A practical guide to planning a garden transformation, from priorities and drainage to materials, maintenance and budget. This guide is designed to help you have a better first conversation and make a more informed decision, not to replace assessment by an appropriately competent professional.
Before choosing paving, plants or features, decide what the space needs to do. A family garden, low-maintenance garden, entertaining space and wildlife-focused garden can need very different layouts.
The parts you cannot see often determine whether landscaping performs well. Existing levels, surface water, retaining needs and access for materials or machinery can materially affect the design and cost.
Photos, approximate dimensions, a postcode, your priorities and a realistic budget range make the first conversation much more productive. You do not need a finished design before asking for help.
Not necessarily. For many projects a clear description of how you want to use the space is enough to start. Larger or more complex transformations may benefit from a formal design.
Size, access, excavation, levels, drainage, material choices, disposal, structures and planting can all materially affect the cost.