How do I know that my landscape contractors are following the landscape plan?

There are a number of key stages where the landscape being installed can and should be checked. The first of these is the materials to be used. If the landscape architect has specified a particular size/ make/ colour of material, you can check this against a delivery note, which the contractor should be happy to provide you with. If the clause “or similar, approved” has been added, then you need to satisfy yourself that any substitutions are, in fact, similar enough to meet the aesthetic, durability and sustainability qualities of the original items. 

 

In addition to substituted materials, it is important to check that the work is being carried out in accordance with the drawings and the specification. If, for example, the landscape architect has specified a bed of sand 50mm deep, 40mm over a large area will save a significant amount of money but this may not be a sufficient bed for the material which goes above. 

 

Many developers have a great deal of knowledge regarding the hard materials side of a landscape plan, however, checking the planting is more of a challenge. 

 

The first thing which can be done is to check the delivery note against the plant schedule. This can highlight any discrepancies between the size and specification of the plants, and also the size of the container in which plants are provided. There will be a significant cost saving, for example between a plant in a 1 litre container and a plant which has been specified in a 3 litre container. It is also likely that the size of the plant will be reduced if it is in a smaller pot and the initial landscape on site will not match the aspirations of the landscape architect or the planning authority which may have approved the plans. 

 

 

Substitutions can … a tricky situation. Plant nurseries will often substitute a plant from the same genus (effectively the plants’ surname). This may be suitable but may not. If, for example, the landscape architect has designed a scheme with, say, blue and purple flowering plants, to suddenly introduce a swathe of substituted red flowering plants could potentially ruin the intended aesthetic of the landscape architect and again, the design approved by the local authority. It may be better to substitute the plant which is unavailable for another with similar shape, habit and flower colour in a different genus. 

 

Tree specifications are an area where specifications are often ignored, for speed or cost cutting. Specifications will generally call for a tree with a strong leader (the vertical stem at the top of the trunk). These can often be damaged in the tree nursery itself, or during transportation. A damaged or broken leader can result in problems with the tree as it grows, making it more susceptible to disease and further damage. This is something which can easily be checked and rectified on site but rarely is. Assuming the checking of plant materials falls to the general clerk of works, they may work on the basis that a tree is a tree, is a tree. 

 

Of course, all of the above leads to the obvious suggestion that the work of the landscape architect includes inspection of the implementation of the landscape installation, on site, providing an experienced and professional opinion of whether the drawings and specification are being followed, ensuring that the meet the expectations of the planning authority. 

 

For further information, please contact Hilary Newhall CMLI hilary.at@llchange.co.uk | 07955728562 

www.allchange.consulting