By Spalls Landscaping Editorial Team · Updated 2026-09-03
Choosing the right landscaper starts with understanding what you want from your outdoor space, then comparing contractors against the same brief. Experience, previous work, materials, communication and the detail within the quotation can all matter just as much as the headline price.
Spalls Landscaping is a family-run landscaping business with more than 45 years of industry experience, serving customers across London, Essex and surrounding areas. Services include garden design, commercial and business grounds maintenance, lawn installation and maintenance, planting, softscaping, pruning and hardscaping.
If your search starts with best landscapers London, use the results to build a shortlist rather than treating search position alone as proof that a contractor is right for your project. This guide explains how to choose landscapers in London, what to ask during a site visit and how to compare quotes properly.
Key Takeaways
- Start with a written brief describing how the garden needs to look, function and be maintained.
- Compare contractors against the same project scope.
- Ask to see relevant examples of previous work.
- Check what insurance the contractor holds before agreeing to work.
- Make sure preparation, materials, waste, timescales and payment arrangements are clear.
- Consider hard landscaping, soft landscaping and future maintenance together.
- A site visit can reveal access, drainage, levels and other factors that may affect the project.
What Should You Decide Before Contacting Landscapers?
A useful landscaping project begins before the first contractor arrives.
Walk around the property and think about how the outdoor space is currently used, what is not working and what you would like to change. A garden designed mainly for entertaining will have different priorities from a low-maintenance garden, family space or commercial property.
Your initial brief could cover:
- How the outdoor space will be used
- Features you want to retain
- Areas you want to change
- Lawn requirements
- Planting preferences
- Hard landscaping requirements
- Access to the site
- Known drainage concerns
- Desired level of ongoing maintenance
- Approximate budget
- Preferred timescale
You do not need to design the entire garden yourself. The purpose of the brief is to give landscapers London customers are considering the same starting information, so their recommendations and quotations can be compared more fairly.
What Is the Difference Between Hard and Soft Landscaping?
Understanding the basic categories of landscaping makes discussing a project much easier.
| Landscaping type | Examples | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Soft landscaping | Lawns, turf, planting, borders and pruning | Soil, light, drainage, maintenance and seasonal changes |
| Hard landscaping | Paths, patios, edging, walls and other constructed features | Ground preparation, materials, levels and drainage |
| Garden design | Overall layout and relationship between different areas | How the space will look and function |
| Grounds maintenance | Lawn care, pruning and ongoing outdoor maintenance | Frequency, seasonal requirements and long-term upkeep |
Many projects combine several categories.
A new patio, for example, should not necessarily be planned without considering how it connects with the lawn, planting, access and drainage around it. Likewise, new planting should be selected with the conditions and future maintenance of the garden in mind.
Spalls Landscaping provides garden design alongside lawn work, planting, softscaping, pruning and hardscaping. You can explore the wider range of Spalls Landscaping services.
How Do You Shortlist Landscape Gardeners in London?
Once you have a basic brief, start identifying landscape gardeners London property owners can realistically use for the project and location.
Look beyond the homepage. Review the company’s actual services, examples of previous work and whether it appears to have experience with projects similar to yours.
A practical shortlist might include three companies that:
- Genuinely cover your area.
- Provide the type of landscaping required.
- Can show relevant previous work.
- Are prepared to discuss the site before finalising the scope.
- Can provide a written quotation.
Recommendations from friends, neighbours or other property professionals can also be useful, but they should form part of your research rather than replace it.
The Association of Professional Landscapers recommends discussing areas such as experience, insurance, skills, availability and timescales when choosing a contractor.
Why Should You Ask to See Previous Work?
A portfolio helps you understand what type of work the contractor actually has experience delivering.
The most useful examples are not necessarily the biggest or most expensive projects. They are projects that share something relevant with your own.
If you need extensive hard landscaping, look for examples involving constructed outdoor areas. If planting is central to the project, look for gardens where soft landscaping forms an important part of the finished design.
Ask prospective landscape contractors London projects are being considered with for examples involving similar:
- Property types
- Garden sizes
- Design requirements
- Hard landscaping
- Lawn requirements
- Planting schemes
- Commercial or residential settings
This gives you better information than choosing a contractor solely because its website contains attractive photographs.
Why Is a Site Visit Important?
Two gardens can have approximately the same area but require very different work.
Access alone can make a major difference. One garden may have direct vehicle access, while another can only be reached through the property. Existing levels, surfaces, planting and drainage can also affect what needs to happen before the visible landscaping begins.
