Find Gardeners in the UK

If you want to refresh your garden to make it more attractive or practical, it’s best to plan out a design before starting the physical work. You’ll want to think about integrating soft landscaping elements – like plants, trees, and flowers – and hard landscaping features – such as decking, patios, and raised garden beds.

Since cohesive gardens usually have many of these elements working together harmoniously, it can be quite challenging to come up with a design yourself. You’ll need to think about the space you have available, the way you’d like to use the space, the specific features you’d want integrated, and your budget.

If that sounds like too much hassle, you can always hire a garden designer instead. They can take your ideas and preferences and design a garden that ticks all your boxes – and with next to no effort on your part.

Garden rooms can help expand your property’s living space and inject new functionality into your home. With most garden rooms boasting electrics and water fittings, it’s fair to say these can be fairly substantial buildings.

Given that, it might surprise you to learn that most garden rooms do not need planning permission. They are classed as outbuildings and must simply adhere to building regulations and permitted development guidelines.

Of course, there are exceptions. If the garden room is two storeys, over 2.5m tall, is used as overnight accommodation or is on the grounds of a listed building, you’ll likely need planning permission.

The exact rules concerning burning garden waste vary by local authority, but there is one consistent rule – you cannot burn garden waste if it will cause pollution or harm someone’s health. That is certain.

In many locations, though, it is perfectly fine to burn garden waste – like twigs, leaves, and grass cuttings – as long as you’re not acting as a nuisance to your neighbours. Unfortunately, what constitutes being a nuisance also varies from one local authority to another.

If you decide to burn your garden waste, expect plenty of smoke and clearing up afterwards. If you’d rather not deal with this unpleasant job, consider hiring a garden clearance service instead. They’ll round up and remove any garden waste you want gone – and you won’t have to lift a finger.

For more on how to handle this task, read our guide on the best garden waste removal options.

Pro tip: for details on what you'll need to spend for these services, check out our garden waste removal cost guide.

Since garden landscaping can mean different things to different people, establishing an average cost of service is difficult. Some landscaping projects will see patios and water features integrated, while others might be focused on terracing a sloped garden – naturally, costs vary considerably.

You'll also need to consider the types of materials you're using. The cost of a cement-based patio will be different from cement-free patio alternatives, for example.

Here are some average prices for different landscaping tasks:

• Laying turf – £15 per square metre

• Laying artificial turf – £60 per square metre

• Laying a new patio – £100 per square metre

• Laying decking – £100 per square metre

For a more substantial landscaping project that includes both garden design and installation, expect to pay up to and beyond £7,000.

To save yourself some cash, you can try taking on some of these tasks yourself. For example, you can follow our guide on how to lay turf, if you're feeling confident.

Landscape designer and landscape architect are terms that are often used interchangeably – but this is a mistake. These are distinct roles with major differences that happen to overlap in specific ways.

Landscape architects create outdoor environments through complex, in-depth processes that include site analysis and design work using computer-aided design software (CAD). They’re often responsible for managing projects, and these are often in public and commercial spaces.

On the other hand, landscape designers focus on making aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces, most often in private and residential environments. This means the projects are usually less complicated, with a greater emphasis on superficial transformations rather than larger, disruptive terrain changes.

In the UK, you need a degree accredited by the Landscape Institute (LI) – the chartered body for the landscape profession – if you want to operate as a landscape architect. On the other hand, landscape designers do not require a degree, though related certifications are certainly useful.

When you want a new lawn, you have two options: sowing grass seeds or laying rolls of turf. Which of these you choose comes down to your budget, how much time you want to spend laying a lawn, and the type of results you're looking to achieve.

Whichever option you prefer, start by preparing the soil – removing weeds, rocks, and debris – and levelling the area. You might also consider buying topsoil, compost, and organic matter to improve the soil’s structure and drainage.

Once the soil is ready, it’s time to lay turf or sow seeds.

Laying turf is more expensive, but you’ll have an instant lawn that needs less time to establish itself. Seeding your lawn takes longer but is cheaper – and a more accessible choice in many cases. Whatever you choose, you’ll need to water the lawn thoroughly, keeping the grass consistently moist but never waterlogged.

Taking these steps should help you establish a lawn, yet there are many ways it could go wrong. From low-quality soil composition to over and under-watering, there are complications at every turn. If you want a reliable outcome, consider hiring turfing services or seeding experts instead.

Need more help? Read our guide on how to lay turf.

To keep your lawn looking neat and tidy – and healthy, for that matter – you need to make sure the lawn is mowed regularly.

