A garden makeover goes wrong when planting comes before planning. This list takes you from assessing what you have through design, clearing, building and planting, with aftercare at the end so the new garden survives its first year.
Buy plants late, because they wait badly. Do hard landscaping before planting, and check rules and services before you dig. Where costs or permissions matter, the notes tell you where to check.
Copy it into Tatask and the dates run from today. Move the planting phase to suit your season.
What's in this plan
See every step
Assess the garden(day 14)
Walk the garden and note what you want to keep(day 1)
Mature trees, good walls and healthy shrubs are expensive to replace. Keep what works.
Photograph the garden from 4 angles, including from the house(day 2)
Note where the sun falls at morning, noon and evening(day 7)
Sun and shade decide what grows and where you will sit. Check on a clear day.
Check the soil type with a simple squeeze test(day 7)
Squeeze damp soil. Sticky and ribbon-like is clay; gritty is sand. The RHS has soil guidance.
Mark drains, pipes and cables on a rough sketch(day 10)
Ask your water or utility provider if you are unsure where services run before any digging.
Measure the garden and draw it to scale on paper(day 14)
Choose how many hours a week you will spend on upkeep(day 18)
Be honest. A plan that needs more time than you have will go wild again.
Collect 10 pictures of gardens you like(day 21)
Draft a design brief with an AI assistant(day 24)
Paste this into an AI assistant to help.
Prompt to copy
Help me plan a garden makeover. My garden is <size and aspect>, the soil is <type if known>, my budget is <amount> and I can spend <hours> a week on upkeep. Ask me questions first. Do not guess prices; tell me where to check local costs.
Set a total budget and a 10 percent contingency(day 28)
Plan the design(day 49)
Sketch a layout with seating, beds and paths(day 35)
Decide which jobs you will do and which to hire out(day 38)
Hard landscaping, tree work and electrics often need a professional.
Check whether your plans need permission(day 40)
Trees, boundary structures and listed or conservation areas can have rules. Check with your local planning authority.
Get 3 written quotes for any hired work(day 49)
Choose plants that suit your sun, soil and upkeep time(day 45)
Your local garden centre or the RHS plant finder can confirm what suits your conditions.
Clear and prepare(day 84)
Book a skip or waste collection for garden rubbish(day 56)
Remove unwanted plants, turf and debris(day 63)
Prune overgrown shrubs and trees at the right season(day 70)
Timing matters for flowering and for nesting birds. Check the RHS guidance for each plant.
Dig in compost or soil improver(day 77)
Fix fences, gates and drainage problems(day 84)
Build the structure(day 119)
Order paving, decking or gravel(day 91)
Build paths and the seating area(day 105)
Build raised beds or edging(day 112)
Install lighting and a water butt(day 119)
Plant and finish(day 168)
Buy plants in the order planting beds are ready(day 126)
Plant trees and shrubs first(day 140)
Plant borders and containers(day 150)
Sow lawn seed or fit turf(day 154)
Water and mulch all new planting(day 161)
Take after photos and compare them with the first set(day 168)
Keep it going(day 240)
Water new plants twice a week in dry weather(day 175)
Weed the beds once a fortnight for the first 2 months(day 200)
Write a 12 month care calendar for pruning and feeding(day 210)
Review what worked and note changes for next year(day 240)