reflections from the build: why design guardianship really matters
by Ryan Evans, construction guardian at WILDEN
I’ve been on countless garden builds over the years. if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:
it’s not enough to have a beautiful design. you need someone to protect it.
the gap between drawings and delivery is where most projects go off track. it’s not always because of big, obvious mistakes — more often, it’s the quiet stuff. a small substitution here. a detail skipped there. tiny decisions that slowly chip away at the design until the finished space feels... off.
I’ve worked on all sides of the client/contractor/designer relationship so I’ve spent years supporting the varying ambitions of each. with that, I’ve been involved in projects realised to different levels of success too - the builds where we’re involved through to the last plant in the ground, and the ones where drawings are handed over with only blind hope for the best.
the difference is night and day, so here’s what you need to know…
the ones that go off course
sometimes a project starts strong. a good team, a clear plan. but then decisions start getting made on-site without design input. timelines get squeezed. materials are suddenly ‘unavailable’ and alternatives are chosen without a second thought.
the UAE climate pushes everything to the limit — plants, materials, people. and while we work with some brilliant teams, there are times when skills or experience don’t match the complexity of the design. if no one’s keeping an eye on the details, things can unravel quickly.
take a recent project we designed and the client chose not to proceed with guardianship during construction. a few months later, we got the call: “it’s not turning out the way it felt on paper.” we visited the site, and… the client was right. the spirit of the design had been lost. critical materials had been substituted without balancing new colours, and key features were omitted or poorly built. one moment stands out. we’d specified a particular crazy paving — carefully chosen natural stone for its tone, shape, and tactile quality. on site, what we found was completely different: square 60x60 tiles had been chipped at the corners to try and fake the look. wrong colour. wrong texture. wrong feel. it’s these moments — when you’re called in too late — that sting the most. because by then, the window has passed. what could’ve been a standout element becomes something you can’t un-see. that’s tough for us to see an opportunity ruined but even more so for the client who trusted the process and was let down.
and then there are the good ones
these are the builds I love — not because they’re easy, but because they’re collaborative. challenges come up, but we solve them together. every issue is a chance to do something clever, to adjust and improve the design.
paradoxically, it can be good when challenges come up because when they’re solved by the whole team it creates a deeper connection to the end result. a bit like life; the obstacles are the way because they make us value the achievement more.
being available on the site means we can respond quickly — often during a dirty site walk with a coffee in one hand and a set of drawings in the other.
every issue becomes a creative opportunity — a chance to problem-solve, without compromising the vision. sometimes, it’s those very challenges that make a project more meaningful.
on a recent build, an unexpected foundation issue meant a planned stepped-down garden level and planter couldn’t be constructed — the villa’s foundation slab was in the way. we were able to assess on-site, brainstorm with the contractor and client, and rework the layout to suit the constraints while still holding onto the design’s intent. no ad-hoc decisions, no costly rework. no watered-down compromises. just clarity, speed, and shared purpose.
we’re not there to slow things down and often it’s the opposite - to help find smarter, faster or more cost effective solutions. the aim is to ensure the intention behind every change is balanced. to protect the design, and your investment.
what it looks like in practice
it might mean helping choose the right supplier for materials, checking samples before they’re installed, or being on-site to position every tree with care. it might mean explaining why a small shift in finish will change the feel of an entire space — or knowing when to bend, and when to hold the line.
I joke that my most-used tool on site isn’t a spade, it’s my phone. from reviewing drawings to taking quick measurements, snapping issues, video calling a supplier, or showing clients inspiration, it’s the most practical tool in my pocket!
the point is, that guardianship isn’t about control. it’s about care. it’s the work we do behind the scenes to make sure your garden ends up as you dreamed it, or better.
we also use a dedicated project portal to keep everything transparent — sketches, approvals, issues, and updates. this helps us stay on top of everything from preparing tenders and BOQ’s to tracking material approvals.
delivering the design
personally, I’m drawn to spaces that slow time down — a hillside garden where everything feels considered but relaxed. where the right plants catch the light, where you sit with a drink and everything feels right in the world. guardianship is about protecting that kind of experience for you — making sure it happens not just in the sketches, but in the end result.
when it all comes together — the detail, the care, the intent — you don’t just get a completed garden. you get something that makes you feel complete.
thinking about guardianship for your project? we’d love to talk.
