Soft Landscaping

Soft landscaping is everything that grows. Planting schemes, new borders, raised beds, hedges, lawn areas, soil improvement. It is the part of the garden that brings it to life. We design and install planting for new builds, garden renovations and existing gardens that need a refresh.

• Planting schemes: full design and planting of new beds and borders, suited to your soil and light
• Raised bed construction: timber or sleepers, for vegetables, herbs or ornamental planting
• Hedge planting: bare root and container grown, with advice on the right species
• Lawn laying: seed or turf, with proper soil preparation
• Soil improvement: digging in compost, grit, manure, and adjusting pH
• Border restoration: lifting, dividing and replanting tired perennial borders
• Tree and shrub planting: right plant, right place, properly planted

Most of our work is on the chalky soils of the Chilterns, which suit Mediterranean plants, herbs, silver foliage and many classic cottage garden plants. We use our plant library as a working list of plants we know thrive in local conditions. See our article on low-maintenance plants for Chiltern gardens for recommendations.

1. Site visit: we walk the garden, discuss your needs, take soil samples and note sun and shade
2. Soil test: we check pH and texture to choose the right plants
3. Planting plan: a written plan showing what goes where, with quantities and sizes
4. Quote: a fixed price including plants, materials and labour
5. Planting: we order plants, prepare the soil, plant and mulch
6. Aftercare advice: written notes on watering and pruning for the first year

The best time for planting is autumn (October to December) when the soil is still warm and roots can establish before summer. Spring planting is fine but requires more watering through the first summer. Avoid planting in summer droughts if possible.

The quickest way to get a price is to send us a few photos of your garden via WhatsApp or email, along with your postcode and a brief description of what you need. We will review the photos and get back to you with a quote or arrange a free site visit if needed.

We cover Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Bedfordshire.

Towns we work in regularly include:

• Oxfordshire: Oxford, Henley-on-Thames, Thame, Chinnor, Watlington, Bicester, Witney, Abingdon, Banbury, Didcot, Wantage, Wallingford, Faringdon, Charlbury, Woodstock
• Buckinghamshire: High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Marlow, Beaconsfield, Amersham, Princes Risborough, Wendover, Gerrards Cross, Chesham, Great Missenden, Chalfont St Peter, Hazlemere, Buckingham, Winslow, Haddenham
• Berkshire: Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Windsor, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury, Ascot, Sunninghill, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Thatcham, Twyford, Woodley, Wraysbury
• Bedfordshire: Woburn, Leighton Buzzard

See our full locations page for all areas covered.