How much is it to landscape a garden?

A beautiful garden easily lifts the mood any time of day. There is satisfaction in being surrounded by beauty and being able to relax in your own elegantly landscaped garden, especially after a challenging day at work. 

On average, landscape gardening costs a minimum of £5,000 but can go much higher due to various factors. If you want to know more about how much it is to landscape a garden, we have prepared a comprehensive price guide.

What is included in landscape gardening?

Landscaping a garden is like painting your canvas. You choose the colours, pick what images and elements you want to show, and decide where to put them. However, with this wealth of creative freedom in your hands, it can get challenging thinking about all elements that need to be fixed and all the landscaping prices that come with it. 

To help you further understand what goes into landscape gardening and answer how much it costs to landscape a garden, continue reading below.

Ground levelling

Ground levelling is often done to change a sloping garden area to ground level. This is helpful, especially if you’re planning to create spaces for plants and vegetable beds. The cost of landscaping a sloping garden is a minimum of £1,200 to £1,500. However, other factors could affect the price, such as:

• Garden size

• Slope angle

• Location

• Machinery and other equipment 

• Installing additional drainage 

• Waste disposal of plants and soil

Patios 

Looking for a space to entertain guests or just quietly read a book? Then consider building a patio! The question is, how much to get a garden landscaped with a patio? The cost of building a patio depends on the materials to be used and the size of the space:

Brick is a popular choice due to its durability and flexibility in adapting to different styles of houses. It is also budget-friendly, costing a minimum of £10 per square metre excluding labour. A concrete patio is the best option if you want a more modern look with versatility on shapes and finish. A slab patio is the best choice if you’re going to incorporate various textures in your garden, such as limestones, slate, or sandstone.

If you have bought your materials and wonder how much landscapers charge per hour, the average price range is around £100 to £150 per day.

Decks

The price of decking per square metre, including materials to be used and labour, are:

If you need help sourcing these materials and installing these in your homes, Airtasker can connect you to the best hard landscaper nearest your area. Then, in just a few clicks, your relaxing patio will be a reality.

Fences and gates

Fences and gates provide safety and privacy to your new garden. The cost of installing fences and gates depends on the material to be used, fence and gate size, and location. Smaller wooden picket fences cost around £48 – £70 while larger, heavy-duty concrete is around £80 – £140. You may also opt to buy your materials to save up on costs. Fencing installation labour ranges from £20 and £40 per hour. However, this might increase due to additional tasks below:

• Old fencing needs to be removed or disposed of

• The location is difficult to access

• The area needs to be prepared by removing stones, trees, and bushes

• The area is on a complicated slope

For gates, a standard metal gate is around £175, while a double wooden gate can get as high as £400 - £750. Fencing landscape labour cost per hour costs around £100 - £200 per day.

Turfing and planting

A garden wouldn’t be complete without a lawn. This simple space is full of versatility that can be enjoyed by the family any time of day, be it afternoon picnics, children playdates or just casual hangouts.

The cost of laying artificial turf depends on the size of the lawn and the material to be installed. It is more budget-friendly than laying artificial grass, starting at around £2 per square metre, while premium garden turf is around £27. In addition to this, labour costs around £150 to £200 per day. Keep in mind that you also need to maintain this by watering, mowing, and adding fertiliser once you’ve installed your lawn. If you want a lower maintenance option, artificial grass is a good choice.

Due to its convenience of use, quick installation, and durability, artificial grass landscaping cost more than natural grass at around £10 to £40 per sqm. However, costs could increase depending on the state of the surface where the artificial grass will be installed. If levelling, digging, and turf removal is needed, expect the landscaping costs (UK) to increase.

DIY landscape gardening vs hiring a professional

With the wealth of online tutorials, e-learning courses, and books we can find nowadays, we can do almost anything in the comfort of our own home. Suppose you are looking for the cheapest option to revamp your garden. In that case, DIY landscape gardening is another route, as most of the materials that can be used are all available at your local and online garden centres.

However, hiring an experienced landscaper also has its advantages. Hiring professional gardeners and landscapers ensures that the materials are installed correctly. Turf, fences, or patios that are not laid out well might cost more in the long run and might be challenging, especially during harsh weather conditions. 

In terms of garden design, researching designer fees and how much it costs to have a landscape design can get overwhelming. Hiring a landscape designer makes it easier for you to maximise your space and bring to life your ideal garden without all the fuss and stress.

Planning permission and building regulations

Specific rules, regulations, and permits must be followed and secured before starting a garden and figuring out how much landscaping is needed. Preparing for these helps achieve a more seamless project, avoiding inspections, last-minute modifications, or additional expenses.

On top of that, regulations such as planning permissions ensure that you and your neighbours are protected and the overall character of the area is preserved. With this, you will need to apply for planning permission if you qualify in any of the following:

Fences and Gate Installation:

• Height exceeds one metre from the ground if next to a highway; two metres from the ground if located elsewhere

• Part of the area is in a listed building or forms a boundary with another listed building

• Your right to install or alter fences or gates is removed

Decking:

• If the area is more than 30 cm above ground

• The area covers more than 50% of the original space, including extensions and other external buildings such as garages and sheds.

In addition to these, all electrical work occurring in the garden is also covered by building relations. In this case, it is beneficial to hire a registered electrician with a competent persons scheme to ensure the work meets regulations.

If you want to know more about the extensive list of rules and regulations that need to be followed, visit the Planning Portal.

What factors affect the overall cost of landscape gardening?

Due to the variety of tasks that need to be accomplished in garden landscaping, project costs can ramp up rapidly. Aside from these, other factors such as project scope, garden size, location, material quality, and season can also increase the price. If you are wondering how much landscaping costs given all these factors, read up below:

Project scope

Some preparations and fixes can ramp up the costs of garden landscaping:

• Removal of old materials such as fencing, decking, and turf

• Removal of other items such as barks, huge stones

• Fixing or creating irrigations, paths, and walkways

• Fixing and reshaping the area

Make sure to align these with your Tasker beforehand to ensure you are on the same page regarding project scope.

Garden size

The size of your garden will also affect how much it costs to do front yard landscaping or backyard landscaping. A bigger space means more materials need to be installed and more time spent by landscapers in your garden.

The cost of landscaping a small garden can go as low as £5000, while bigger ones can be multiple times higher. Often, front yard gardens are considered a small garden compared to backyard gardens as it shares the driveway and garage.

Material quality

Premium materials can double or triple your typical landscaping costs. However, with the variety of fences, turfs, patios, and decks options available in garden centres, finding a price point that fits your budget and your dream garden is easy. 

For example, timber decks are popular and more budget-friendly than composite decks. However, some people opt for composite due to the durability. For lawns, some prefer artificial grass despite higher costs due to its convenience and quick installation. It all boils down to what your goals are for your garden and what would make you happy and satisfied.

Season and time of year

Most garden landscaping projects can be done throughout the year except during very extreme weather conditions. The benefits of working during spring to summer include longer daylight hours and a lesser chance of experiencing bad weather. However, this is usually the busiest time of the year for garden landscaping. Working from autumn to winter also has its benefits, especially if you plan to plant trees and shrubs as there is a lesser chance of drought.

Now that you know the must-have elements in garden landscaping, planning permits and building regulations, and other factors that affect garden landscaping costs, you are more than ready to build your home garden! Simply put up a task, and we’ll connect you to top-rated landscapers near you.