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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.
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Hi we are a small family run business we do all our work to a high standard we can do what ever the customer wants doing we have a few reviews I can show you my reviews off another website which I have 55 5 star reviews we are just starting to offer roofing to now thanks Daniel
Expensive. Job done to minimal standard.
Instead of hiring and dealing with multiple people, let us handle the hassle out on your behalf! One deal, one man! My name is Behrooz, and I have 14 years' experience in building and carpentery works. We specialize in renovation and refurbishment of commercial and residential properties at the best quality and price using the best professional tools. We take serious pride in all our work. We also have a joinery factory in London. We manufacture any made-to-measure woodworking such as shop display and counters , kitchen units, wardrobes, TV stands, dining tables etc - you name it, we do it.
Bit of difficulty getting messages answered, but arrived early on the agreed date, which was fine. Completed the task quickly and effectively. The company's terms request payment once the quote is accepted. I pay once the job is completed (unless it's a large job, requiring a deposit, for example.) He asked for cash and I said I preferred bank transfer. He started showing me messages on his phone from people who had paid cash in advance. I said I am not them and I would transfer the money this afternoon.
Full property renovations, extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings & more.
Andre and team did a great job with the shed /summerhouse construction, and were very accommodating with the request to build it at short notice ( (within 5 days) and alter the layout of the building to meet our requirements. Also were very friendly and professional. Reasonably priced too. Would recommend.
Please check our Checkatrade reviews! This is a new account. Ellis Roofing and Building Ltd based on the Wirral. Covering Wirral and surrounding areas. Our goal is to exceed the expectations of every one of our customers offering a wide range of building, joinery, bricklaying and roofing. We have a vast knowledge and experience to provide our customers with outstanding results for any of their construction needs. Our prices are competitive and we offer great customer service.
The job was posted on 22nd July 2025 and Wade Ellis of Ellis Roofing And Building Ltd responded 2 days later. After a survey, I received a quote on 26th July, which was accepted. A skip arrived on 29th July and the work commenced next day. The job was completed on 1st August. The bricklayer and his female trainee assistant got on with the job without any fuss, and they were very pleasant to deal with. The aim of the project has been delivered and I am very happy with the result. I recommend them. 5 stars!
Hi my name is Alex i just start a gardening buisniss. I have 1 man with me we doing gardening mentenance we have a experience we can colect rubish!
Alexandrou was great. He cleared some garden rubbish for me. He was a pleasant guy to deal with and he communicated well, turned up on time and completed the job quickly and efficiently. I am happy to recommend him
Tree Care Arborists LTD
Garden Design
At tree care arborists lTD we work hard to achieve the ideal services for our customers. We are professional and specialized in tree care and maintaining gardens we also offer a full landscaping service, fully insured with Public Liability Insurance. We are experienced for over 12 years and dedicated in transforming residential landscapes across Berkshire , Hampshire and surrounding areas.
Crossways Gardening & Supplies offers a complete outdoor solution for your gardening requirements in the South of England. Our team offer a full landscape design service, garden revamps and maintenance programmes to ensure your garden is looking its best all year round.
I was extremely impressed with the professional manner Hayden portrayed himself whilst accessing and completing the tasks involved. Always conscious to ensure I was aware of all options to keep the costs to suite my pocket. He completed an excellent and exacting job. Brilliant.
Catalin Timaru
Garden Design
Hi We are experienced builders, residential and commercial building and maintenance services Have been in business for around 15 years We offer quality services at reasonable prices
Services we offer include but are not limited to: -Brick and blockwork -Fencing (new and repairs) -Artificial grass / turf installation -Block paving/patio -Garden landscaping and design -Security fencing/gates -Demolition
Thank you did a great job
Crystal Homes Improvements and Gardening Services, is one of the UK’s leading specialists in providing the best in interior and exterior design schemes for residential and investment properties. Over the last 15 years we have built our reputation on delivering high standards of excellence and unrivalled attention to customer care. Our team and design professionals can create the right design or work load to meet your needs and your budget.
