Edinburgh · Midlothian · The Lothians
Garden Design in Edinburgh & the Lothians
A garden planned around how you actually use it, designed by the team that will build it.
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Our garden design in Edinburgh starts with listening: we look at how you want to use the space, then plan the layout, materials and planting so the finished garden is enjoyable and easy to maintain.
Good garden design isn't about fashionable features. It's about putting the patio where the evening sun lands, the path where people actually walk, and the bins and shed where you can reach them without crossing a wet lawn. Get those decisions right and a garden works for years.
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Our garden design in Edinburgh, from first visit to finished garden
1. The first visit
We walk the garden with you and ask a lot of questions. Who uses it and when? Do you want to entertain, grow vegetables, keep children and dogs busy, or just sit in the sun? How much maintenance is realistic? We also look at the things that shape every design: the direction the garden faces, the slope, drainage, existing walls and trees, and how materials get in and out.
2. Measuring up
We measure the garden, note levels and mark anything that has to stay, such as drains, manholes, mature trees and boundary walls.
3. The layout
You get a layout showing the main areas: seating, lawn, paths, beds, storage and any walls or steps. For straightforward gardens this is a clear scaled sketch with notes; for larger projects it's more detailed.
4. Materials and planting
We suggest paving, walling and edging that suit your house and budget, with samples where it helps, and a planting approach matched to the soil, light and the time you want to spend gardening.
5. A written quote
The quote follows the design line by line, so you can see what each part costs and decide whether to phase the work.
6. The build
Because our own team builds the garden, the design doesn't get lost in translation. If something on site suggests a better option, we talk to you about it first.
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Designing for Edinburgh's conditions
Aspect
A north-facing garden in a terrace may only get sun at the far end, so that's often where the seating should go, with a path to reach it.
Levels
Sloping gardens can be split into terraces with retaining walls and steps, giving you flat spaces you'll actually use.
Drainage
On heavy ground we plan falls on paving and, where needed, soakaways or channel drains so the new garden doesn't flood.
Wind and privacy
Fencing, hedging and screens are positioned to shelter seating areas, especially in exposed gardens on the edge of the city.
Older properties
Around stone villas and terraces, natural stone paving and walls often look better than bright modern materials.
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Ideas that work in smaller gardens
Many Edinburgh gardens are compact, and a few design moves make a big difference:
Larger paving units and fewer joints make a small patio feel bigger
Built-in seating along a wall saves space that freestanding furniture would take
Raised beds bring planting up to eye level and double as a seat edge
A single material carried through patio, path and steps ties a small space together
Lighting along steps and edges extends the hours you can use the garden
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What it costs
The cost of a new garden depends almost entirely on what goes into it: hard landscaping such as patios, walls and steps costs more per square metre than lawn and planting. We'll give you a design and quote that match your budget, and can phase the work so you're not paying for everything at once.
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Garden design across Edinburgh and the Lothians
We design gardens across the city, from compact terraces in Leith and Gorgie to larger plots in Barnton, Colinton and Currie, and across Midlothian and the Lothians. We also cover gardens for new-build homes, where the developer has left a bare plot of turf and topsoil.
Garden design FAQs
Do I have to use you to build the design?
We design gardens to build them, so the design service is part of the build.
How long does it take from design to finished garden?
Design usually takes a couple of weeks from the first visit, depending on how many changes you want. The build depends on size: a small garden can be finished in one to two weeks, while a full redesign with walls, patio and lawn takes longer.
Can you keep some of my existing garden?
Yes. Mature trees, good walls and established planting are often worth keeping, and designing around them saves money.
Do you do planting?
Yes, we plan and plant beds as part of the design.
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Book a design visit
Send a few photos and tell us how you'd like to use the garden. We'll come out and talk it through. Call or text 07426 792387 or request a free quote.
Free quotes
Get a free, no-obligation quote
Call or text 07426 792387, or send photos through the quote form.