Landscape design and installation covers the bigger jobs that reshape a garden rather than just maintaining it: new patios and paths, retaining walls, turfing, planting schemes, drainage work, fencing, and sometimes water features or outdoor lighting. Some firms handle everything from initial design sketches through to build, while others focus purely on installation from a plan you or a designer have already drawn up. In Derby, this kind of work often has to account for clay-heavy soil in areas like Chaddesden and Mickleover, which affects drainage and foundation prep for patios, walls, and paving.
Before hiring, ask to see photos of completed projects similar in scale to yours, confirm whether the quote includes materials and skip/waste removal, and find out who is actually doing the digging, since subcontracted groundwork is common. A written design or scope document before work starts protects both sides if plans change once the job is underway, and it's worth asking how they handle unexpected issues like buried services or poor drainage once they start digging.
We've scored the 5 landscape design and installation businesses covering Derby on factors including project portfolio quality, response times, and how clearly they scope and price jobs before work begins. See the full breakdown in our ranked guide to Derby landscapers, and read how we build these scores on the methodology page.
