Step 5 – Building Your Dream Garden – From Plan to Reality

You’ve dreamed, planned and designed – now let’s turn your ideas into reality.

In this final blog of the series, we’re looking at the practical side of garden design – detailing, budgeting, and how to get it built. It’s the part where things move from page to paving, from idea to installation. With a bit of forward thinking, this part can be smooth, creative, and even enjoyable.

Step 1: Detail the Essentials

The more clarity you have before works begin, the smoother the build will go. At a minimum, make sure you specify:

• Key materials – include supplier, size, finish, laying pattern and jointing method
• Build-ups – know what’s going beneath surfaces: hardcore layers, sub-base, soil depth, drainage
• Construction details – how are steps finished? Will your paving have a bullnose edge? How are levels managed?
• Drainage – where will the water go? Slot drains, soakaways, gentle falls – they all need planning
• Lighting and power – even if it’s not going in straight away, leave ducts and pull-throughs where needed

This doesn’t mean you need a 100-page spec, but it does mean knowing enough to avoid surprises and budget shocks later.

Step 2: Budget Realistically

Very few people have a clear sense of what a garden costs until they start designing. It’s completely normal for your first round of ideas to overshoot – that’s what the design process is for.

Work iteratively:

• Put together a draft design with rough costings
• Prioritise what matters most to you
• Trim or phase where needed

And don’t forget the hidden costs: skip hire, groundworks, site access, and VAT all add up. Check out our “How the Budget Works” blog for a deeper dive on this.

Step 3: Decide How You’ll Get It Built

Your options include:

• Managing it yourself – gives you control, but takes time and know-how
• Using your house builder – good if you’re mid-renovation, but they may lack finesse with external works
• A turnkey landscape contractor – typically the most hands-off route, and often the smoothest

We often see a hybrid approach: the builder does structural bits (retaining walls, groundwork), and we handle the rest – planting, paving, lighting, detailing. The key is clear roles and communication.

Step 4: Prepare for the Build

Before anyone picks up a spade:

• Finalise all quotes and materials
• Sort permissions (planning, TPOs, party wall notices)
• Brief your neighbours (and maybe offer cake)
• Clarify working hours, deadlines, access, and storage on site
• Agree on a payment schedule

Step 5: Expect the Unexpected

Landscaping is messy. The garden may look worse before it gets better. Things will shift. And sometimes – just sometimes – it rains. A lot.

Build in some contingency. Keep a calm head. And if you’re planning a big party the day after turf is laid… maybe push it back a week or two.

And that’s it! You’ve now walked through the five key stages to creating a garden that truly works for you.

• Blog 1: Planning Your Dream Garden – Start with a Plan
• Blog 2: Defining Your Garden Style – Finding Your Perfect
• Blog 3: Creating the Perfect Planting Palette for Your Garden
• Blog 4: Garden Features and Materials – Adding Magic to Your Space
• Blog 5: Building Your Dream Garden – From Plan to Reality

Need a hand with any of it? We’re always here to help – whether you’re sketching ideas on the back of an envelope or ready to break ground.

Your dream garden might just be closer than you think.