Garden Landscaping Consultation

A garden landscaping consultation is a practical first step when you know your garden needs work but are not yet certain exactly what needs to be done.

You may be considering a new terrace.

Your garden may suffer from poor drainage.

Levels might be awkward.

Building work may have left the outside space damaged.

Or perhaps you are considering a complete transformation and want experienced advice before committing to substantial construction expenditure.

Kirman Design provides professional garden landscaping consultations throughout North West England.

The purpose is to look at the garden, understand what you want to achieve and identify the most sensible route towards creating it.

What Is a Garden Landscaping Consultation?

A garden landscaping consultation is an initial professional assessment of the garden from a landscape construction perspective.

It may consider:

• Existing hard landscaping

• Garden levels

• Drainage

• Access

• Paving

• Walls

• Steps

• Lawns

• Planting

• Trees

• Screening

• Outdoor living areas

• Structures

• Construction logistics

• Budget

• Project sequencing

The consultation can help determine whether you require straightforward landscaping, professional garden design, specialist investigation or a complete design-and-build approach.

Who Is a Landscaping Consultation For?

A consultation can be useful if you:

• Know the garden needs improving but do not know where to start

• Want to understand what landscaping may be required

• Are considering a complete garden transformation

• Have recently completed an extension

• Have finished renovating your house

• Have a garden damaged by building work

• Need new paving or terraces

• Have drainage problems

• Need to resolve awkward garden levels

• Want more privacy

• Are considering an outdoor kitchen or pergola

• Need to understand whether a garden design should come first

It is particularly useful before irreversible construction decisions are made.

What Happens During a Garden Landscaping Consultation?

We look at the existing garden and discuss what you want to achieve.

The conversation may cover:

• What works at present

• What does not work

• How you use the garden

• Areas that need rebuilding

• Existing materials

• Access

• Drainage

• Levels

• Planting

• Trees

• Boundaries

• Privacy

• Maintenance

• Timescale

• Approximate budget

The aim is not simply to identify individual jobs.

It is to understand how those jobs relate to the wider garden.

We Start by Understanding the Problem

Clients often contact a landscaper because of one visible problem.

For example:

“The patio needs replacing.”

“The lawn is always wet.”

“We need a retaining wall.”

“The garden needs levelling.”

But the obvious solution is not always the correct one.

A wet lawn may be caused by soil compaction rather than a lack of drains.

A retaining wall may be unnecessary if the levels are redesigned differently.

The existing patio may be perfectly serviceable but badly positioned.

A professional consultation helps identify the underlying issue before money is spent trying to solve it.

We Look at the Garden as One Project

Landscaping decisions rarely exist in isolation.

Changing one area can affect another.

For example, a new terrace can affect:

• Levels

• Drainage

• Steps

• Planting

• Lawn dimensions

• Routes through the garden

Similarly, creating an outdoor kitchen can influence paving, services, lighting and dining space.

The consultation therefore considers the complete landscape rather than treating every item as a separate job.

Do I Need a Garden Designer or Just a Landscaper?

This is one of the most useful questions a landscaping consultation can answer.

If you already know exactly what needs to be built, you may simply require an experienced landscape contractor.

If you are still deciding:

• Where the terrace should go

• How the levels should work

• Which areas should be planted

• How privacy should be achieved

• What the overall layout should be

then professional garden design may be valuable before construction begins.

Our Garden Designer vs Landscaper guide explains the difference between the two roles.

Can You Tell Me Whether I Need a Full Garden Design?

Yes.

Not every landscaping project justifies a complete design.

Replacing a failing fence like-for-like may not need one.

Repairing a small area of paving may not need one either.

But if a project involves multiple interconnected decisions, a design can become extremely valuable.

Our guide Do I Need a Garden Designer? explains when professional design is most useful.

The landscaping consultation can help determine which route is proportionate to your project.

Can a Landscaping Consultation Help With Budget?

Yes.

An approximate budget is an important part of the discussion.

