The answer to this question depends largely on what it is you’re hoping to achieve. If you’re just looking for a new fence or a straightforward new path or patio, then any good landscaper would be able to provide you with a quote and you needn’t involve a garden designer in the process. If however you’re looking for more than this – from fresh ideas for how to layout your garden space to creating your dream sanctuary – or if your garden space is more complex (for example, with level changes) – this is where it can pay dividends to get the help of a professional designer. A good garden designer will spend time listening to your aspirations for your space, as well as considering how to tackle any obstacles, problems or eyesores in your garden. They will have extensive knowledge not only of plants & horticulture, but the “boring” or invisible aspects of a garden as well, such as drainage and how hard landscaping features should be properly constructed, and they will be able to provide you with detailed plans from which a landscaper will be able to price the work. A project doesn’t have to contain many new features before detailed plans are a necessity for a landscaper to work from, and to avoid costly mistakes. A garden designer could also save you (potentially lots of) money in other ways. For instance, small changes to the planned layout of a garden could save you thousands! An alternative palette of materials, or even considering whether you can re-use materials already on site in an imaginative way, can also have significant impact on a project’s budget. A garden designer’s technical knowledge can prove invaluable.

It is worth starting by saying that most new gardens will cost upwards of £25,000 to build (this being a small, simple garden without any complex or bespoke features). Larger suburban or country gardens, or complex spaces with level changes or bespoke elements, are likely to be significantly more than this – eg quite easily upwards of £60,000. There are many TV garden makeover shows which have sadly completely skewed many people’s expectations of what a new garden should cost – often these programmes do not include the cost of the labour or design fees, and are able to take advantage of freebies or reduced rates for materials in return for mentioning a company or supplier on the telly. These budgets are therefore often unrealistic. A better place to start when considering how much money to allocate to your project would be how much you might spend on an extension to your home (it is after all, it’s just outside!) or a new kitchen – and then remember that none of the inside of your home has to be built to withstand the elements outdoors, all year round! Put into the context of the overall budget for a project, garden design fees usually fall in the range of 9% - 15% of the overall budget (depending on the complexity and size of the project). If you consider the savings that a garden designer’s knowledge and expertise can bring you then many would say these are fees that are well worth it! If you’re not ready to take the plunge and commission a full garden design, or that’s not exactly what you’re looking for, I also offer a consultancy service which starts at £350 for a half day, or a planting design service, the fees for which are dependent on the size and requirements of the areas to be planted. Please contact me to discuss your requirements in more detail and I will be happy to provide a tailored quote.

Giving your garden designer an idea of the funds that you have available to invest in your garden does not mean that they will go out and spend all of your money. Knowledge of the budget is valuable information that allows your garden designer to make decisions about where best to allocate your money in order to meet your wish list as far as possible, and so that you see as much value from your investment as possible. I am completely independent from any landscape contractor which I recommend to my clients and do not take commission payments from them. I am unable to influence the way the landscaper prices a project, and admittedly market rates for materials and labour do fluctuate (and have risen significantly in recent years), but being transparent about your budget from the outset is the best way to avoid disappointment later on down the line – no one (designer included) wants to discover that the dream design is simply not achievable within your budget.

Sustainability and our changing climate is never far from my mind when designing a garden. It comes into play in many areas of garden planning and design, including water usage in the garden, the permeability of any new surfaces, the carbon footprint of the materials used and the planting choices for your garden. Designing with sustainability in mind has other benefits for my clients too. Often, the most sustainable approach is actually to do less. By retaining existing mature trees or shrubs or repurposing hard landscaping materials already in place for example, you not only reduce the environmental impact but also reduce the cost of building the garden. Mature plants, in particular, add character and a sense of history that can take years to achieve otherwise. This is where a garden designer can add real value, helping you see these opportunities from a fresh perspective. By identifying creative ways to adapt and enhance existing elements it is possible to craft a space that feels harmonious with its surroundings while thoughtfully managing resources. Designing with the long term in mind is also key to sustainability - by selecting durable materials that stand the test of time, considering drought tolerant planting and incorporating features like water-harvesting systems, the hope is that gardens can remain resilient and practical, even as conditions change.