Forum home› Garden design

Landscapers - advice needed

JPeta1sJPeta1s Posts: 4
in Garden design

Hi,

we moved in to our new home at the start of the year and the time has come to sort the garden. It's a new build so the garden is small but it's also the ultimate blank canvas, however, it has a slight downwards slope and is uneven so we want to get the professionals in to level it. We expect they will need to add a retaining wall and two or three steps between two levels.

We have started to contact some local landscape gardeners in the hope of getting some quotes but this is where I need some guidance. Is there anything I need to be aware of or look out for? Any advice or tips will be very much appreciated as we are going in to this blind.

Thanks in advance.

Posts

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    Have a good look at their website photos and/or their 'portfolios'. If they have no photos - beware. Most good landscapers are more than willing to show off their work and you can then get a good idea of the type of company they are and the type of work they do. Some hard landscapers do not do planting (apart from grass) but that is no biggy. Most would be happy for you to check out one of the jobs they have done, in person.
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • NorthernLass2NorthernLass2 Posts: 407

    Get personal recommendations and references and go and see their work.

     

    If you do a search you may find there was a VERY recent thread asking more or less precisely the same and which got comprehensive and detailed response.

     

     

  • JPeta1sJPeta1s Posts: 4

    Thank you so much for your replies, they're all very helpful.

    The worry is how genuine they are, as it can be hard to tell, so we will keep all of this in mind and won't rush in to choosing someone.

    Sadly no one we know has been able to recommend anyone as they've never had to have any work done and we know we will need to have some sort of retaining wall and just aren't sure where to start, all the research we have done online just seems to be so confusing and contradictory so we don't want to do a bad job and then have to get someone in. We will be doing all the planting but want them to do the hard landscaping.

    I will try to find the other thread, thanks for letting me know about it image

     

  • JPeta1sJPeta1s Posts: 4

    In case anyone comes across this thread, here is the link to the thread I believe NorthernLass2 mentions:

    http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/garden-design/how-to-choose-and-hire-a-landscape-gardener/771586.html

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,988

    If you don't know anyone who's had some landscaping done, then ask the landscapers on your shortlist if they have customers you could visit/speak to for recommendation - I've been happy to do this for the builders we use as we're very pleased with his work. image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    When I needed some work done last year, I chose a firm from the yellow pages going on the photos of projects completed and testimonials. I wrote out a list of what I wanted done including sizes and got 2 quotes from 2 firms. I went with one of the firms who said they had not done one of the things I wanted (a brick circle made of pavers). They made a cracking job of it and the rest of the work so I got them back later to relay a path at the side of the house. Up until now I had done all the hard landscaping in the garden including patio, pond, steps and paths but am no longer fit to do it. Sometimes you just have to get someone in.



    Do your homework, get a few quotes and choose the ones that give you confidence. Good luck.
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • JPeta1sJPeta1s Posts: 4

    Thanks again for the further replies.

    I had not thought to ask about previous customers so I will certainly do that. Great tip!

    Luckily there is no flooding or flood risk in my area, it just sloped as our house is on top of what was a very small hill. The garden slops away from the house. I would estimate the length of the garden to be approximately 10m and the difference in height from top to bottom is approximately 25cm, but we need to make it family (and Dog!) friendly. The garden in the house behind us is very similar and then the site becomes flat again.

    We have done something similar Hogweed, we've gone through websites and looked at their work and we have then tried to find reviews and we have contacted the ones we liked the most. Sadly I have some back issues that mean I cannot carry out the hard work so to speak, but I am really looking forward to being able to plant it up in spring and, depending on how soon the work can be done, I would also love to get some bulbs in next month ready for early next year into spring

Sign In or Register to comment.