Landscaping can range from relatively straightforward improvements to substantial construction projects involving:

• Excavation

• Drainage

• Walls

• Large areas of paving

• Structures

• Specimen trees

• Extensive planting

Understanding the likely level of investment helps determine what is realistic.

The consultation can also help establish priorities if the full wish list exceeds the available budget.

Why Is Budget Important Before Landscaping Begins?

Because different design decisions have very different construction implications.

For example, significant level changes may require:

• Excavation

• Waste removal

• Retaining structures

• Steps

• Drainage

Likewise, large areas of premium paving can consume a substantial proportion of the project budget.

Discussing budget early allows priorities to be established before a design or specification develops beyond what the client intends to spend.

Can You Give an Exact Landscaping Price During the Consultation?

Usually not for a substantial project.

An accurate construction quotation requires a clear scope.

That may involve:

• Defined areas

• Measurements

• Materials

• Levels

• Construction details

• Planting quantities

• Access requirements

Where the project is complex, a garden design may therefore need to be developed before a reliable landscaping quotation can be prepared.

The consultation helps establish what information is needed next.

Why Can't You Just Price the Garden Straight Away?

Because a vague landscaping price is not particularly useful.

If the design has not been resolved, basic questions may still be unanswered.

For example:

• How much paving?

• Which paving?

• Are retaining walls needed?

• How many steps?

• How much excavation?

• Is drainage required?

• What size trees?

• How much planting?

Different assumptions can change the price dramatically.

For substantial projects, it is usually better to establish what is being built before asking how much it costs.

Can We Discuss Paving?

Yes.

Paving is a common part of landscaping consultations.

We can consider:

• Existing paving

• Terrace size

• Terrace position

• Paths

• Levels

• Materials

• Drainage

• Relationships with planting

Our garden paving work treats paving as part of the complete garden rather than simply as a surface covering.

Sometimes the consultation identifies that the existing paving can remain.

At other times, a completely different layout may be more appropriate.

Can We Discuss Porcelain Paving?

Yes.

Porcelain can work particularly well in contemporary gardens and around modern extensions.

However, material selection should follow the wider landscape requirements.

We would consider:

• Architecture

• Colour

• Format

• Terrace dimensions

• Cutting details

• Drainage

• Levels

• Surrounding planting

The aim is to choose a material because it suits the project, not simply because it is fashionable.

Can We Discuss Natural Stone?

Yes.

Natural stone can work particularly well with period properties and landscapes where a softer, more traditional material character is appropriate.

Its suitability depends on the architecture, garden style, performance requirements and surrounding materials.

A landscaping consultation can help establish which direction is most appropriate before materials are ordered.

Can a Landscaping Consultation Help With Drainage?

Yes.

Drainage is one of the most important issues to identify before construction begins.

We may consider:

• Surface water

• Wet lawns

• Existing falls

• Patio drainage

• Soil conditions

• Compaction

• Runoff

• Level changes

Our garden drainage solutions consider drainage within the wider landscape.

This is especially important in North West England, where rainfall and heavy soils can quickly reveal weaknesses in a poorly planned garden.

Complex drainage problems may require further specialist assessment.

Can You Help With a Waterlogged Garden?

Potentially.

The first step is understanding why the garden is wet.

Possible causes include:

• Clay soil

• Compaction

• Poor levels

• Building work

• Surface runoff

• Inadequate drainage

The solution should respond to the actual cause.

Simply installing drainage without understanding the problem may not provide the best result.

Can We Discuss Garden Levels?

Yes.

Levels can significantly affect construction costs and the overall success of a garden.

We may consider:

• Existing slopes

• Terraces

• Steps

• Retaining walls

• Raised beds

• Thresholds

• Drainage

A landscaping consultation can identify whether relatively minor changes are required or whether the garden needs a more developed level strategy.

Can You Level My Garden?

Possibly, but making a garden completely level is not always necessary or desirable.

Slopes can often be used creatively.

Terracing may create:

• Separate garden areas

• Better views

• More interesting planting

• Defined seating spaces

Our landscaping approach considers whether levels should be corrected, retained or intentionally redesigned.

Can We Discuss Retaining Walls?

