A Comprehensive Guide To Small Garden Costs
Summary
The cost of landscaping a small garden depends on much more than its size. Access, existing ground conditions, the design, materials and planting all shape the work involved, which is why every garden needs to be considered individually.
Key Takeaways
- Small gardens aren’t automatically simple or cheap to landscape.
- Existing ground conditions and preparation work can take up a significant portion of the budget.
- Restricted access can shape how a project is planned and delivered.
- Trying to pack too many features into a compact space adds complexity and cost.
- Material and planting choices let you decide where your budget works hardest.
- Thoughtful design helps you make the most of limited space before construction begins.
One of the most common concerns when renovating your garden is the cost. For those with a small garden, this may seem like an obvious question but size does not tell you everything. A small garden can still involve a great deal of thought, planning and skilled landscaping, all of which can contribute to the final landscaping costs you face.
The cost will depend on what your garden needs and what you want to achieve with the space. Ground preparation, access, materials and the complexity of the design can all make a difference.
At Gardens of Distinction, we’ve spent years designing and building gardens of every size and shape, so we understand just how much one small garden can differ from the next. In this guide, we’ll walk through what influences small garden landscaping costs and where your budget is likely to go.
What Affects Small Garden Costs?
The size of your garden is only one part of what determines the cost. Two small gardens can need very different levels of preparation and landscaping, depending on the site and what you want to achieve, and therefore have very different budgets.
When planning your small garden makeover, there are various things you need to consider, such as:
1. What You Want From Your Garden
At Gardens of Distinction, every landscaping project starts with understanding what you want to change and how you would like to use the finished garden. For one small garden, that might mean replacing an old patio and refreshing the planting; for another, it could mean starting again with a completely new layout.
These decisions help determine the scale of the project and, ultimately, the budget required. During the design process, we can look at what is worth retaining, what needs replacing and where new features could make the biggest difference to ensure your money is being well spent.
The amount of work needed to achieve your new garden design will influence the total small garden costs you face.
For a closer look at how we take a garden from the first ideas through to the finished space, see our post Garden Renovation Timeline: Your Complete Transformation Journey.
2. Preparing the Garden Properly
Ground preparation can account for a significant part of your small garden costs, particularly if the existing space needs substantial work.
At Gardens of Distinction, we assess the existing garden as part of the planning process, looking at levels, drainage and anything that needs to be removed or replaced. Even in a compact garden, this might involve lifting old paving, excavating ground or preparing new foundations.
To learn more about what can happen at this stage, see our post Mastering Retaining Wall Construction: Design, Drainage, and Materials for Your Garden Sanctuary.
Understanding these requirements early gives us a clearer picture of the work involved and allows us to factor them into the project from the outset so you know what to expect early on.
3. Access to Your Garden
Access is something we consider carefully when planning any garden project. In smaller gardens, particularly those to the rear of a property, getting materials and equipment to the site isn’t always straightforward.
Where access is restricted, some of this work may need to be carried out by hand or with smaller equipment. This can increase the time and labour involved in your project, therefore increasing the small garden costs you’ll face.
4. Choosing Materials for a Small Garden
The materials you choose will influence both the cost of your garden and how the finished space feels. In a smaller garden, patios and paths can take up a greater proportion of the available area, so these choices become particularly important.
Hard landscaping and paving materials, such as natural stone and porcelain, come with different material and installation costs. The amount of hard landscaping you include in your small will also influence the cost, as it determines how much material and labour is needed.
You should also factor in the preparation and installation each material requires, rather than looking at the purchase price alone. A paving choice that requires more groundwork, specialist installation or detailed cutting can add to the overall cost of the project.
If paving will be a key part of your design, see our post How to Design the Perfect Patio for Your Garden for different ways it can be incorporated into the space.
5. Choosing the Right Planting
Much like hard landscaping, planting comes with different costs depending on what you choose and how much of the garden you want to plant. The size and maturity of plants can affect your small garden costs, as well as the number of borders, beds and other planted areas included in the design.
