Borders, hedges, trees, wildlife planting
Planting and borders
New borders and the renewal of old ones, planted to a plan with plants chosen for Vale clay and coastal wind, plus hedges, specimen trees and wildlife-friendly schemes.
Hard landscaping makes a garden usable. Planting makes it a garden. It is also the part most people under-budget.
Every border starts with the soil: dug through, clay broken up, compost and grit added where the plants need drainage. Then the plants go in to the plan, in groups of three, five and seven rather than one of everything, with the structure (shrubs, grasses, evergreens) first and the perennials and bulbs between. A mulch of bark or compost finishes it and keeps the weeds down for the first year.
We plant for the conditions, not the catalogue. Lavender dies in Vale clay unless the bed is built for it; hydrangeas, hardy geraniums, grasses, salvias and roses thrive. Coastal gardens in Llantwit and Barry get wind-tolerant planting. Wildlife schemes with native hedging, nectar plants and a bit of long grass cost no more and bring the garden alive.
What is included
- Soil preparation, compost and grit
- Plants in 2 and 3 litre pots, trees bare-root or rootballed
- Planted to a plan in drifts and groups
- Mulch to suppress weeds in year one
- Hedging, screening and specimen trees
- First-year plant guarantee if we maintain
What it costs
Borders from £650 for a 5-metre border including soil preparation, plants, planting, mulch and a plan. Hedging from £28 per metre. Specimen trees from £180 planted. All prices include materials, labour, waste removal and VAT. See the full price list.
Questions about planting
When is the best time to plant?
October to March for trees, hedges and shrubs, when they are dormant and the ground is wet. Perennials in spring or autumn. Containers can be planted at any time if you water.
Start with a visit.
Cerys comes to the garden, measures it and listens, for free. A sketch follows, then a plan, then one price. No pressure at any stage; some people build it three summers later.