Garden design is unregulated – there is a rash of partand full-time qualifications, with no central examining body – so you should do some homework before lifting the phone to ask a designer to come and look at your garden.

The Society of Garden Designers gives details of 173 members who have undergone a process of assessment by a panel of practising designers. Some of our leading designers, however, have not bothered to join.

Many people find their ideal designer through word of mouth. Even if you fall in love with one particular garden, you should take a look at other ones the designer has made: on their website, in magazines and newspapers and in the flesh. (The Good Gardens Guide and The Yellow Book both flag up gardens that have been professionally designed.) You can also ask to see a portfolio of their past work. Be aware, too, that top designers choose their clients as much as the clients choose them, and will politely turn down a project that doesn’t interest them.

The way each works varies, but many will initially spend a full day on site, discussing the possibilities of the design with the client, then produce a concept plan or outline. This usually involves a series of sketches and a set of design ideas or principles that could be used if planning permission is necessary.

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Top designers will charge at least £6,000 for this initial plan, whereas those in the lower ranks might charge a few hundred pounds. If the concept plan leads to a full-blown design, then the subsequent fees will be agreed at this point.

Most top designers like to control the project from beginning to end, appointing and managing the contractor, and very often doing some of the planting themselves. With big gardens, the relationship between client and designer can be a long-term one, lasting several years. It’s rare, though, to hear of a client falling out with their garden designer, or vice versa. Society of Garden Designers; 01989 566695, www.sgd.org.uk. The Good Gardens Guide, edited by Peter King and Katherine Lambert, is published by Frances Lincoln at £15.99. The Yellow Book 2008 (£7.99) is published on behalf of the National Gardens Scheme; www.ngs.org.uk

Broughton Grange is opening on 4 July from 4pm to 8pm to host The National Garden Scheme’s annual garden party. This is the first where guests will have a chance to meet the Chelsea best-in-show winner, Tom Stuart-Smith, who designed Broughton’s walled garden, as well as gardeners and friends from across the country. Also meet head gardener Andrew Woodhall, who will talk about the construction of the walled garden and future plans at Broughton Grange. The party costs £10 for members and £15 for non-members.

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