In a small garden, it can be worth investing in fewer, carefully chosen plants rather than trying to fill every available space. You also need to consider their eventual size, as plants that outgrow their position can quickly encroach on paths, patios and seating areas in a limited space.
Planning the planting as part of the wider garden design helps you balance the budget while creating enough colour, structure and interest without overcrowding the space.
For more planting ideas, see our post Plant Selection Secrets for Your Midlands Garden.
6. Adding Features to Your Garden
Additional features such as lighting, pergolas and even outdoor kitchens and garden rooms can make your small garden more enjoyable and practical, but come with additional costs. Depending on what you choose, you can incur more small garden costs through the additional groundwork, foundations, electrical work and other preparation that may be required, along with the material supply and installation itself.
In a smaller garden, it’s particularly important to decide which features will genuinely add something to the way you use the space, rather than trying to include too much.
Prioritising the elements you’ll use and enjoy most can help keep the design balanced, make better use of the available room and ensure your budget is spent where it will have the greatest impact.
To determine which features will be best for your small garden, see our post Outdoor Kitchens & Garden Rooms: Why They’re the Next Big Trend.
How To Make The Most Out Of Small Garden Costs
Making the most of your landscaping budget is about deciding what matters most to you and planning the garden around those priorities. In a smaller space, where every element has an impact, those decisions become even more important.
A few things to consider:
- Start with how you’ll use the garden: Prioritise the areas and features that will make the biggest difference to your everyday use of the space.
- Allow enough for preparation: Groundwork, drainage and foundations may not be visible in the finished garden, but they’re essential to how well it performs.
- Be selective with materials: Higher-specification finishes can be used where they’ll have the most impact rather than throughout the entire garden.
- Think ahead with planting: Choose plants for their eventual size as well as how they look when first planted, leaving enough room for them to establish.
- Keep the design considered: Trying to include too many features can quickly make a small garden feel crowded and increase the overall cost.
- Make decisions at the design stage: Planning the complete garden before landscaping begins makes it easier to understand where your budget is going and reduces the need for changes later.
Why Professional Design Is a Smart Investment for a Small Garden
It is easy to think that a smaller garden needs less design work, but limited space often means each decision has more of an impact. The proportions of a patio or the depth of a planting border can all affect how much usable space is left.
A professional garden designer can look at how these elements work together before any landscaping begins. This might involve finding the best position for a seating area, working with a change in level or creating different areas without making the garden feel overly divided.
To learn more about the benefits of professional garden design, see our post Professional Garden Design: 7 Reasons It Pays to Hire an Expert.
Planning these details early can also help you use your budget more effectively. Rather than making decisions separately as the work progresses, you can see how the complete garden will work and decide where it’s worth investing more.
At Gardens of Distinction, our garden designers and landscaping team work together throughout the project. By considering the design alongside the practical requirements of building it, we can develop a scheme that works for the space, your priorities and your budget before construction begins.
Conclusion
There isn’t one figure that will tell you what a small garden costs to landscape. The most useful starting point is understanding the space you have, what needs to change and what you want the finished garden to offer.
At Gardens of Distinction, we look at all of these elements together. From access and existing ground conditions to materials, planting and the features you’d like to include, each decision forms part of the wider design and ultimately influences the investment required.
By planning the garden properly before work begins, we can create a design that makes considered use of both the available space and your budget.
Contact Us Today
If you’re thinking about redesigning a small garden, get in touch with our team to discuss your ideas and the next steps for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it typically take to landscape a small garden?
Timelines vary depending on access, ground conditions and the amount of hard landscaping involved. A straightforward patio and planting scheme might take a couple of weeks, while a garden with level changes, drainage work or built-in features can take considerably longer.
Can I landscape a small garden in stages to spread the cost?
Yes, phasing is often a practical option. Groundwork and hard landscaping are usually tackled first, with planting, lighting or additional features added later. A good designer can plan the whole garden upfront, even if it’s built in stages, so everything works together in the end.
Will a small garden redesign add value to my property?
A well-designed garden can boost kerb appeal and make a property more attractive to buyers, particularly where outdoor space is limited. The impact depends on the quality of the design and how well it suits the rest of the property, rather than the size of the plot alone.