How to Landscape a Garden

A Practical Guide from Premium Landscaping — Durham

Before any planting begins, decide what you actually want from the space — a flower garden, a lawn with trees and shrubs, or a mix of both. Mark out where beds, paths and features will go using stakes or spray paint, then clear away debris, old plants and overgrowth so you can see the shape of the plot clearly. Any hard surfaces such as an existing patio or driveway are worth pressure-washing at this stage too, so new planting doesn't sit against grime. Take photos of the space before you start too — it's a useful reference for spotting drainage issues, sun and shade patterns, or awkward corners once the ground is cleared.

Levelling the ground is one of the most important early steps: use a hose or string line to mark the area, remove high spots, fill in low ones, and compact the soil before going any further. A level, well-prepared base means your new lawn or planting has a firm foundation and won't be prone to waterlogging later on.

The type of soil in your garden has a big influence on what will grow well. A simple test is to dig a small hole and fill it with water — fast draining means sandy soil, slow draining means clay, and anything in between is loam. Once you know what you're working with, till the top six inches or so and work in organic matter such as compost, well-rotted manure or peat moss: sandy soil benefits from extra bulk to help it hold moisture, while clay soil needs the same treatment to improve drainage and aeration.

A half-inch layer of mulch on top helps conserve moisture and keeps nutrient levels topped up whatever soil type you have. If you'd rather leave this stage to the professionals, our team can assess and prepare the ground as part of a full garden landscaping job.

Pick plants suited to the UK climate, your soil type and the amount of sun a bed actually gets, and think about their eventual size so nothing outgrows its space. Native and well-adapted species need less maintenance and support local wildlife too. Reliable performers in North East gardens include lavender and rosemary for sunny, free-draining spots, climbers like honeysuckle, ivy and wisteria for walls and fences, and structure plants such as roses, heather and hardy shrubs for year-round interest. Mixing evergreens with deciduous planting keeps a garden looking good in every season rather than bare over winter. A local nursery or landscaping company can also advise on plant availability and what's currently doing well in gardens nearby, which is often a better guide than general planting charts.

A good layout balances trees, shrubs and flower beds so the garden has depth and interest all year — see our soft landscaping work for examples of how planting schemes come together. Hard surfaces such as driveways, paths and patios are worth planning in at the same stage, since they define the shape of the beds and borders around them. If your garden holds water or dries out quickly in summer, an irrigation or drainage system is worth installing before planting rather than after.

Landscape fabric under beds and paths cuts down on weeding and helps drainage, while a finishing layer of mulch protects roots from frost and keeps everything looking tidy. Complex designs, particularly ones involving retaining walls, changes in level or significant drainage work, are usually worth handing to a landscape architect or experienced contractor rather than tackling as a DIY project. Landscaping a garden properly is as much about the groundwork as the planting — if you'd rather have it done right the first time, get in touch and we'll take care of the whole project from design through to the final planting.