many clients, a phased approach is the most practical way to work. We can establish a clear long-term vision at the outset and help you implement it in stages as budget allows, starting with the areas that matter most.
Does good garden design add value to a property? Consistently, yes. A well-designed outdoor space improves daily quality of life and is increasingly recognised by buyers and valuers as a meaningful part of a property's overall appeal. The garden is often greater in square footage to the interior, it deserves comparable investment.
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