Southampton and within 20 miles
Garden Design and Makeovers in Southampton
Complete garden redesigns that bring layout, materials and everyday use together in one coherent plan.
Planned for your property
A sound foundation and a finish that belongs
We can rethink an awkward, tired or underused garden from the ground up. Patios, lawns, fencing, paths, levels and decking are planned together so the finished space feels balanced.
Ashley stays closely involved from the first conversation to the final tidy-up, so you always know who is responsible for your project.
What you can expect
- One joined-up garden plan
- Practical zoning for daily life
- Groundwork through to final finish
A garden makeover, planned in the right order
A garden renovation fails when the stages run in the wrong order: turf laid before the levels are set, a patio laid before the drainage is decided. A garden transformation here starts with clearance and groundwork, moves on to the hard landscaping, and finishes with the lawns, gravel and planting that make it look complete. Our order of work guide sets the sequence out in full.
You do not need drawings to start. Most of the gardens Ashley redesigns begin with a walk round the plot and a conversation about how you want to use it. The plan grows from that: what stays, what goes, where the levels change and which surfaces go where.
Do you need a garden designer?
For a full estate style scheme with planting plans, a specialist garden designer earns their fee. For most family gardens, what is needed is someone who can reshape the ground, build the surfaces and lay the lawn in the right order, which is the work Ashley does every week. If your plans need a design professional, he will say so on the visit rather than pretend otherwise.
The hard landscaping page covers the built elements that form the skeleton of a new layout, and the pergolas page covers adding height and structure over a seating area.
Further options to discuss for your layout
Front entrances, proposed artificial lawns and soil-containing structures each need their own discussion. Artificial grass, wall and drainage enquiries are subject to scope confirmation at the visit; these pages explain the considerations rather than claiming completed jobs.
Costs
What a full garden makeover costs
A redesign is several trades in one visit, so it is quoted as a whole rather than by the square metre. Doing it as one project is normally cheaper than three separate visits, because the machine, the base and the waste removal are shared.
Guide figures only, based on recent local work. Your quotation follows a site visit.
Timescales
The right order of work
Week one
Clearance, levels and any digout, with waste removed as it comes out.
Week two
Boundaries and structures, so fencing and retaining go in before surfaces.
Week three
Patios, paths and decking built off the finished levels.
Final stage
Turf, gravel and planting areas last, once the heavy work is finished.
Guides
Helpful reading before you commit
The right order of work for a garden redesign
What comes first, what comes last, and the sequencing mistakes that force people to pay for the same work twice.
Read the guide ProcessHow to make a sloping garden usable
Terracing, decking, planted banks and steps compared, with the costs and the trade offs of each on a real fall.
Read the guide IdeasSmall garden ideas that make a tight space work
How to plan a courtyard or terraced garden under 30 square metres so it feels bigger and needs almost no upkeep.
Read the guide ProcessHow to choose a landscaper you will not regret hiring
The questions that separate a careful landscaping contractor from a quick one, and what a fair quote should spell out.
Read the guide CostsHow much does landscaping cost in Southampton?
Whole garden prices from a refresh to a full rebuild, plus the individual job rates that make up a landscaping quote.
Read the guideCommon questions
Garden Redesign: your questions answered
How much does a full garden makeover cost?
Most complete redesigns we carry out fall between £9,000 and £18,000. Smaller refreshes start nearer £4,000 and gardens needing heavy retaining go above that range.
How long does a garden redesign take?
Two to four weeks on site for most family gardens, depending on how much ground has to move and how much of the boundary is being replaced.
What should be done first in a garden redesign?
Levels, drainage and boundaries always come before surfaces. Laying a patio before the ground is settled is the most expensive mistake in garden work.
Can the work be split into phases?
Yes, and it often makes good sense to book the groundwork and fencing over winter, then have the paving and turf done in spring.
Do you provide a drawing?
We work from a clear agreed plan of the layout, levels and materials rather than a decorative rendering, so what you approve is what gets built.
Do I need a garden designer for a makeover?
Not always. Most garden makeovers need good groundwork and sensible layout decisions rather than formal plans. If your project genuinely needs a design professional, Ashley will tell you honestly.
How much does garden design cost?
It depends on the size of the garden, how much groundwork is needed, the surfaces you choose and whether the work runs as one project or in stages. Ashley prices after a site visit, and the landscaping cost guide explains what moves the figure.
Can a garden redesign be done in stages?
Yes. Groundwork and hard landscaping usually come first, with turf and finishing later, so the project can be spread over time without redoing anything.
When is the best time to start a garden makeover?
Autumn and winter suit the clearance, digouts and levelling, so the surfaces and lawn can go in as the growing season starts and the garden is ready to use in spring.
Plan ahead
Book winter groundwork so your garden is ready for spring
Autumn and winter are useful times to tackle digouts, levelling, fencing and foundations. Get the preparation done before the days get longer.
Areas covered
Local landscaping within 20 miles
Ready to improve your garden?
Arrange a free site quotation with Ashley.