Starting with a plan
A full landscaping project works best when the layout is settled before anyone digs. Think about where the sun falls at different times of day, where you'll sit, what children or pets need, how much lawn you want to mow and where bins, sheds and washing will go. Some landscapers draw a scaled plan themselves, while others work with a garden designer. Ask whether the design is included in the quote or charged separately, and whether you'll get a drawing that shows levels, materials and planting before the build starts.
Levels, soil and drainage come first
Much of the cost and time in a garden build goes into what you never see: digging out, moving soil, building retaining walls on slopes and dealing with water. Much of Kent sits on chalk, which usually drains freely, but there is also heavy clay in parts of the county that holds water in winter and cracks in dry summers. A good landscaper will look at your soil, ask where water collects after rain and explain how new patios and paths will shed water. Ask how they plan to dispose of excavated soil and rubble.
Running the project in stages
A full garden usually follows a sequence: clearance, groundworks and drainage, walls and steps, paving and decking, fencing, then topsoil, turf and planting. Doing the hard landscaping before the soft keeps new lawns and borders from being trampled. If the budget is tight, you can build the structure now and add planting later, as long as the plan allows for it. Ask each landscaper how long each stage will take, what happens if the weather stops work, and who arranges skips or grab lorries if the road outside is narrow.
Jobs we can find a landscaper for
- Scaled garden layouts and planting plans
- Site clearance and groundworks
- Retaining walls, steps and terracing on slopes
- Drainage for patios, lawns and paths
- Combined hard and soft landscaping in one project
Get a quote for garden design and full landscaping
Available across Kent
Other services
Patios and paving · Decking · Fencing and gates · Turfing, lawns and artificial grass · Planting, pergolas and raised beds