We are a family run building company, we cover a wide range of works from joinery , building, landscaping and maintenance, We have over 20 years experience and pride ourselves on our professional ability to adapt to each of are customers needs Thank you ,,and hope to help you with your job whatever the size big or small
Excellent work!
JHG & Sons Garden & Property Maintenance At JHG & Sons, we are dedicated to providing top-quality garden and property maintenance services. With nearly 11 years of experience in the trade, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional workmanship and ensuring complete customer satisfaction. Our team offers a comprehensive range of services, including garden care, landscaping, property upkeep, and more, all tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. Based in Suffolk, we are committed to serving our local community with prompt and reliable service. Whether you need regular garden maintenance or one-off property improvements, JHG & Sons guarantees a high standard of work and a swift response. Your property is our priority.
Our company offers a affordable and professional landscaping service which covers a wide range of services including tree work driveways patios fencing ect
We do all aspects of building work Roofing, patios, driveway, decking, painting, electrical and more
Reliable, friendly, am really pleased with the work they did. Would definitely recommend.
ASAP trees & landscaping LTD provides professional tree services and landscaping solutions, including trimming, removals, stump grinding, design, planting, and routine maintenance. Quality work, fair pricing, and dependable service—your outdoors, done right.
Advanced construction is a small company based in Iver Buckinghamshire. We have been trading since 1992. We specialise in all types of building works. New build houses/ Extensions/Conversions/Refurbishment We all specialise in all sorts of landscaping ie patios-driveways We have our own plant .mini digger’s and dumpers etc. We quite often dig foundation and driveways for people, even if they want to carry on and finish their selves. Same goes for extensions We do all ground works, build shell and put roofs on, then client may want to take over at that stage. We are pretty flexible. We have lots of jobs all over which can be seen in person. At least by this you can see the quality of finish And even meet the previous clients. Our website is Advanced Construction Iver Ltd
Extremely happy with the work carried out. Very professional, thoughtful and tidy team. Would highly recommend.
General Building and maintenance New builds Exstensions Restoration Renovation
We had them in to install insulation in our upstairs floor, replace the sub floor, replace some lights, install a loft hatch, and board out our loft. On top of this they discovered a problem in our roof that they fixed. We were incredibly impressed by all of the staff that attended on site. They were friendly, polite at all times, and worked really hard, to a high standard. I couldn't recommend James and his team more, and we've already started talking to them about a further project.
Apex is a maintenance service company, specialising in Plumbing, Heating and General Building. Our experienced team offer a host of skills, covering many different sectors to allow us to be your one-stop shop. So whether you're a domestic customer with a plumbing and heating issue, or, a domestic client requiring general property solutions, we can tailor your needs under one roof. Our team is fully insured and with over 30 years of experience, we're the go-to company for plumbing and heating, with a quick-to-action call-out priority covering Oxfordshire, Bucks and Berkshire.
Fantastic job. Clear communication and completed the work within time. Will recommend whole heartedly.
Gudfort fencing ltd have been erecting fences for 25 years ,no job to big or small professional work always and no money upfront until all parties are 100% happy.
Matthew was easy to communicate with he was honest about the job and not put off by the private lane access - which meant all materials had to come down lane and through the house they were tidy - professional and attention to detail It was also very refreshing to see a trade man that had enough professional ability to only require £250 Deposit to hold date - did not need materials paid up front as he clearly runs a good cash flow company with good trade accounts. Total professional and lovely Gentleman.
Hi my name is Terry from A.T landscapes we specialise in all landscaping needs turfing, fencing and all aspects of paving.
Following on from my previous review. Terry reached out on a different mobile to the one linked to this account & advised he no longer used this number. I asked for him to come complete the work, again promised & never arrived. It's been over 17 months now and the work is still not complete.
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