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Excellent job done would recommend
Robert
James was responsive to our request for a quote, for felling a large ash tree we suspected had died. He replied to messages quickly, turned up when he said he would, and was correct that our tree had in fact died. James was professional the whole time and we would have no hesitation in hiring and recommending him to others in the future.
Joanne
Excellent service. Hard working, polite, professional team. Lovely job. Would recommend.
Anne
Below you’ll find information to help you understand the different elements of garden design and the key things to be aware of before you start transforming your outside space. Find some initial ideas to talk through with a garden designer, including making the most of a small garden.
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Garden Design Services
What does garden design involve?
Garden design is about more than mowing a lawn and putting a couple of plants in the ground. A good design takes into account a few key elements:
- How you want to use the space.
- The amount of light the garden receives, and at what times of the day.
- The quality of your soil.
For example, you won’t want to put a shed in the best spot for catching a bit of sun, or have a patio that’s entirely in the shade.
A garden designer will help you make the most of the available space, no matter how big or small. They’ll also establish how keen a gardener you are to make sure the finished garden is either easy to maintain, or gives you something to get your teeth into – if you’re the green-fingered type.
Cost of garden design work
The cost of the work will depend on what you’re having done and the size of your garden, but prices tend to start at around £200. A good garden designer will discuss what you want to get out of your garden and ask you about your budget before coming up with ideas.
Low maintenance garden ideas

- You can stop a garden from looking untidy by dividing it into small sections. Plants, hedges, low walls and raised beds give a sense of order. Paths made from wood chips, slabs or bark help prevent weeds.
- Growing plants at different heights can give the illusion of there being more than there are, so you get the look of a fuller garden, with fewer plants to keep healthy. Shrubs, herbs and verbena are low maintenance plant options for adding colour.
- Rockeries and water features don’t need much looking after. Avoid shallow water features to save needing to top them up when they dry out. If you’d like a pond, avoid getting fish as the pH balance of the water settles naturally without them, giving you fewer algae problems so less cleaning time.
- To save cutting the lawn, artificial turf could be your best friend but if you want the real thing and don’t mind doing a little cutting every now and again, slow growing or drought resistant turf could be better options.
Ideas for small gardens
- To create more space, choose similar flooring to the inside of your home when picking the outside tiling.
- Divide a garden into different sections and add diagonal or winding paths. Extending the time it takes to get from one side of the garden to the other will make it feel bigger.
- Laying pavers at an angle to the property instead of parallel will draw the eye across the garden and extend the space.
- Attaching foliaged climbers to wires across areas of your garden will give it an extra dimension.
- Think about growing upwards rather than outwards with a trellis attached to your fence, or a vertical wall made up of climbers, grasses and ferns. A green wall can also help you lower your energy bills through providing more insulation and reducing the amount of heat that’s lost through the wall of your home. When it comes to choosing other plants, pick types that grow upwards like sweet peas and black-eyed susans so they take up less room.
Planning permission for garden design jobs
Planning permission only comes into play when you’re building or installing decking, fences, walls and gates. You’ll need to apply for planning permission if:
- The decking would be higher than 30cm above the ground.
- The decking or other raised platforms would cover more than half of the total area of the garden.
- A fence, gate or wall would be over 2 metres high, or over 1 metre high near a highway that’s used by vehicles (or a footpath next to the highway).
- The fence, gate or wall would form a boundary with a listed building or land.
If you live in a listed building or you have a front garden that you want to pave over, you should check with your Local Planning Authority as different rules may apply.
Insurance for garden design work
While it’s not a legal requirement, it’s a good idea for all garden designers to have public liability insurance so they’re covered for personal injuries or accidental damage to a property.
Questions you should ask your garden designer
- How long have they been working as a garden designer for?
- Can they show you examples of work they’ve carried out?
- Can they give you a scaled design of what the finished garden will look like?
- Do they have public liability insurance and what does this cover?
- Will they give a guarantee for the work and how long does this last? Are there separate guarantees for different plants?
- Does the quote for the work include waste disposal? If not, check with your local council how you would go about getting it taken away.
At Gloucestershire Fencing, we are dedicated to providing top-quality fencing, painting, patios, decking, and landscaping services to our residential clients in Cheltenham. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the work ethic we uphold, ensuring heavenly results in every project we undertake. With a portfolio of successful projects, we take pride in delivering exceptional craftsmanship and personalized service. Contact us today for a free estimate and let us bring your outdoor vision to life.
