Introduction to Cost-Effective Garden Landscaping

Garden landscaping by professionals can strain the wallet, but fret not, here are some savvy tips to trim those costs. If you're eyeing a garden makeover or aiming to revamp your outdoor space for a fresh experience, here are some creative insights to kickstart your project while keeping your wallet in check.

Start with a Plan

A well-thought-out plan sets the stage for selecting the right style, plants, and resources, both in terms of labour and materials. It also gives you a clear picture of the financial investment required.

Browse the web, flip through books, and peruse magazines for garden visuals that resonate with you and match your garden's size, shape, and layout. Drawing inspiration from open gardens and garden exhibitions can spark ideas, but remember to tailor your vision to your garden's specific dimensions and orientation, which will influence its layout and greenery.

Garden designs span a wide spectrum, from structured formal layouts with hardscaping to free-flowing informal arrangements with curved lines and relaxed plantings.

Your objective when planning your landscaped garden is to strike a visual harmony while considering the garden's intended function. Will it be a play area or a tranquil retreat?

To prevent your garden design from becoming a burden, factor in the upkeep needed to keep it looking splendid year-round. Also, bear in mind that intricate designs demand more effort and materials, potentially escalating the overall project cost.

Navigating Garden Landscaping Expenses

Establishing a solid structure and fluidity is key in garden landscaping. While planting is crucial, it can play second fiddle and be phased out based on your financial plan.

Potential landscaping expenses may encompass tough decisions like opting for hard landscaping materials such as bricks or stone slabs to craft eye-catching features like patios or borders. Alternatively, you can instill structure and flow by outlining garden edges and borders with basic tools like a digger or spade.

When budgeting, account for demolishing existing structures, clearing unwanted surfaces, possibly introducing drainage solutions, erecting boundary walls, uprooting trees, or relocating excess soil.

When planning your budget, think about demolishing existing structures and removing unwanted surfaces. Some gardens may require drainage, walls, tree removal, or excess soil removal before landscaping begins.

Including irrigation systems or utility lines in your design may need specialised trades, adding to costs.

Check the soil quality beforehand to ensure successful plant growth. Budgeting for fertilizers and topsoil will protect your investments in plants.

Garden landscaping costs vary based on garden size and design goals. For hard borders or a patio, budget €1500 - €4000+ for materials. A skilled landscaper with a team and equipment can ensure a job well done.

For a full design service, plan to allocate 10-15% of your budget to a designer. 

Read: How to calculate the cost of a landscaping project.

A Garden Landscaping Case Study

Enter this example of a simple, low-maintenance garden design tailored for a long narrow garden in South Dublin. Embracing an east-north-facing orientation with the evening sun casting its glow in the garden's heart during those long summer evenings.

Yearning for minimal upkeep while providing space for playful children and a cosy patio for relaxation or entertainment, the garden owners embarked on a quest for inspiration.

Armed with grid paper, a vision emerged, carefully considering the garden's unique elongated shape. To keep costs at a minimum, the design introduced crisp-edged cobble sett block borders and elegant limestone grey slabs, serving both as stepping stones and the patio floor.

The project involved the removal of three mature Ash trees and their root systems, the demolition of a concrete pathway, the pruning of wild ivy, the repositioning of the shed, and the disposal of excess garden compost. The redesign featured sharply defined cobblestone borders and sophisticated limestone grey slabs that functioned as both stepping stones and patio flooring. By seamlessly blending borders and stones in line with the lawn, maintenance was simplified, allowing easy mowing or strimming without the need for delicate trimming along soft edges.

Trellis was used to divide areas of the garden reducing the cost of paving and planting the entire length of the garden cutting down on the expense of extensive paving and planting.

The following is an estimate of costs for landscaping a garden project like this in 2024. These prices reflect the current market rates based on the data from Onlinetradesmen and are intended to serve as a guide for homeowners planning their garden projects. For an accurate price for your project, post a job today.

Moving Garden Shed: Approx size 3 x 6m – on concrete paver foundations = €750 This estimate includes moving a shed without significant repair.

Tree Removal: x3 Including stump removal - larger wood left onsite in 1m lengths = €1,350. If opting to have the wood chopped for firewood purposes, an additional fee of €150 is to be expected, bringing the total to €1,500.

Skip Hire: 4 Cubic Yard Skip = €250

Garden Patio: 4 x 4 meters – includes labour and materials with large paving slabs (600x300cm) and framed edging using cobblesett block paving flush with lawn = €2,000

Trellis Installation: Labour & materials for 7 panels including stakes and batons = €630

Garden Stepping Stone Path: Paving slabs (600x300cm) flush with lawn, 3 stepping stones per square meter – approx. length 8 metres=  €900

Garden Borders: Cobblesett block paving flush with garden bed – approx. length 8 metres = €1,125

Compost or Soil Removal: Moving labour from the garden to the location of the skip at the front of the house = €300

If you have a landscaping plan, Onlinetradesmen can assist you in finding skilled contractors to provide quotes. Post a job today!