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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.
Local carpenter and general builder, competitive prices, all 5 star reviews and references.
Dan visited and gave me a quote for the job. He then turned up with Tom to help on the day and have to say they did a very tidy job of strimming the grass, raking it up and clearing. Chopped up a dead tree which had fallen onto the land into logs and stacked tidy. They did what I asked them to do and were polite and informative in letting me know when they could next be here. Decent guys!
Shane’s home improvements has firmly built it’s reputation on perfection with outstanding customer service, reliability and attention to detail. We provide a dedicated, personalised service, providing solutions to maximise your outdoor space. We strongly believe that a job is not worth doing unless it is done right. Shane’s home improvements has extensive expertise in providing a number of services, including design and construction of Patios, Walling, cedar & softwood Fencing, Millboard & timber decking, contemporary garden buildings, stainless steel and glass balustrades & balconies, block Paved, natural stone and resin bound driveways and Paths and installation of Artificial Grass/AstroTurf and much more. Drawing from our 13 years of experience, we offer a whole world of garden design ideas, which are excellently installed to suit different garden types, shapes and sizes, and fully meet your personal requirements. From modern designs to more traditional styles, we ensure you’re delighted with the end result. We Provide bespoke landscaping services for private and commercial clients Renowned for our quality installations and workmanship combined with high-quality materials such as natural stone paving, vitrified paving, porcelain paving, stainless steel, glass, cedar and Millboard decking. Shanes home improvements are a landscape design and home improvement services company you can trust
Shane has contacted me to agree that the work will be completed on Thursday and has committed a full refund if he is unable to make it.
RPL paving and landscaping is a family run business with years of experience in all aspects of Roofing,paving and landscaping. nothing is to big nor small,from a small tree removal to full Garden design or a small roof repair to a complete new roof. we take great pride in our work and offer advice and free quotations. All our work projects are fully guaranteed work.
Due to a family problem I was unable to take up the job offer. It was accepted without question. Thankyou
Pontypool based company that specialises in all types of Carpentry and Landscaping work. All work undertaken is complete at a very high standard which leaves customers will complete happiness and satisfaction. Full qualified trades team in all different aspects. Free quotation regardless of circumstance.
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Over 20 years experience. From patios to decking to driveways.
John came over to have a look at the job and gave me a quote for the artificial grass patch. He was very accommodating and the finish was superb. I am very happy with it. Thank you John
Here at Weathertite Constructions we cover a wide range of building roofing extensions conversions damp problems drainage with camera inspection, garden design with patios driveways and walls. James has 20 years experience Lee has 35 Gary has 17 we are here to provide a good service information and a very reasonable quote kind regards James
Lee and team responded very quickly. Work was explained clearly and delivered ahead of schedule. Top marks!
We are a family run business covering all aspects of driveways and landscaping from a new block paved driveway to garden design and hard landscaping from trees felled to hedges trimmed we cover it all, all our work is guaranteed and quality assured.
Jeremy did a great job for us. He was quick but very thorough. All the waste was taken away and some very nice turf laid. Would recommend his services to anyone.
Never distrust your nature....
Kris was swift coming around, giving us a competitive quote on the job along with giving us his ideas for the project. Once agreed, he was able to complete the job to high standards whilst arranging all the material needed. He's very friendly and has great attention to detail. Also very good cleaning after himself everyday. I would highly recommend Kris for your renovations and joinery works.
M S Building Services is a Worcestershire based building company with over 20 years of experience, proudly serving clients across Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Birmingham. We specialise in all aspects of groundwork, building and landscaping, delivering high-quality results tailored to your needs. No job is too big or too small – from minor improvements to large-scale projects, we bring the same dedication, expertise, and attention to detail every time.
Mark was very professional and reliable. Excellent standard of work, left everything clean and tidy on completion of the job. We are very pleased and would highly recommend them.
We are a family run business, specialising in all type of Groundworks, Driveways, Drainage problems, Fencing, Paths, Patios, Garden/Retaining Walls, Soakaways and Cesspools, Foundations and Oversites, Underpinning, Vehicle cross overs, Mobility Ramps,
Lee and the team did an amazing job, always kept us informed of progress. The team on site were fantastic. Definitely would recommend!
I have been in the trade for many years, (17 years) I have recently gone on my own, and my business is doing really well, I take pride in my work and it's what I enjoy doing. I always hit my targets and it's shown because my business is doing brilliant
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
We are a reliable local company with 25 years experience and an extensive customer base. We are fully qualified and insured. Fully competent in all aspects landscapes. Don't not hesitate contact
He is doing very good im happy
We have a very experienced team that specialise in various services and no job is too big or too small. The below is a list of our services: -Shed and garden building specialist (made to order) -All groundworks including drainage -Carpentry indoor and outdoor - All types of tiling - floor and walls And all other aspects of property maintenance Although we are new to rated people our team have over 20 years of experience and are highly skilled. All our jobs are managed by our project manager who will ensure that everything runs smoothly and the jobs get done within the agreed time frame.
M & C Landscapings and Home Improvements is a business by a professional. with years of experience. Always looking for new designs and products for your garden and home needs. Whether you need garden maintenance, a new designed garden 100% satisfaction.
Work was done to perfection I am so happy with the decking polite and efficient service I would highly recommend
Hi Im a builder with over 20 years experience in construction and decorating I have a team of 6 good workers wii do olmost evri job inside and out side home restaurants club's and mani more. No job to small or to big.
I have been working as a gardener for over 15 years,i normally advertise in local papers but i am trying something new on rated people. Loyal and gets the job done. All free quotes! Covered for Tree Felling Tradesman Insurance. Policy Certificate can be shown on request.
John and John were fantastic. Friendly, good quality work and a great turnaround time. Thanks very much! Will be using agains for other projects.
If you are looking for a nice change in your home and you want to work with a profesional and friendly team you are in right place , with more than 10 years experience in many countries like Italy , Spain ,France ,Greece now we want to promote our company in England and to provide the best services to a high standard for all our costumers . We always try our best to see our costumers happy to convert their home into a small corner of heaven. Always looking to offer good quality of work and quality materials, always showing up on time and never leave the job before is finished no matter how many issues we discover. Do not hesitate to contact us, working with Samycos is your best choice !
Worked hard to completed the work within the time frame stated. Took ownership and pride in doing the job well. Friendly and knowledgeable about his trade. Tidied up after himself. Would recommend.
we are a family run business with over 25 years combined experience. we are fully insured just based outside of norwich covering all of norfolk and suffolk. all aspects of tree surgery,garden clearnce,fencing,turfing,gravelling and much more unertaken.
Was efficient, effective, friendly, cost effective and on-time. What more is needed?
hello, we are a small building service . clean tidy friendly tradesmen specializing in small building projects. high standard of quality assured. city n guilds time served tradesmen. Certificates in lime mortar repointing heritage
Jay assessed the job in person and gave me a fair quote on the spot. He’s just done the job on a Saturday and it looks great!
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