Who this guide is for
- Homeowners about to invite landscapers to quote
- People who struggle to explain what they want from a garden
- Anyone wanting comparable quotes from several landscapers
- Owners with a mix of must-haves and nice-to-haves to prioritise
Describe how you want to use the garden
Start with use, not features. Whether the garden is for relaxing, entertaining, growing food, child or pet play, or all of these, shapes every later decision a landscaper makes.
List the activities you want the space to support and roughly how often, so the design serves real life rather than a picture.
- List the main activities the garden must support
- Note who uses it — children, pets, guests
- Say which uses matter most
- Mention seasons and times of day you use it
Map the zones you have in mind
Even a rough split into zones — seating, planting, lawn, storage, play — helps a landscaper understand your priorities and how the space should flow. You do not need a polished plan, just intent.
Note any fixed points you want to keep or remove, and where you want privacy or openness.
Be honest about maintenance appetite
How much time you will realistically spend maintaining the garden is one of the most useful things you can tell a landscaper. A low-maintenance brief leads to very different planting and surfaces than a keen-gardener brief.
State your appetite plainly so the design matches the upkeep you will actually do.
- State how much upkeep you will realistically do
- Flag if low maintenance is a priority
- Mention any physical limits on gardening
- Say whether you want to garden or just enjoy it
Set out budget priorities in words
Rather than spreading a budget thinly, tell the landscaper what you would spend on first if you had to choose. Naming priorities lets them phase the work and focus quality where it counts.
You can describe priorities and trade-offs without fixing figures, and ask the landscaper how choices drive cost.
Provide site information and inspiration
Photos, rough measurements, notes on sun, shade and where water collects, and a few inspiration images give a landscaper a real head start. Flag any access constraints for machinery and deliveries.
Gather these into one place so every landscaper works from the same brief.
- Share photos and rough measurements
- Note sun, shade and where water collects
- Add a few inspiration images
- Flag access for machinery and deliveries
Hiring checklist
- 1Write down how you want to use the garden
- 2Sketch rough zones and what each is for
- 3State your honest maintenance appetite
- 4Name your top priorities if trade-offs are needed
- 5Gather photos and rough measurements
- 6Note sun, shade and drainage observations
- 7Collect a few inspiration images
- 8Flag access constraints for deliveries
- 9List features to keep and to remove
- 10Ask how design choices drive cost
Common mistakes to avoid
- Briefing features before explaining how you will use the space
- Hiding your real maintenance appetite and getting a high-upkeep design
- Spreading priorities so thin nothing is done well
- Giving each landscaper different information so quotes do not compare
- Forgetting to mention access limits for machinery
- Leaving out drainage and shade observations the design depends on
When to involve a professional
- Route drainage, retaining and lighting electrics to qualified professionals
- Ask a landscaper to see examples of comparable garden projects
- Confirm who handles technical elements before work starts
- Ask to see relevant insurance for the work involved
- Remember technical and boundary requirements vary by location and project
Frequently asked questions
Questions readers ask about this topic
What should a garden brief include?
Cover how you want to use the garden, the zones you have in mind, your honest maintenance appetite and your budget priorities, plus site notes and inspiration. Giving every landscaper the same brief makes their quotes genuinely comparable.
Do I need to know exactly what I want?
No. A landscaper expects to help shape the design; what they need from you is clear intent — how you will use the space and what matters most. Rough zones and priorities are more useful than a finished plan.
Should I share a budget?
You can describe priorities and trade-offs in words and ask how choices drive cost, which helps a landscaper phase the work sensibly. Naming what you would spend on first is often more useful than a single figure.
Who handles drainage and lighting?
Technical elements like drainage, retaining and electrical work for lighting should be planned with qualified professionals. Confirm who is responsible for each before work begins, as requirements vary by location and project.
Keep reading