Excellent service Good job Would recommend them unequivocally A Main
MC Roofing & Landscapes is a premier Bristol-based company dedicated to providing exceptional roofing and property maintenance services. With a focus on excellence and customer satisfaction, we serve Bristol and its surrounding areas, offering comprehensive solutions for all roofing needs. Our team specializes in a wide range of landscaping services, including but not limited to: Garden design and installation Lawn care and maintenance Tree and shrubbery planting Patio and pathway construction Fencing and decking installation Water feature design and installation Garden lighting solutions In addition to our landscaping expertise, we are committed to ensuring the longevity and beauty of your property through our comprehensive property maintenance services. From routine lawn mowing to seasonal cleanups, we handle all aspects of property upkeep with professionalism and care. At MC Roofing & Landscapes, we take pride in our attention to detail, craftsmanship, and commitment to customer satisfaction. Whether you're looking to transform your outdoor space into a tranquil oasis or simply need reliable property maintenance services, you can trust us to deliver outstanding results tailored to your needs. Contact us today to discover how MC Roofing & Landscapes can bring your landscaping vision to life and keep your property looking its best year-round.
Very helpful and prompt service. Good workers who cleaned up properly. Friendly and straightforward service.
I have been a builder for 42 years. I do brickwork, repointing, drainage, block paving, patios, concreting, landscaping, stone work, exterior painting etc.. I cover all aspects of building work. and all aspects of groundwork and we specialise in lime mortar pointing
Great job! I’m really pleased with the service I received and will definitely be using again soon. Thanks
Its quality time! With over 10 years experience, tens of finished jobs and tens of happy clients, I am a landscaper who can manage any job. Big or small, easy or complicated is never a problem for me. For any details don't hesitate to contact me.
Work that took place was amazing and recommend IA trader to anyone that needs work done.
McGinleys Services has over 25 years of experience in commercial and residential Landscape and building maintenance within the Berkshire area. We can help you maintain your property or help you create your dream landscaped garden.
Could not rate this team highly enough. Honest, hard working, tidy and pleasant from start to finish. Have done a fantastic job with stripping out the old patio and laying a superb new one. I would 100% recommend Mark and his team and will use him for any other jobs in his remit. Thanks again for your hard work.
Rimi construction limited ! Guaranteed hight quality job with the best prices .
Very happy with Rimi. He at all times came up with ideas and solutions. We had a rear garden job. Involved brick work, decking, retiling, soil work,painting, creating new landscape overall. He did it professionally and in time. He was patient with delays in material supply and kept following up. Overall quite pleased with the end result
With our company you can feel comfortable and relaxed. We have 30 years of experience and will always ensure that the work carried out on your property will be to a Professional standard. And once we start on your property we don't stop until the work is Fully completed And To our customers satisfaction All our new work is fully guaranteed for 10 Years Trades 1.Driveway Paver 2.Landscape Gardener 3.Groundworker 4.Resurfacing Contractor 5. Fence&Gate Specialist Photo gallery
Excellent service. Jerry and his team were great.helpful proffesional.and friendly. Would recommend
Property and garden services
Lee was so helpful. He went out of his way to do a wonderful job. My garden now looks clean and tidy. Patio and AstroTurf super clean Cannot be happier
We are a family run business priding ourselves in quality workmanship at affordable prices customer satisfaction is guaranteed we cover all aspects of roofing gardening and general property maintenance with over 20 years experience all quotations are free
Carl and the team undertook a full landscape, fencing and decking project. It wasn't a small task, with hidden tree stumps, heavily overgrown garden and uneven levels. The team were brilliant and had the whole garden fully landscaped, including a new fence, roll on lawn, deck and a few other additional tasks completed within a week. Team turned up on time every day and worked solidly to get the job finished within the quoted timeframe. Would strongly recommend Root2Roof for the works they completed.
Bristol House Extensions is a family owned business. Our workforce is fully qualified and experienced at working in domestic and commercial properties and carries out work for our customer, customer satisfaction is our main priority.
Really helpful people to deal with.
We are a local dependable loyal family run business who have been in this trade for the past 30 years we can cover all types of landscaping services tree and building work always happy to help no jobs to big or small
I hired AW Tree and Landscape Services to do a large hard landscaping job including rebuiling walls, rebuilding steps and a large area of paving and I'm completely satisfied with the work they have done. They turned up at first light (sometimes before) every day, were courteous and tidy. They work as a well-practised team and the quality of work is outstanding. Alec and Alexander had some brilliant problem-solving ideas. I'm very happy wit the job and would not hesitate to hire them again.
