A modern back garden pictured at dusk with soft lighting, block paving pathways and boarders filled with grasses. There are blue and white striped furniture pieces among the grass borders.

Full garden

design process

Medium to large gardens

Create a garden that inspires, endures and supports biodiversity in harmony with everyday living.

Outstanding, bespoke gardens

Every garden is different. Some require bold architectural features, others thrive on subtle details.

At Innes Design Studio, we design gardens that are as individual as the people who own them. From ambitious layouts and standout features to planting combinations that bring colour and life throughout the year. Every design is tailored to your space, your lifestyle and your vision.

Get in touch and let’s chat about what you’d like to achieve in your garden.

Initial consultation

A small pebble path cutting through a densely planted border.

The first step is to organise a site visit, where we can wander through your garden to get a feel for the space and how you’d like to use it.

From planting to lighting to water features and pools, we will discuss ideas big and small and what’s possible with your budget.

Site analysis and survey

A successful garden starts with a clear understanding of the site. We’ll carry out a detailed survey, looking at soil, aspect, levels and existing features - ensuring the design works in harmony with the conditions on the ground.

We can also identify opportunities to re-use materials already on-site such as trees, stones and pavers. This can help to enhance the sustainbility of the garden whilst reducing spending on materials.

Modern garden with paved area surrounding by plants and a dark panelled garden room in the background.
A large, modern stone-clad home with large, elegant driveway with minimalist planting.
The edge of a metal water feature with pale paving in the background and lily pads floating in the water.

Design concept to masterplan

A 3D design of a large garden surrounding a detached home with two pools, complex landscaping and demonstrating a variety of planting.

From the first sketches to the final masterplan, we’ll explore different layouts, styles, and features to create a scheme that feels right for you. Once refined, the masterplan gives a clear blueprint of your future garden, ready for construction and planting.

Planting plans

Planting is at the heart of every design. Jamie’s expertise, built on years at world-renowned gardens such as Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, ensures every planting scheme is rich, layered, and biodiverse.

Using our own nursery - Sweetwater Nursery - we can supply and source plants directly, which reduces transport miles, improves quality, and gives you access to a wider, carefully selected range year-round.

Implementation

When the design is ready to be built, we can recommend trusted landscapers and oversee the process to make sure everything comes together as planned. From sourcing materials to placing the final plants, we’ll be there to ensure your garden takes shape exactly as designed.

A Japanese-style courtyard garden with bountiful planting.

Testimonials

“Working with Jamie on our garden design was a pleasure from start to finish. He produced a stunning design for the total renovation of our large-ish city garden, responding brilliantly to our brief and elevating it with his own superb ideas. Communications were excellent, the process enjoyable, friendly and creative and we couldn't be more delighted with the result.”

— Gilly M

“Jamie is a talented garden designer who transformed our London garden into a beautiful space. His choice of planting is great with a natural feel and a lot of our friends have commented how wonderful it looks. Importantly he is a pleasure to work with, we highly recommend him.”

— Laura