How Much Does Garden Design Cost in the UK? A Realistic Guide for 2026

If you're thinking about redesigning your garden, you may be surprised by how much garden design costs in the UK can vary. A simple consultation might cost a few hundred pounds, while a detailed professional garden design can cost several thousand. So what do you actually ne

nds on the size and complexity of your garden, and most importantly, how much design detail you require.

What affects the cost of garden design?

Garden designers can charge fixed fees, hourly or day rates, or sometimes a percentage of the overall garden project. Current UK cost guides suggest professional designers commonly charge around £50–£200 per hour, while design fees for more substantial projects can reach several thousand pounds. Some designers working on larger projects charge around 10% of the overall garden renovation cost.

The more detailed the design, the more time is involved. Site surveys, scaled drawings, planting plans, material specifications, revisions and contractor coordination all add to the cost.

Typical Garden Design Cost in the UK

As a rough 2026 guide, you might encounter:

• Consultation or basic garden advice: around £50–£300+

• Simple concept or sketch plan: around £200–£800

• Planting design: around £300–£800+

• Full garden design: around £500–£2,500+

• Large or highly detailed projects: £2,000–£5,000+ and sometimes considerably more

These are broad industry ranges rather than fixed prices. A larger landscape design consultancy working on a substantial garden may charge several thousand pounds for the design alone, particularly where detailed technical drawings, multiple revisions or project management are required.

Do you really need a full garden design?

Not necessarily.

If you have a garden that is generally working but you're stuck on what to plant, how to arrange a border or what to do with an awkward corner, paying for a complete garden design may be unnecessary.

A consultation, planting plan or a couple of concept sketches could give you exactly the direction you need.

This is where remote garden design can be particularly useful. By providing accurate measurements, photographs and videos, you can get professional design input without paying for a designer's time to travel to your property.

Garden design from Green Palette

At Green Palette Garden Design, we offer focused design services for homeowners who want professional input without automatically committing to a full-scale garden design.

Our services currently start from £30 for garden advice, design reviews and planting advice, with concept design packages from £50. More comprehensive garden design packages are available for projects that need them.

We're a small Landscape Architecture-led business, so our aim is simple: give you the level of design support your garden actually needs, rather than selling you more design than necessary.

If you're not sure what level of help you need, get in touch and we can help you work out the most appropriate option.