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How to ask for revisions that improve your design

A revision is a conversation about one proposal, not a new brief. Say what to keep, name the exact area to change, and ask for one coherent group of changes at a time.

6 min read · MyGardenova

The keep-change-why structure

  1. Keep: list what is already right — layout, materials, tree positions, both views.
  2. Change: name the area and the specific change, with a size or material where possible.
  3. Why: one sentence of reason, so the model can solve it sensibly rather than literally.

The “keep” line matters most. Without it, a revision can quietly redraw parts you were happy with, because everything is regenerated each round.

A clear revision request

Keep the overall layout, the pale timber deck, the birch tree and the fence positions in both views. Change the dining area so it fits a six-seat rectangular table with chairs pulled out, and move it closer to the kitchen doors. Replace the fire bowl with a raised timber planter. Reason: we eat outside most evenings in summer and the current terrace is too tight.

Change one group at a time

Bundling unrelated changes — a bigger terrace, a different style, new planting and a shed — forces a near-total redraw and you lose what you liked. Group your requests by area or theme and work through them in rounds.

  • Round 1: layout and zones — where things sit and how big they are.
  • Round 2: materials and surfaces.
  • Round 3: planting, screening and details such as lighting.

Be specific about size and position

  • Instead of “bigger terrace,” say “terrace wide enough for a six-seat table plus a metre of walking space.”
  • Instead of “more privacy,” say “a 1.8 m slatted screen along the right boundary, light still passing through.”
  • Instead of “move the seating,” say “move the seating to the sunny back-left corner.”
  • Instead of “less planting,” say “keep planting only along the two side boundaries.”

When something looks wrong rather than undesired

If a proposal shows something impossible or missing — a door removed, a level flattened, a tree gone — say so directly and point to the photo it should match.

The right-hand boundary in view 2 does not match my photos: the fence should be solid and about 1.8 m high, and the neighbour's shed is on the other side of it. Keep everything else and correct this in both views.

Keep the two views consistent

Every proposal comes back as two coordinated views. When you request a change, add “apply this to both views and keep the materials consistent” so the pair stays readable as one garden.

Making revisions count

  • Look at both views before writing anything, and note what you like first.
  • Write the whole request in one message rather than several fragments.
  • Prioritise: if two requests conflict, say which one wins.
  • Attach a marked-up screenshot when a location is hard to describe.
  • Stop when the design answers your original goals — extra rounds tend to drift.

What your package includes

Concept ($149) delivers the proposal images. Refined Design ($249) includes three revision rounds, and Complete Makeover ($349) includes unlimited revisions within 14 days. All results are visual planning proposals with plain-language materials, rough costs and build phases — not construction drawings or permit documents.

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