Garden designer and landscaper

[pinotnoirismyjam]

We've just bought a house and the garden is a very neglected south-facing rectangle of weeds with an asbestos garage plonked diagonally in the middle and a very pitted, weedy lawn.

We're already planning to get rid of the garage ASAP (at a cost of approx £3k ) but need to make plans for what we'll do with the garden.

I want to pay a professional to both design and landscape the garden to make a good base that we can maintain and improve on. My (inexperienced in terms of gardening) partner wants us to do it ourselves.

The garden is 20x7ft and in bad shape. Is it worth getting a garden designer? And is it worth paying for implementation or should we do it ourselves? Also anyone that could give an idea of price?

We recently paid a designer for a plan, then used a hard landscaper for fencing, paving etc. And will use a gardener to plant.

The quote from the garden design company to do exactly the same was 50% more than we’re paying.

Thanks - so a good idea to pay for the design then do it yourself/hire someone separate?

A designer is a good idea...but make sure you get the soil tested and probably replaced to a decent level as if it is rubbish, despite being rotorvated your lawn might struggle

In the mid-90s, when I moved into my last property (a typical two-up, two-down terraced house), the tiny L-shaped courtyard garden was comprised of weeds, rubble, concrete and yet more concrete.

I hired a garden design company at a cost of £2,000. They implemented the design, drew up the plans and undertook all of the work, including planting shrubs, plants and trees, building steps and laying slate patio slabs and installing a pergola.

In a matter of a few weeks, I went from enduring a depressing and uninspiring city backyard to enjoying a beautiful, colourful haven, which was worth every single penny spent!