A Day in the Life of a High-End Garden Designer

If you’ve ever wondered what a garden designer really does, you might imagine us with a sketchpad in hand, or perhaps wandering through a nursery picking plants. You wouldn’t be wrong—but that’s just the tip of the trowel. In truth, our days are a vibrant mix of creativity, technical problem-solving, collaboration, and, occasionally, a dash through the rain in muddy boots.

From designing in 3D to meeting clients, from sourcing rare plants to negotiating with suppliers, from dreaming up bold ideas to working out exactly how to make them happen—it’s all part of the job. And no two days are ever the same.

The Art and Science of Garden Design

At its core, designing a garden is about more than just beauty. Yes, you need an eye for proportion, shape, and harmony—but you also need to master the balancing act between:

• Client aspirations: Pools, hot tubs, vegetable gardens, play equipment, sprawling lawns, BBQ areas—you name it.
• Site realities: Size, shape, slope, existing trees, neighbours, sun and shade patterns, water flow, and planning restrictions.
• Practical considerations: Drainage, access, bin storage, utilities, and—of course—budgets.

A successful design isn’t just a pretty plan on paper. It’s a space that works seamlessly for the people who live in it—enticing them outside, offering beautiful views from indoors, and blending every element into a cohesive, liveable whole.

More Than Just “Drawing Gardens”

As a designer, you’re the client’s first gateway into their new outdoor world. You help them explore possibilities, weigh up priorities, and make confident decisions. You share inspiration as well as practical know-how, guiding them through budget choices, phasing options, and material selections, all while making the process exciting and reassuring.

For new designers, it often starts with hands-on learning—creating moodboards, 3D models, and sketch concepts, testing different layouts, and building full design packs with materials, construction details, and costings. You’ll work closely with senior designers, contribute ideas, and develop your skills until you’re ready to take ownership of whole projects yourself.

Growing Into the Role

With experience, the variety multiplies. One moment you might be:

• Selecting planting palettes for a large estate
• Choosing furniture and bespoke features
• Discussing technical solutions to complex site challenges
• Negotiating supplier quotes and delivery schedules

The next, you could be:

• Meeting a new client to spark their imagination
• Helping the maintenance team diagnose a pest problem
• Laying out plants on-site for client approval
• Fine-tuning the details for a client’s pre-party garden transformation

You’ll find yourself part designer, part project manager, part plant encyclopaedia, part problem-solver—and entirely central to making dreams a reality.

Why Join CGLA?

Working at the high end of garden design means variety, challenge, and reward. You might be creating a multi-million-pound landscape one week and a jewel-like planting scheme for a loyal returning client the next. You’ll be part of a talented, energetic, and supportive team who believe in doing the very best for our clients—and having a lot of fun along the way.

If you love design, thrive on variety, and relish the idea of creating spaces that will be treasured for years to come, this could be the role for you.

We are recruiting at present for garden designers, particularly those with experience, see our current job ad HERE.

CGLA are an award winning team of Garden Designers, Landscape Architects, Landscapers and Garden Maintenance Operatives working in Buckinghamshire, London and the South East, as well as on prestigious design projects across the UK and abroad. We are currently working in Oman, Jersey and France, and welcome enquires for design, landscaping or garden maintenance. Contact us here