Starting over

In this new three-part series, Nick Bailey reveals his garden transformation journey, with expert tips and design know-how

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Several years ago I moved to a new home with a mature established garden. It had many good qualities but needed a major revamp in order to suit my needs.

In this new three-part series, I'll share the process I went through to rethink my garden and how you can do the same with yours. Breathing new life and style into an established plot is a relatively simple process, so long as you follow a logical set of steps before you break ground.

Follow the process with me from initial analysis through to developing ideas and ultimately finalising an achievable design.

No matter whether you're looking to develop your existing garden or have just moved to a new one, a first assessment of the site is essential. With my own garden, I managed to resist surging ahead with changes for a good few months. Doing this gave me time to begin understanding the site, its quirks and foibles. I started off by simply observing my plot, taking note of the sun track and when it struck certain parts of the garden, noting where bulbs emerged and testing the soil for pH. I also asked neighbours about typical climate patterns, where pipes and cables ran and any problematic wild animals or weeds. I'm glad I did this as it turns out there's a huge drain running through my garden that didn't show up on the survey. Striking that during the build would have led to an unplanned pond!