From spring through to autumn (March to October), lawns need to be mowed weekly or biweekly, depending on how quickly they’re growing. In the winter, most people don’t mow. This is because grass might struggle to survive the cold temperatures after a cutting.

However, if it’s unseasonably warm and your lawn is growing, it’s okay to mow – this will keep your lawn looking good. Just remember to keep the mower away when it’s frosty. If you have neither the time nor inclination to mow your lawn, consider hiring a lawn mowing service as an alternative.

If you want to remove a tree stump from your outdoor spaces, there are a few options to choose from – depending on the size and location of the stump.

To start with, you could try digging out the stump using shovels, pickaxes, and mattocks. Excavate the soil around the stump, cutting roots off with a saw as they appear. Once the stump is fully disconnected from the root system, you can pull it out. Of course, this is extremely challenging with larger, heavier tree stumps.

An alternative DIY remedy is using a chemical stump remover. These chemicals speed up the decomposition process and help the stump decay over time. Unfortunately, these remedies could harm the other plant life in your garden and are only sporadically effective anyway.

Considering burning your stump away? Yes, this is an option, but it’s inadvisable. While burning the stump might work, it’s often ineffective and it could be dangerous. You could easily set your other plant life ablaze and cause severe damage to your property.

Finally, you could use stump grinding and stump removal services. Stump grinders are powerful mechanical tools that turn even the most solid stumps into sawdust. You also have the option of using a mechanical excavator that lifts the stump from the ground – along with lots of soil. Both of these options are effective – it’s just a matter of finding a stump removal service near you.

Yes, you can cut down trees in your garden without getting permission, assuming it is not subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) and you don’t live in a Conservation Area.

You can learn whether your trees are protected in these ways by contacting your local authority’s tree officer – though this is something that all reputable tree surgeons and arborists will do on your behalf.

If any of your trees are protected, it might still be possible to either prune or remove the tree. You will have to make an application, through either your arborist or tree surgeon, that lays out why the work is needed.

The cost of removing a tree will depend on several factors, including the size of the tree, its location, and the method used to bring the tree down.

Tree felling is the fastest method, but it requires plenty of space or falling trees could cause damage to the surrounding environment. Sectional tree removal is the alternative. This involves cutting the tree down in parts, a process that is usually more laborious and time-consuming.

On average, tree felling costs somewhere between £300 and £3,000, depending on tree size. Tree surgeons usually price sectional deconstruction on a case-by-case basis. Remember, too, that tree removal services might charge additional fees for debris disposal and tree stump removal.

For a more in-depth look at tree service costs, check out our Tree Surgeon Cost Guide.

For the most part, garden service professionals are not required to hold licences or go through formal training courses to charge for their services. Despite this, most professionals will go through some form of training before kicking off their careers.

In the UK, many professional gardeners complete training courses, gaining horticultural National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) or Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ). There are many bodies and organisations that can provide this training, from City & Guilds to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

You can also check whether gardeners belong to relevant trade associations and industry bodies, which act as guardians for both consumers and professionals. For gardening professionals, the most well-known associations include:

• The Chartered Institute of Horticulture

• The Horticultural Trades Association

• The Gardeners Guild

In the landscaping industry, landscapers and landscape designers are not required to hold professional qualifications, even though many do. Landscape designers and landscapers can gain National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ), or train through bodies like the Royal Horticultural Society or City & Guilds.

For landscape architects, there are more stringent requirements. All budding landscape architects need a degree accredited by the Landscape Institute (LI). Since some professionals might describe themselves as landscape architects, you should always check their accreditation.

You can also check whether landscapers, landscape designers, and landscape architects belong to relevant industry bodies and trade associations. In the UK, the most well-known and reputable of these include:

• Landscape Institute

• British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI)

• Association of Professional Landscapers

When it comes to tree surgeons and arborists, licensing and qualification hold real importance. These professionals require licensing to operate a chainsaw and fell trees. They should also be trained in forestry and arboriculture.

Always check whether tree surgeons hold National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC) approved certifications. Courses like these are offered by reputable institutions, such as City & Guilds. For further peace of mind, take the time to check whether your tree surgeon is registered with the relevant tree surgery trade bodies. In the UK, these include:

• Arboricultural Association

• National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC)

Whether you're hiring a tree surgeon, gardener or landscaper, you should always check their qualifications and whether they belong to any industry bodies. Take a moment to ask for proof of their credentials, checking with the relevant body or organisation to make sure their details are legitimate.