Client Interview

Client Interview

While doing the course in Introductory garden design we had to perform a client interview. Being my own client, I decided to interview every member of my family about their likes, dislikes and needs for our garden. I first asked my 7 year old daughter, Jo. I could not believe my ears when she immediately started talking. It was as if she had been thinking about the subject for months and now that she finally had the chance to speak up, the dam burst and she couldn't stop talking. I never had to probe for details - it all just came pouring out! Among her requests were:

Could we please have about 30cm of sand at the bottom of the swimming pool.  It would also be nice to have shells strewn haphazardly around - especially around the edges of the pool. There must also be fish in the pool with whom she can play and who will accompany her when she swims around.  Definitely NO sharks, the preferred "fish" should be dolphins, and NO a fishpond will not serve the same purpose! 
  
Her favourite activity in the garden is making "concoctions". For this she takes some large dishes and cutlery to mix sand, soil, berries, seeds, flowers, rocks - and whatever else she can lay her hands on - in the "right consistency".  The secret ingredient though, is something from the kitchen that she begs, borrows or, as I came to realize, steals!  Luckily her puppy face nearly always gets her an egg or cup of flour from her mom!

But to continue with her requests:  She now also wants a room (note: it must be approximately 2x3m!!) of her own in the garden, and NO it should not be a dolls house. In this room there must be a huge table in the middle of the room and enough shelves against the walls to store all her utensils and the ingredients for making her concoctions - and PLEASE, could there be chocolates too so that she doesn't need to steal mine in order to get the right texture !! She was so exited about this room that we had to select a spot IMMEDIATELY and she was even prepared to contribute R1.90 from her piggy bank!!!