With the warmer weather coming in our attention starts to focus more on our gardens. Do you have a great idea of how you would like your garden to look but aren’t able to execute it yourself? Many people choose to utilise the expertise of a landscape gardener as this takes the hassle away from doing it yourself. Whatever your landscaping project it is likely to be a substantial investment, and as such this can make it a little bit daunting. With a high number of landscape gardeners in the phone book how do you choose the person that’s right for your job? And even more, how do you maintain good relations with your landscaper throughout your job?

1. Research

Have a look on line for landscapers that are local to you. If they have a website looks at examples of previous work to see if they have completed similar jobs. Look for recommendations. In our digital age, more and more people are leaving reviews for tradesmen, which is great as this makes it easier for potential new customers to assess their work.

2. Know what you want

Have a clear idea of what you are looking for. Landscapers may provide practical suggestions or add a little bit of artistic flair to the garden design; however, it will certainly save you both time if you already know what specific features you would like incorporated into your space.

3. Agree your price and the project

Once you decide to go ahead with a quote, make sure that the price is agreed. There are several ways this can be worked, such as

1. A price for the total job
2. Prices for segments - £x for the lawn, £y for the slabs, etc.
3. Priced per hour + materials

There is no right or wrong way for this – your landscaper may have a preference, but this should work for you too. Whichever pricing method you choose it is essential that you both agree on it. It is recommended that you have a written copy confirming the details, either via email or a hard copy.

Carefully read your agreement to make sure that all your landscaping requirements are included.

4. Be prepared for Project Creep

Initially this may sound a tad intimidating, however the reality is that when you agree a price with a gardener it is for the initial job request and other things may crop up. When progress is being made it’s easy to add on other small tasks (pruning back trees, removing extra slabs, etc.) that add up time wise. Hopefully a specific labour charge has been agreed for additional work to keep both parties right, if you find yourself adding on extra tasks.

There can occasionally be some hidden variables that are not easy to forecast at the start of the job. For example, your landscaper won’t know what the ground is like underneath slabs until they have been lifted

5. Communicate

Communication is vital every step of the way. Once you have agreed a plan it is still good to check in along the way to make sure that you are happy with how the job is progressing. It is easier to prevent problems than solve them!

Once your job is complete and you are happy with your new garden, consider leaving a review for your landscaper. Be as thorough as you can, and try to address any concerns or questions you had at the beginning stage as this will really help people like yourself find a good landscaper in the future!