Here at 5 star luxury drives, patio’s & landscaping we offer a number of services while getting the job done well with many years of experience and also offer a very friendly service through out the job if needing a quote then please contact us on our page or website and we we’ll get back to you a soon as possible thank you.
Harry and the team completed a large excavation and built a retaining wall. They were very professional, really hard working to get the job done quickly and completed the job to a great standard.
We are specialized on landscaping and garden maintenance. Our leader, Norbert is professional hard landscaper. He has more that 10 years experience in fencing, timber work, laying patios, build driveways and create practical and enjoyable garden spaces.
Person came around and viewed but decided not to take on job. No quote or anything. Wasted our time.
My name is Arturas and I have a strong passion for building things and I love to make people happy through what I do. I have been doing this job for 10 years, however, I have learned to be a builder from my father since I was younger.
Very efficient and friendly. Sorted within minutes. Highly recommended.
SOUTH CRAFT LTD
Garden Design
South Craft LTD is primarily a carpentry business, also undertaking external work such as landscaping. Attention to detail and customer satisfaction is the absolute priority at South Craft. A happy client is a returning client. Some of the services we provide are as follows - Media walls - Panel accent walls - Decking - Fencing - Pergolas/gazebos - Outhouses - Landscaping - Cladding - Flooring - Doors - Made to measure storage And much more.
Five Star Construction is a family run business with the aim to provide affordable handyman and development works. We are full insured and all our operatives are fully trained for the work we carry out. Our friendly team are awaiting your call
Good value Very profession Quick and tidy workman Would definitely use them again. Regards Thomas
Hello everyone! •Our company has over 3 years of experience and we can provide high level services such as: •Maintaining green spaces and flower beds Paving and patios, brick and block work, artificial grass, fancying, decking and pergolas, new lawn. We gonna take the great attention to make the customer happy.
I’m giving 5 stars to Benjamin and his boys, who came on agreed day and time, done driveway dig up, sub base, waste clearance and vac plate compresion as I wanted. Even rain didn’t stopped them!
Renova is a premier all-trade business specialising in a comprehensive range of building and home renovation projects. With expertise spanning every trade, we provide a seamless, end-to-end service for projects of all sizes, from small-scale refurbishments to large-scale developments. Our highly skilled team ensures exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail, delivering outstanding results that exceed client expectations. In addition to our core renovation services, we operate a sister business based in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire. This facility boasts a 3,500 sq. ft. showroom showcasing an extensive selection of high-quality kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, doors, and fitted furniture. This showroom allows our clients to explore a diverse range of premium products, ensuring they find the perfect solutions for their home improvement needs. Complementing our showroom, we have a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility dedicated to kitchen and bespoke joinery production. Our expert craftsmen utilise advanced techniques and the finest materials to create tailored solutions that combine functionality, style, and durability. Whether you require a custom-built kitchen, unique joinery pieces, or fully integrated fitted furniture, our manufacturing division ensures precision and quality at every stage. At Renova, we take pride in delivering a complete and hassle-free experience, managing every aspect of your project with professionalism and expertise. From initial consultation and design to construction and finishing touches, we are committed to bringing your vision to life with exceptional quality and service.
The loft converstion the guys did was brilliant. We are very happy with the outcome but more than that we were happy with the communication and the flexibility to work around our requirements. Nothing was too difficult the workers were always polite and clean. Couldn't recommend more.
Valentino has done a fantastic job of bathroom and kitchen refurbishment. He has delivered what he had promised no hidden charges and no false promises. Very reliable and soft spoken. He uses the best material in the market so quality of product is very good. He did the facia as well which is also of very good specifications. Overall he is a fantastic builder and I would 100% recommend him.
Taurus Home And Garden
Garden Design
Taurus Home and Garden was launched in 2021 with the aim of providing our clients with an honest and reliable service, specialising in what we love most: landscaping and damp-proofing. Taurus is a Sussex based company where a clear vision for each project is shared among us, the contractors, andhomeowners. As well as landscaping and damp-proofing, we also undertake renovation projects on request – you only have to ask! Our goal is to become the go-to company for landscaping and damp-proofing work, and to share our vision of creating, improving, and protecting every space we have the opportunity to work upon. We aim to restore trust in contractors by delivering clear, well-planned, and expertly executed projects to our clients, providing full transparency throughout. We understand the anxieties many people experience when entrusting their home visions to others. Our transparent process, from planning to completion, is designed to help our clients rebuild that trust.
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