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A Tim Durrant garden from above: gravel path curving to a fire bowl and chairs

Tim Durrant Design · Landscape design · Hawke’s Bay and beyond.

A new swimming pool, a driveway, a whole new garden, or a revision and refresh of what you already have. Whether you want a full design or just a bit of direction, I am here to help, in Hawke’s Bay and across New Zealand.

"Tim will pull his boots on and hand-pick giant rocks at the quarry, then fly his drone and render a design revision. 100% recommended." Nigel Dalton & Lesley Melody, Haumoana

“Inventive and imaginative. No hesitation in recommending him for his creativity and his ability to bring a garden in on time and on budget.” Bill Ralston & Janet Wilson, Te Awanga

“Tim listened to the overall vision of our project and executed exactly what we wanted.” Danielle Lowy & Tom Harper, Havelock North

“Tim navigated our differences superbly and came up with several plans we both really liked. I was very happy to have asked Tim for a consultation.” Julia Llewellyn & Jim Coyle, Haumoana

I design. Trusted contractors build.

I design and manage the whole project, using trusted contractors to install and maintain. No two projects are the same, so I tailor it to each client. You can even take on the design and install parts yourself, with my help when you need it.

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What good landscape design gives you

A property that connects

Separate areas brought together as one clear composition: house, garden, levels and movement working as a whole.

Spaces designed for how you live

Outdoor rooms, circulation and planting designed around the way you actually use the property, through the seasons.

Clear priorities, confident decisions

A design brief that orders the work, prevents expensive mistakes and gives you a framework for every decision that follows.

Intelligent use of your budget

Good design tells you where to spend and what to leave out. It pays for itself in decisions avoided.

One part or the whole property

A project can be a single entrance, one tired corner, or a complete landscape plan. The scope fits your actual priorities.

Value that builds over time

A garden designed with the long view is still improving twenty years from now. That is the work I am interested in.

What clients say

"It takes a great deal of talent, empathy, and scholarship for a garden designer to step in the footprints of an award-winning architect… 100% recommended."Nigel Dalton & Lesley Melody · Haumoana · Read the full story
"Tim listened to the overall vision of our project and executed exactly what we wanted."Danielle Lowy & Tom Harper · Havelock North · Read the full story
"Tim is inventive and imaginative… no hesitation in recommending him for his creativity and ability to bring a garden in on time and on budget."Bill Ralston & Janet Wilson · Te Awanga · Read the full story

More kind words →

The Design Practice

Project consultant and manager. Designer of landscapes, pools, outdoor spaces, gardens and one-off features.

Over thirty years, the most important thing I have learned is to ask good questions and to listen. From there I help you make decisions and explore the options, working through to a clear concept and its installation. I enjoy working with people from all walks of life, and the fact that every property is different is what keeps the work interesting. At heart it is about creating spaces for people: practical, considered, and made to be lived in. It is a broad practice that draws on landscape architecture, design and planting, and that range is part of what I love about it.

Landscape and garden design

  • Whole-property landscape design
  • Garden renovations
  • New-build landscape planning
  • Concept design and spatial planning
  • Small, one-off areas and problem-solving
  • Direction and help with decisions

Outdoor living and structures

  • Courtyards and terraces
  • Decks and pergolas
  • Outdoor rooms and shade
  • Gates, screens and custom elements
  • Bespoke and sculptural landscape elements

Pools, water and levels

  • Swimming pools and poolscapes
  • Pool surrounds and fencing
  • Ponds and water features
  • Retaining, drainage and level changes

Planting and project collaboration

  • Planting plans
  • Native and exotic planting
  • Construction documentation
  • Collaboration with builders and craftspeople
  • Project management and on-site coordination
  • Installation input and oversight

Collaboration

I also work alongside architects, builders and other project professionals, bringing an independent landscape design perspective, and I draw in trusted associates when a project calls for specific skills.

Tim Durrant, landscape designer, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

About Tim

I qualified in landscape design and construction in Wellington in 1998 and have worked in the industry ever since, in New Zealand, Denmark and the UK. I have designed gardens, built them and maintained them, which taught me what lasts, what dates and what a landscape needs to look right in ten years, not just on the day it is finished.

I listen carefully. To you and how you want to live, to the property and its conditions, and to what the budget will support. Good design comes from understanding all of these before reaching for a pencil.

I work independently, and bring in trusted associates, builders, craftspeople and other specialists, when a project calls for it. Whatever the size of the job, it gets the same attention and the same commitment to the right response for that particular site.

I am based in Hawke's Bay and work across the region and beyond.

Questions

You might be wondering about a few things. Here are some common questions.

How do I start?

Start with an initial consultation. We walk the property, talk through what is and is not working, and I prepare a written design brief and initial direction. Or give me a call first — happy to have a chat before you commit to anything.

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Is he any good?

Thirty years designing, building and maintaining landscapes in New Zealand, Denmark and the UK. The experience matters, but clients describe it better than I can. Read what clients say.

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Does he fit my project?

No signature look. One difficult area or a whole property, formal homestead or coastal garden, new build or long-overdue renovation. See projects.

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What might it cost?

Every property is different. The first consultation defines the scope, priorities and likely design pathway before larger decisions are made.

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Can you help with just one part of my property?

Yes. A project can be a single area: an entrance, a shaded corner, an outdoor living space. Or the whole property. I work with what the site and your priorities call for.

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Does my project need to be large or high-end?

No. Good design is about making the right decisions for the site and the budget available. I work on projects of varying scale and value.

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Can you work within a defined budget?

Yes. Understanding your budget is part of the first conversation. I look for economy and intelligent use of what is available, and I will tell you honestly what is and is not achievable.

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What happens during the initial consultation?

We walk the property together. I ask how you use the space, what is not working and what you would like to achieve. Afterwards I prepare a written design brief. It is yours to keep whether or not the project proceeds. The fee is $460, incl. GST. Travel and distance may affect the fee — happy to discuss.

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What areas do you work in?

I am based in Hawke's Bay and work across the region: Havelock North, Napier, Te Awanga, the coast and rural areas. I am available for projects elsewhere in New Zealand.

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Can you work with architects, builders and other specialists?

Yes. I work alongside architects, builders and other project professionals where an integrated approach is needed, and bring in trusted associates when a project requires specific skills.

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Contact me

Send a consultation enquiry, or give me a call to discuss. Or email me some images and a few thoughts about your property, and I will get back to you.

Initial consultation, project scope and written design brief: $460, incl. GST. Travel and distance may affect the fee — happy to discuss.

Consultation enquiry   Call 021 782 802   WhatsApp

Prefer to send images and thoughts? Email me here.