Yes.

Retaining walls may be required where levels change significantly.

A consultation can help consider:

• Where retaining is needed

• Approximate scale

• Relationship with terraces

• Steps

• Planting

• Drainage

Substantial retaining structures may require structural engineering.

Identifying this early helps avoid inappropriate assumptions during construction.

Can We Discuss Steps?

Yes.

Steps need to connect levels comfortably and safely.

We may consider:

• Position

• Width

• Rise

• Relationship with paths

• Materials

• Lighting

• Planting

Steps should form part of the overall landscape rather than simply being inserted wherever a change in level occurs.

Can We Discuss Access From the House?

Yes.

The relationship between internal and external levels can be crucial.

Where appropriate, level access from house to garden may be considered.

This can involve:

• Thresholds

• Paving levels

• Drainage

• Door positions

• Routes

These issues are particularly important when landscaping around extensions and renovated properties.

Landscaping Consultation Before an Extension

This can be an excellent time to discuss the garden.

An extension may change:

• External levels

• Access

• Terrace positions

• Drainage

• Views

• Service routes

Our garden design for new extensions considers these issues before the building work has fixed every external decision.

A landscaping consultation can help identify practical considerations that should be discussed with the architect or builder early.

Landscaping Consultation After an Extension

If the extension is complete, we can assess how the garden now relates to it.

Common issues include:

• Old patio no longer working

• Changed thresholds

• Damaged lawns

• Compacted soil

• New views

• Privacy problems

• Altered drainage

Our garden design after a house extension can establish the new landscape where a broader redesign is required.

Landscaping After Building Work

Construction projects frequently leave gardens requiring significant rehabilitation.

Our landscaping after building work can address:

• Rubble

• Compaction

• Damaged surfaces

• Changed levels

• Drainage

• Lawn replacement

• Planting

A consultation helps establish whether the appropriate solution is repair, partial redevelopment or a complete transformation.

Landscaping Consultation for Renovated Properties

Once the interior and architecture have been improved, the existing garden may suddenly feel out of character with the property.

Our garden design for renovated properties can develop a new landscape where required.

The initial landscaping consultation can help establish:

• What can remain

• What needs replacing

• Whether design is required

• The likely scope of construction

Can We Discuss Existing Walls and Boundaries?

Yes.

We can look at existing:

• Fences

• Walls

• Gates

• Screens

• Hedging

Some may be suitable to retain.

Others may need replacing.

Where privacy is the main problem, our garden screening ideas can provide alternatives to simply constructing higher boundaries.

Can We Discuss Privacy?

Yes.

Privacy concerns can influence both landscaping and planting.

We may consider:

• Where overlooking originates

• Which seating areas need protection

• Boundary screening

• Trees

• Hedges

• Pergolas

• Internal screens

Addressing privacy before construction can influence the entire garden layout.

Can We Discuss Trees?

Yes.

Existing trees can strongly influence a landscaping project.

We may consider:

• Which trees should remain

• Access around them

• Levels around root zones

• New tree opportunities

• Privacy requirements

New specimen trees may also be considered where immediate scale or screening is important.

Larger trees can require machinery access, which needs to be planned before other landscape elements block the route.

Can We Discuss Planting?

Yes.

Planting is an important part of landscaping.

We may consider:

• Existing plants

• Soil

• Sun and shade

• Maintenance

• Privacy

• Garden style

If the garden structure already works, you may only require planting design.

For a complete transformation, planting should be considered alongside the hard landscape from the beginning.

Can We Discuss Lawns?

Yes.

We can consider whether the existing lawn should be:

• Retained

• Repaired

• Regraded

• Returfed

• Reduced

• Removed

A struggling lawn is not always simply a turf problem.

Poor drainage, shade, compaction or soil conditions may be responsible.

The consultation allows these wider factors to be considered.

Can We Discuss Outdoor Kitchens?

Yes.

If you are considering an outdoor kitchen, it should ideally be planned before the surrounding landscaping is completed.