During a site visit, discuss:
- Access for people, tools and materials
- Existing ground conditions
- Garden levels
- Drainage concerns
- Features being retained
- Areas being removed or changed
- Lawn requirements
- Planting
- Hard landscaping
- Waste removal
- Maintenance expectations
The Royal Horticultural Society provides garden-design guidance covering practical considerations alongside the appearance and layout of an outdoor space.
A useful site visit should leave both the customer and contractor with a clearer understanding of what the project actually involves.
What Affects Landscaping Costs in London?
There is no single price that applies to every landscaping London project.
The cost depends on the work required rather than garden size alone. A relatively small property requiring extensive excavation and difficult access could involve very different work from a larger garden needing mostly planting and lawn care.
Factors that may affect a quotation include:
- Site access
- Ground preparation
- Excavation
- Existing surfaces that need removal
- Choice and quantity of materials
- Hard landscaping
- Lawn installation or renovation
- Planting requirements
- Drainage
- Retaining structures or changes in level
- Waste removal
- Labour requirements
- Ongoing maintenance
This is why comparing only the final figure can be misleading.
For example, one contractor might include preparation and waste removal while another expects those items to be arranged separately. Both quotations could appear to describe the same finished project while covering different amounts of work.
What Should Be Included in a Landscaping Quote?
A clear quotation should allow you to understand what the contractor proposes to provide.
| Quote item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Scope | Exactly which work is included |
| Preparation | Clearance, excavation and ground preparation |
| Materials | What materials or products are specified |
| Labour | Work required to complete the project |
| Waste | Who removes waste created by the work |
| Timescale | Proposed start and expected duration |
| Changes | How additional work will be agreed |
| Payments | When payments are due |
| VAT | Whether applicable VAT is included |
| Maintenance | Any ongoing care included afterwards |
Citizens Advice recommends getting written quotations from multiple traders and checking what is included before agreeing to home improvement work.
This gives you a better basis for comparing a London landscaping company with another provider.
How Many Landscaping Quotes Should You Compare?
For a substantial project, obtaining several written quotations can help reveal differences in approach as well as price.
The important point is to give each contractor approximately the same information.
Imagine three proposals:
Quote A includes site clearance, preparation, materials and installation.
Quote B covers installation but requires the customer to arrange clearance.
Quote C uses a different material and includes additional maintenance afterwards.
Looking only at the three totals would not provide a fair comparison.
When reviewing quotes from landscape contractors London customers are considering, compare the scope line by line before deciding which represents the best value for the project.
How Should Different Types of Landscaping Projects Be Planned?
Different projects create different priorities.
| Project | Questions worth asking |
|---|---|
| Small urban garden | How can the available space be used effectively? |
| Family garden | How will different areas be used day to day? |
| Low-maintenance garden | How much ongoing pruning and lawn care will be required? |
| Planting-led redesign | Do the chosen plants suit the site conditions? |
| Hard-landscaping project | How are preparation, levels and drainage being managed? |
| Commercial grounds | What ongoing maintenance will the site require? |
This is where a good contractor adds useful input during the planning stage.
Instead of simply asking, “How much will my garden cost?”, explain how the space needs to work. A more detailed brief gives the contractor a better opportunity to suggest an appropriate approach.
What Should You Consider When Planning Hard Landscaping?
Hard landscaping includes the constructed parts of an outdoor space.
When discussing patios, paths or other hard surfaces, consider more than appearance. The finished feature needs to work with the rest of the garden.
Questions worth discussing include:
- How will people move through the space?
- What preparation is required underneath?
- How will rainwater be managed?
- Are there changes in level?
- How will the feature meet lawns or planted areas?
- What maintenance will the chosen material require?
- How will materials reach the site?
A contractor should be able to explain what preparation forms part of the quotation. What sits underneath the finished surface can be just as important to the scope as what is visible when the work is complete.
What Should You Consider When Planning Soft Landscaping?
Soft landscaping covers the living elements of the garden, including lawns and planting.
Plant selection should take account of the conditions within the property rather than appearance alone. Different areas can experience very different amounts of sunlight, exposure and moisture.
Discuss:
- Existing soil and ground conditions
- Sunny and shaded areas
- Drainage
- Lawn requirements
- Planting preferences
- Seasonal interest
- Privacy
- Available space
- Expected maintenance
Spalls Landscaping provides planting, softscaping, lawn services and pruning as part of its landscaping offering.
If you want a lower-maintenance garden, say so during the planning stage. The amount of future care you want to provide can influence the design decisions made at the beginning.
Should Landscaping and Maintenance Be Planned Together?
It is useful to think about maintenance before the project is installed, not afterwards.
A garden with large lawns, dense planting and carefully shaped borders may require a different level of ongoing care from a simpler layout.
