Plan First
A scale plan drawn from your actual soil, light, and space, before any groundwork or spending begins.
Common Pitfalls
A rushed or generic plan creates problems that are expensive to fix once groundwork has started.
Cambridge clay holds water; a plan that skips drainage assessment places hard surfaces where they will lift or flood.
Drainage is assessed before zoning, so paving and planting are placed where the ground can support them.
A free online layout assumes a standard rectangular plot, awkward shapes and narrow terraced gardens need measured zoning.
The plan is drawn to scale from your actual dimensions, so every zone fits the real space.
Planting chosen by style alone, without checking light levels or soil type, fails within the first growing season.
Light levels are checked across the day and soil type confirmed before species and spacing are decided.
Without a fixed drawn plan, contractors quote different scopes and changes are negotiated mid-build at higher cost.
A drawn plan locks the scope before any contractor is instructed, so every quote covers the same work.
What’s Covered
From a bare new build plot to a narrow terraced back garden, the service covers every stage of producing a workable layout.
Accurate dimensions, existing features, and level changes recorded before any drawing begins.
Soil type and drainage behaviour checked, critical on Cambridge clay where waterlogging affects layout decisions.
Patio, lawn, borders, beds, and paths mapped to scale so every part of the space has a clear purpose.
Species, spacing, and seasonal coverage specified so the garden performs through the year, not just at planting time.
Sun and shade mapped across the day to guide planting choices.
Seating area sized and positioned for light and access.
Routes planned for flow and to avoid wasted ground.
Bed shapes and depths drawn to suit the overall zone plan.
Why Choose Us
Local knowledge, clear accountability, and a process that keeps you in control from first enquiry to finished plan.
Patio, paths, turf, and planting are each quoted as a separate line item, so no cost is hidden in a combined figure.
Every survey accounts for Cambridge clay and new-build drainage conditions, so plans reflect what the ground will actually support.
The design stage is completed before any groundwork is instructed, so you review and approve the layout first.
The drawn plan belongs to you and can be taken to any landscaper, it is not tied to a single installation quote.
Every survey is carried out to the same checked standard.
The Process
Tell us the plot size, soil behaviour, and how you want to use the space so we can scope the right survey.
A site visit measures the space, checks light levels, and assesses soil and drainage before any drawing begins.
You get a drawn-to-scale layout with zoning, a planting map, and separate quotes for each element of the work.
Pricing Estimates
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Initial garden plan | £600-£1,000 |
| Full garden design | £1,000-£2,500 |
| Design for a medium garden | £2,500-£4,000 |
| Design for a full renovation | £4,000-£6,000 |
Questions Answered
Guide prices run from £600-£1,000 (Initial garden plan) to £4,000-£6,000 (Design for a full renovation). A small courtyard with a straightforward brief costs less than a large plot requiring drainage, levels, and full planting schedules. Separate quotations are provided for each element, patio, paths, turf, fencing, and planting, so you can see exactly where the budget goes.
A typical garden design covers a measured site survey, a scaled layout plan showing hard surfaces, planting zones, paths, and seating areas, plus a planting scheme suited to your soil and light. Each element, patio, paths, turf, fencing, drainage, and planting, is quoted separately so you can phase the work if needed.
Planting ideas alone work if your layout is already right and you just want to refresh borders. If the levels, drainage, access, or structure are causing problems, a full design plan resolves those before any planting goes in, otherwise you risk plants failing because the underlying conditions were never fixed.
Yes. The design starts from accurate measurements of your specific plot, so awkward corners, narrow side returns, or irregular boundaries are worked into the layout rather than ignored. A plan drawn to scale for your garden will always fit better than a generic template adapted afterwards.
Small gardens benefit most from a proper design. Every square metre counts, so decisions about where the patio sits, where storage goes, and which plants stay upright without crowding each other matter far more than in a large space where mistakes are easier to absorb.
No. You only need to share your preferences, low maintenance, year-round colour, screening, or a particular style, and the design will translate those into a planting scheme. Specific plant choices are part of what the design process works out, not something you need to arrive with.
Yes. The survey records aspect, shade patterns, and soil conditions before any plants are specified. Cambridge’s heavier clay soils in many areas require plants chosen for drainage tolerance, and that is factored in from the start rather than discovered after planting.
Placement follows how you actually use the garden, where the sun falls at the times you sit outside, the natural routes between house and garden, and where storage can be accessed without crossing planted areas. The brief you give at the start drives these decisions, not a standard template.
We cover Garden Design & Planning in and around Cambridge, including Trumpington, Great Shelford, Sawston, Fulbourn, Histon, Cottenham, Waterbeach, Cambourne and Northstowe. If your area isn’t listed, send us a quick message to check.
Describe the plot, the soil, and how you want to use the space. We schedule a ground survey and quote each element separately.