We may need to consider:

• Position

• Foundations

• Services

• Paving

• Dining

• Lighting

• Circulation

This reduces the likelihood of finished landscaping needing to be disturbed later.

Can We Discuss Pergolas?

Yes.

A garden pergola can be considered as part of the wider landscaping.

Its position can influence:

• Paving

• Foundations

• Seating

• Privacy

• Planting

• Lighting

These relationships should ideally be established before construction begins.

Can We Discuss Garden Lighting?

Yes.

Our garden lighting can be planned alongside landscape construction.

The consultation may consider:

• Trees to illuminate

• Steps

• Paths

• Walls

• Planting

• Outdoor dining

Infrastructure can then be coordinated before paving and planting make access more difficult.

Can We Discuss Water Features?

Yes.

Water features often involve construction considerations such as:

• Excavation

• Foundations

• Services

• Drainage

• Surrounding paving

• Access

Their position should ideally be established before the rest of the landscape is built.

Can We Discuss Fencing and Screening?

Yes.

The consultation can assess whether existing boundaries need replacing and whether additional screening is required.

A solution may involve:

• Fencing

• Slatted screens

• Hedging

• Trees

• Pergolas

• Mixed planting

The most appropriate answer depends on what needs screening and from where.

Can We Discuss Accessibility?

Yes.

Accessibility requirements should be identified early.

We can consider:

• Path widths

• Surfaces

• Slopes

• Steps

• Seating

• Thresholds

• Level access

These considerations can have a major impact on the construction strategy.

They are much easier to integrate before hard landscaping has been built.

Landscaping Consultation for Large Gardens

Large gardens often require a different approach.

Our landscaping large gardens can involve:

• Significant groundworks

• Long routes

• Large terraces

• Extensive drainage

• Tree planting

• Large-scale planting

• Construction logistics

The consultation can help determine whether the whole garden should be addressed at once or divided into sensible phases.

Can Landscaping Be Phased?

Yes.

Phasing can be an effective way to deliver a larger project.

However, it works best when there is an overall plan.

For example:

Phase 1: groundworks and drainage
Phase 2: walls, levels and terraces
Phase 3: structures and secondary features
Phase 4: planting and trees

Without an overall strategy, individual phases can conflict with future work.

Can I Use Kirman Design for Landscaping Only?

Potentially, depending on the project.

If you already have a suitable professional garden design, we may be able to discuss the landscape construction.

Our landscape construction service covers the physical creation of high-quality residential gardens.

Where no design exists, the consultation can establish whether one should be developed first.

Can Kirman Design Design and Build the Whole Garden?

Yes.

For clients looking for one coordinated service, our complete garden design and build approach brings together:

• Garden design

• Landscape construction

• Planting

• Trees

This provides continuity from the initial concept through to the completed garden.

What Does a Landscaper Actually Do?

A professional landscaper does considerably more than lay patios.

Landscape construction can include:

• Groundworks

• Excavation

• Drainage

• Levels

• Paving

• Walls

• Steps

• Planting

• Lawns

Our guide What Does a Landscaper Do? explains the role in detail.

Understanding the amount of construction involved can be useful when considering the likely scale and budget of a garden transformation.

Should I Arrange a Garden Design Consultation Instead?

If your main questions are about what the garden should look like and how it should be arranged, a garden design consultation may be the more appropriate starting point.

If your principal questions concern the practical construction, condition or redevelopment of the garden, a landscaping consultation may be more relevant.

For many substantial projects, the two areas naturally overlap.

Garden Design Only or Design and Build?

Some clients want professional design but prefer to appoint their own contractor.

Our Garden Design Only Service provides that flexibility.

Other clients prefer a single company to carry the project through from initial design to landscaping and planting.

The consultation can help establish which approach is right for you.

What Should I Prepare Before a Landscaping Consultation?

You do not need detailed drawings before contacting us.

It is useful, however, to consider:

• What you want to change

• What you want to keep

• How you use the garden

• Your key priorities

• Desired timescale

• Approximate budget

If you have plans from an architect or existing garden designer, these can also be useful.

The important thing is not to have every answer.

The consultation is intended to help determine them.