Consider whether you want to:
- Maintain the garden yourself
- Arrange regular professional maintenance
- Use professional help seasonally
- Create a lower-maintenance outdoor space
For commercial properties, maintenance can be particularly important because the grounds may need to remain presentable throughout the year rather than only immediately after installation.
Spalls Landscaping provides commercial and business grounds maintenance alongside its wider landscaping services.
What Insurance Should You Ask About?
Before agreeing to work, ask the contractor what relevant insurance it holds and request evidence where appropriate.
Landscaping can involve tools, machinery, excavation, materials and work around buildings, boundaries and existing outdoor features. Insurance should therefore be discussed before the project starts rather than assumed.
Do not use a professional-looking website as a substitute for asking the question directly.
The same applies to any qualifications or specialist capabilities relevant to the particular work. If the project contains an element that requires specific expertise, ask the contractor how that part will be handled.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Choosing a Landscaper?
Several common mistakes make contractor comparison harder than it needs to be.
Choosing on price alone: A lower quote may simply contain fewer materials, less preparation or a different scope.
Requesting quotes without a brief: Contractors may make different assumptions about what you want.
Ignoring preparation: The finished surface is only one part of many landscaping projects.
Not reviewing relevant work: A contractor may have experience, but not necessarily with your type of project.
Forgetting maintenance: Think about how much upkeep the finished space will require.
Not checking insurance: Ask before work begins.
Accepting an unclear verbal agreement: Important details are easier to understand when the project scope is documented.
If you are searching for the best landscapers London has available, these practical checks are more valuable than relying on a single review, photograph or headline price.
How to Choose Landscapers in London: Final Checklist
Before making the final decision, check that:
- You have a clear project brief.
- The contractor has seen the site where appropriate.
- You have reviewed relevant previous work.
- The required services are clearly identified.
- Materials and preparation have been discussed.
- Waste arrangements are clear.
- Drainage has been considered where relevant.
- Insurance has been checked.
- You have a written quotation.
- The proposed timeline is understood.
- Payment arrangements are clear.
- Ongoing maintenance has been considered.
- You have compared the scope with other quotations.
This gives you a structured way to compare landscape gardeners London customers can choose from without reducing the decision to price alone.
Why Choose Spalls Landscaping?
Spalls Landscaping is a family-run business providing garden and outdoor-space services across London, Essex and surrounding areas.
With more than 43 years of industry experience, its landscaping capabilities include garden design, commercial and business grounds maintenance, lawn installation, renovation and maintenance, planting, softscaping, pruning and hardscaping.
The business also offers consultations and no-obligation quotations, giving customers an opportunity to discuss the site and intended project before deciding how to proceed.
You can learn more about the company on the About Spalls Landscaping page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the best landscapers in London?
Start with a clear brief and identify companies that provide the type of work required. Review relevant previous projects, arrange a site discussion where appropriate, check insurance and compare written quotations based on the same scope.
What should I ask landscape contractors in London?
Ask about relevant experience, previous work, materials, site preparation, access, waste removal, insurance, timescales, payment arrangements and how changes to the original project will be handled.
Should I choose the cheapest landscaping quote?
Not automatically. Check whether the quotations include the same preparation, materials, labour and waste arrangements before comparing the final price.
Why does a landscaper need to visit the property?
A site visit can help identify practical considerations such as access, existing ground conditions, levels, planting and drainage that may affect the proposed work.
What is the difference between hard and soft landscaping?
Hard landscaping generally covers constructed elements such as paths and patios, while soft landscaping covers living elements including lawns and planting. Many garden projects combine both.
Does Spalls Landscaping work in London?
Yes. Spalls Landscaping serves customers across London, Essex and surrounding areas.
Does Spalls Landscaping provide commercial landscaping?
Spalls Landscaping provides commercial and business grounds maintenance alongside its garden and outdoor-space services.
Does Spalls Landscaping offer garden design?
Yes. Garden design forms part of the Spalls Landscaping service offering alongside soft landscaping, lawn work and hardscaping.
Conclusion
Choosing between landscapers London property owners can hire starts with understanding the project itself.
Define how the outdoor space needs to look and function, consider how much maintenance you want and give shortlisted contractors the same information. Then compare relevant experience, proposed materials, preparation, timescales and the written scope alongside the price.
The right London landscaping company should be able to explain what is included, discuss practical site considerations and help you understand how the different parts of the project fit together.
Spalls Landscaping is a family-run landscaping provider with more than 43 years of industry experience, serving London, Essex and surrounding areas. Its services include garden design, commercial grounds maintenance, lawn work, planting, softscaping, pruning and hardscaping.
To discuss your project, contact Spalls Landscaping.
