If you want to be sitting in a finished garden by July, you cannot start the project in June. Garden design, landscaping and planting all take time, and the order matters. Start too late and you are either rushing the build in bad weather or planting at the wrong time of year. Start at the right point and everything falls into place naturally.
Here is a realistic timeline based on how our projects typically run, so you know exactly when to begin.
The Design Phase: Late Winter to Early Spring
The best time to start your garden design is February to April. This gives your designer enough time to work through the full design process before the build season begins in earnest.
Our garden design process typically takes three to five weeks from the initial consultation to the final approved plans. That includes understanding your brief, developing the layout, selecting materials and planting, producing 3D visuals, and refining the scheme based on your feedback. None of this should be rushed, because decisions made at this stage determine everything that follows.
Starting in late winter also means designers have more availability. From May onward, most garden design studios are fully booked with projects already in progress. Getting your design locked in early means you are at the front of the queue rather than waiting for a slot.
Image credit: House Designer
The Build Phase: Spring to Early Summer
Once the design is approved, your landscaper can start the construction work. Spring is the ideal window for this. The ground has thawed after winter, frost risk has passed, and the weather is mild enough for construction without the delays that rain and cold cause in winter.
The build phase covers everything structural: clearing the site, groundwork and drainage, laying paving or decking, building fences, walls and raised beds, installing pergolas or other structures, and running cables for lighting. The length depends on the scale of the project. A straightforward patio and planting scheme might take a week or two. A full garden redesign with multiple zones, level changes and built features could take four to six weeks.
Landscapers are also busiest from May through July, so getting your build booked in for April or early May avoids the peak rush. If you are wondering about the overall investment, our guide on how much a garden designer costs in the UK covers the typical range for design and build.
The Planting Phase: Late Spring to Early Summer
Planting follows once the structural work is finished. May and June are the sweet spot for getting plants in the ground. The soil is warm, there is usually enough rainfall to help plants establish, and the growing season stretches ahead to give roots time to settle before winter.
Trees, shrubs and perennials planted in late spring establish faster and more reliably than those planted in summer heat or autumn cold. They have the whole growing season to put down roots, which means they are stronger and more resilient going into their first winter.
If your project includes a detailed planting scheme, our planting plan service specifies every species, its exact position and the quantity to buy. Your landscaper or gardener follows the plan precisely, which means no guesswork at the garden centre and no wasted spending on plants that end up in the wrong spot.
A Realistic Month-by-Month Timeline
Here is how a typical garden project flows if you want it finished for summer.
- February: Book your design consultation. Discuss your brief, your priorities and your budget. Share photos and measurements of your garden.
- March: Design development. Your designer produces layout plans, material selections and 3D visuals. You review, give feedback and refine the scheme.
- Late March to April: Design finalised and approved. Plans handed to your landscaper for pricing. Materials ordered.
- April to May: Build phase. Hard landscaping, structures and groundwork completed on site.
- May to June: Planting goes in once the build is finished. Lawn laid or seeded.
- July onward: Garden ready to enjoy. Plants establishing. First summer in your new outdoor space.
This timeline assumes a straightforward project. Larger or more complex gardens may need an extra month at the build stage. If your project includes bespoke joinery, a garden building or significant level changes, allow additional time for specialist trades.
What Happens If You Start Later?
Image credit: House Designer
Starting your design in May or June is not too late, but it shifts everything forward. Your build will happen in the middle of summer rather than the start of it, which means you lose part of the season to construction. Planting in July or August is riskier because hot, dry weather puts new plants under stress and they need much more watering to establish.
If you have missed the early spring window, it is still worth starting the design now. You can use the summer to finalise the plan and book your landscaper for an autumn build. September and October are actually an excellent time for planting trees and shrubs because the soil is still warm from summer but rainfall increases. You lose the summer enjoyment in the first year but the garden is fully established and ready to go the following spring.
Start Planning Your Garden
The earlier you start, the more options you have and the less you need to rush. Our garden design packages include a consultation, layout plans, planting schemes and 3D visuals that your landscaper can build from. Every project starts with a conversation about your space and your ideas.
Not sure what direction to take? Try our free style quiz or book a free consultation with our garden design team.