Do I Need to Know Which Materials I Want?

No.

You may already have preferences, but materials should be considered within the context of the whole garden.

The consultation may explore appropriate directions, but the final material specification may form part of a later garden design or construction proposal.

It is generally better to choose materials once the overall landscape requirements are understood.

Do I Need to Clear the Garden Before the Consultation?

No.

In fact, seeing the existing conditions can be useful.

Existing trees, planting, drainage problems, levels and surfaces can all influence what should happen next.

There is generally no need to begin demolition or clearance before seeking professional advice.

Should I Start Removing Plants Before the Consultation?

Preferably not unless there is an immediate reason.

Existing mature planting may have value within the new garden.

A designer or landscaper may identify trees, shrubs or other plants worth retaining.

It is easier to remove something later than replace mature landscape structure that has been unnecessarily lost.

Why Have a Consultation Before Starting Work?

Because landscaping decisions can become expensive to change.

Once you have:

• Excavated the garden

• Built walls

• Installed drainage

• Laid paving

• Constructed steps

the layout becomes increasingly fixed.

A consultation can help determine the correct direction before these permanent decisions are made.

Landscaping Consultations Across North West England

Kirman Design provides garden landscaping consultations throughout North West England, including Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the Ribble Valley and surrounding areas.

We work with a wide range of residential properties, including:

• Contemporary homes

• Period properties

• Renovated houses

• New extensions

• Large private gardens

• Complete garden transformations

North West conditions also influence landscape construction.

High rainfall, clay soils, wet ground and exposure can all affect how a garden should be built.

Regional experience helps ensure these issues are considered early.

Why Choose Kirman Design for a Landscaping Consultation?

Kirman Design combines professional garden design and landscape construction.

That means we look at a landscaping problem from both perspectives.

We understand how gardens are designed.

And we understand how those designs need to be physically built.

This can be particularly useful when deciding:

• Whether design is needed

• What can be retained

• What needs rebuilding

• Which problems require further investigation

• How construction should be sequenced

Our Garden Designer and Landscaper service combines these skills for clients seeking a complete transformation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a garden landscaping consultation?

It is an initial professional assessment of your garden focused on the practical landscaping, construction and redevelopment work that may be required.

What happens during a landscaping consultation?

The garden is assessed and your requirements are discussed, including paving, drainage, levels, planting, access, privacy, budget and the possible next stages.

Is a landscaping consultation the same as a garden design consultation?

No. A garden design consultation focuses primarily on developing the overall landscape and layout. A landscaping consultation has a stronger emphasis on construction and practical implementation, although the two often overlap.

Can you tell me how much my landscaping will cost at the consultation?

An approximate discussion may be possible, but substantial projects normally require a clearly defined scope before an accurate quotation can be prepared.

Can you advise on drainage?

Yes. Drainage issues can be considered as part of the landscape assessment, although complex problems may require specialist investigation.

Can you advise on a sloping garden?

Yes. Levels, terraces, steps and retaining requirements can all be discussed.

Can I arrange a consultation after building work?

Yes. This is a common reason for seeking landscaping advice, particularly where soil, lawns, paving or levels have been damaged.

Can you landscape a garden designed by somebody else?

Potentially, subject to reviewing the design and project requirements.

Do you also provide garden design?

Yes. Kirman Design provides professional garden design, landscape construction and planting.

Where do you provide landscaping consultations?

Kirman Design works throughout North West England, including Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the Ribble Valley and surrounding areas.

Start Your Landscaping Project With the Right Questions

You do not need to know exactly what needs to be built before arranging a landscaping consultation.

That is often the reason for having one.

You may think you need a new patio.

You may actually need a completely different layout.

You may think you need drainage.

The real problem may be levels or compacted soil.

You may think you need to replace the whole garden.

There may be valuable elements worth retaining.

A professional landscaping consultation helps identify the issues, establish priorities and determine what should happen next.

If you are considering a garden landscaping project in North West England, contact Kirman Design to discuss your garden, the work you are considering and the most appropriate route towards creating the finished landscape.