Garden Budgets: How Far Do They Really Go?

One of the biggest surprises for clients is how quickly garden budgets are used up. A garden isn’t just plants and paving - it’s an outdoor building project.

Before anything looks good, money is spent on groundworks: excavation, waste removal, levelling and drainage. These essential steps are mostly invisible, but they’re what make a garden last.

Materials also add up fast. Paving, timber, soil and plants - especially good-quality or mature planting - cost more than many people expect. On top of that, a skilled landscaper is a major part of any budget. With smaller gardens, be prepared for more labour if there is no direct side entrance or pathway to the side of your home.

As a rough guide:

GARDEN DESIGNERS FEES -

Your Garden Designer will charge you their fees, including meetings, research and drawings. Plus fees for monitoring your garden build during all its stages. It's highly recommended you use your designer from Design to the Build process as they will deal directly with the landscapers and communicate if problems do arise. Leaving you to be care free and know your Garden build is in safe, professional, experienced hands.

• Lower budgets suit refreshes and small improvements

• Mid-range budgets allow for layout changes, new flowerbeds, planting and possibly small areas of hard landscaping

• Higher budgets support full redesigns with structures, lighting and premium materials. Trees and plenty of planting. Full Garden Design support.

Good garden design isn’t about spending more - it’s about spending wisely, setting priorities, and often phasing work over time. Let your local Sussex Garden Designer guide you.

Honest budget conversations lead to better results and fewer surprises and ultimately, a garden that works beautifully for you.

As Designers we will always approach this question first, ultimately this will dictate what gets designed. Garden designers help you spend your budget wisely and will inform you during a Garden Consultation what may or may not be possible.

Be fully prepared to have extra money set aside for the final build.

Material and plant prices can rise between design and construction. Most Landscapers will give an estimate for your build. A small contingency helps avoid compromises later and ensures the finished garden matches the original vision.

Materials, Planting, Soil, Garden Design Fees, Waste, Labour etc .... A New Garden Design Adds Up Quickly!