Are garden designers worth it and can anyone recommend one?

[shud]

We've a small wide shallow garden but we really need to do something with it to make it look better

I've had a landscaper give a quote for decking but it's not inspiring me

Has anyone used a garden designer for a small garden? I feel a bit silly as it's not very big but I don't want to make mistakes with the planning

Could you also give me an idea of cost? We are in south east

Don't know if there are some who work online which might be better now with sending pics etc. I know the type of soil and where there is shade and sun etc

Thanks

Bumping

How do you feel about looking at design books instead? Do you have ideas about what you'd like, and do you want to have a go yourself, or do you want to just hand the whole thing over to someone?

Even if you're going to use a designer, they will benefit from your thoughts, especially if you have worked out the kind of things you like or don't like. Ask yourself things like; Do you want play space for children, sitting space, entertaining space, how many hours a month would you spend maintaining the garden, do you want more privacy, where will your washing line go, do you have a BBQ, are you going to have a compost bin, do you want a reliable green view or would you be willing to put more effort in so that you can have flowers for more of the year, etc?

The best place to start is Pinterest, to clip ideas, see what you like, get a feel for the whole thing.

If you'd like inspiration, these are my favourite garden design books, I strongly recommend all of these:

New Small Garden by Noel Kingsbury

How to Plant a Garden by Matt James

The Urban Gardener by Matt James

I would look at some on insta for ideas , lots of designers have pages

I used Lois bostock garden designer My garden is 21 feet by 14 feet. She is in Loughton in Essex.

I think it is massively worth employing a garden designer if you're new to gardening and/or have no confidence.

Our house is south facing at the front, so very sunny and dry, had a huge water pipe running through and was gravelled by previous owners. Pretty old cottage but stark to my eye. I tried on my own for a few years to achieve the cottage garden of my dreams but I couldn't manage to fulfil what I wanted. I hired a garden designer 3 years ago and my front garden is now my dream garden. I am SO grateful. Cottage plants, roses, lavender, olive trees in planters. Drifts of those pink tinged daisy plants. I think it is worth it. He laid an irrigation system too. I enjoy my garden every single day and it's enhanced my own garden confidence because some of my plants have grown too.

Sorry meant to say both design and execution was about £3000.

Absolutely worth it but not cheap-£1500 a sqm easily possible-depending on site access, hard landscaping, lighting and how established you want the planting... but you could get a planting plan and outline design for less than that. Can PM you a recommendation.

I paid£400 for my plan

That's pretty FLOrenze