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Measurements and site details to send with your brief

You do not need a surveyor. A tape measure, a phone and fifteen minutes give the AI enough to keep a proposal realistic — the right size terrace, sensible paths and planting that suits your light.

7 min read · MyGardenova

The four numbers that matter most

  1. Width of the garden along the house.
  2. Length from the house to the far boundary.
  3. Any big step or slope — roughly how many centimetres or inches it drops.
  4. Access width — the narrowest point materials must pass through.

Approximate is fine. Say so plainly: “roughly 8 by 12 metres, give or take half a metre.” A stated approximation is far better than a confident guess or nothing at all.

How to measure without equipment

  • Pacing: walk the length in normal steps and count. Most adult paces are 70–80 cm; measure one to check.
  • Fence panels: standard panels are usually 1.8 m wide — count them along a boundary.
  • Paving slabs: count existing slabs and measure one.
  • Satellite view: most map apps have a measuring tool that works well on garden-sized distances.
  • House wall: measure it once and use it as a ruler for everything parallel to it.

Sun, shade and wind

Light decides where seating goes and which plants survive. You do not need compass readings — describe what you observe.

  • Where does the sun land in the morning, and where in the late afternoon?
  • Which parts are shaded all day, and by what — the house, a tree, a neighbour's building?
  • Is the garden exposed to wind, and from which side does it usually come?
  • Any frost pockets, salt spray or areas that stay damp?

Ground, drainage and levels

Water problems reshape a design more than style does. Tell the model where water sits after rain, whether the soil is heavy clay, sandy or shallow over rock, and where the drains and gullies are. If a level change exists, say how many steps it currently takes.

Access and practicalities

  • Is there a side gate, or must everything go through the house?
  • Narrowest width along the route, in centimetres or inches.
  • Can a small digger or wheelbarrow reach the back of the garden?
  • Is there an outdoor tap, and a power point for lighting?
  • Are there overhead cables, shared boundaries or covenants to respect?

Copy-ready site note

Garden is about 8 m wide by 12 m long, roughly rectangular. Kitchen doors are centred on the house wall. Ground drops about 40 cm from the house to the rear boundary, currently two steps halfway down. Faces west: shade until midday, full sun from about 2 pm, windy from the west. Soil is heavy clay and the far right corner stays wet for days after rain. One drain cover near the back door. Access is a side gate 80 cm wide, so no machinery. Outdoor tap by the door, no outdoor power yet.

Units: pick one and label it

Metres and centimetres, or feet and inches — either works. Just label every number and stay consistent through the brief. Unlabelled numbers are the most common cause of a terrace that comes back the wrong size.

What this changes in your proposal

With real dimensions, seating and dining areas are drawn at a workable size, paths are wide enough to walk, and planting suits your light and exposure. Costs and build phases also become far more realistic. The result remains a visual planning proposal — not measured construction drawings, engineering advice or permit documents.

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