Garden Design

Design led. Build ready. We’re a design studio first but unlike most designers, we can build what we create.

Evening view of illuminated garden steps and uplighted trees creating a warm glow across a modern paved terrace area

A Tom Howard garden is conceived with construction in mind, meaning there’s never any compromises in translating your design vision.

Tom and Lana lead the creative process, developing every garden with the same rigour whether it’s a compact courtyard or a country estate.

The difference? When we design something, we know exactly how to build it and our in-house team does so to the same exacting standards. Nothing gets diluted, dumbed down or lost between the drawing and the doing. For clients outside our build area, we create comprehensive design packages your chosen contractor can work from. Either way, the design leads. Everything else follows.

Outdoor dining area with black table and chairs against a cream wall with a decorative timber panel

Garden Design & Build
One team, start to finish.

We design your garden, then our in-house landscapers build it to the same standards from survey through to final planting.

Tom guides you through every stage, responding quickly to questions and keeping you informed throughout. You’re never chasing multiple contractors or managing conflicting advice, just working with people who care about getting your garden right.

Tom sources every plant personally, visits site regularly, and because we’ve designed and built over one hundred gardens, we anticipate challenges before they become problems.

Available across London, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Hampshire.

High-angle 3D landscape rendering of a finished garden with a central lawn fire pit area and outdoor kitchen space

Garden Design Only

Complete design packages ready for you or your contractor to work from plus comprehensive tender specifications that leave nothing to interpretation.

For clients outside our build area or those with their own trusted team, this gives you access to our design expertise and meticulous planning without the build. Every detail is thought through, every specification clear, so your contractor has exactly what they need.

Tom remains responsive throughout the design process and can provide optional project management, attending site visits and ensuring standards are maintained even when our team is no longer involved.

Our Process

  • Initial Consultation

    A complimentary site visit to discuss your vision, followed by a tailored proposal outlining the design stages, timeline and costs based on your garden's size and complexity.

    Outdoor patio with wooden pergolas, stone planters, a central tree surrounded by purple flowers, lounge seating, a fire pit, and surrounding greenery under a partly cloudy sky.

  • Survey

    Comprehensive site assessment including topographical survey (by specialists for larger gardens or our team for smaller spaces), detailed photography with drone footage, soil sampling and evaluation of existing plants and surrounding impact.

    Topographical land survey map of a garden showing existing trees spot levels and utility points for a design project

  • Concept Designs

    Initial layouts in 2D and 3D exploring two concepts, with rough sketches for bespoke features and mood boards showing materials and planting - refined collaboratively until the direction is right.

    Colourful master garden plan showing a large lawn curved flower beds a fire pit zone and a detailed house footprint

  • Master Plan

    The approved concept developed into detailed plans refining layout, spatial planning, hard and soft landscaping, structures and materials, with 3D renderings showing scale and planting scheme.

    Overhead 3D garden visualisation showing a modern lawn stone terrace timber decking and a pergola beside a house

  • Planting Plan

    Every plant specified by type, quantity and exact placement, selected for your garden's aspect, soil and aesthetic with mood boards visualising the complete scheme.

    Detailed planting plan using coloured circles to represent different plant species and groups for a landscape design

  • Lighting Plan

    Detailed layout showing placement of all lights, circuits and fittings, plus external sockets and any additional power requirements for pools or hot tubs.

    Detailed landscape architectural plan displaying site levels proposed planting areas and garden lighting positions

  • Dimensions

    Precise measurements for every garden element, providing essential guides for accurate construction.

    Technical cross-section drawing of garden steps showing brickwork concrete foundations and site level measurements

  • Build

    Detailed quote for construction by our in-house team with Tom overseeing throughout, or a comprehensive tender package with contractor selection support and optional project management for external builds.

    Aerial drone photograph showing a garden construction site with a new house extension and various building materials

  • Planting

    Tom sources and inspects every plant, oversees positioning and planting, then hands over your completed garden with care guidance to keep it thriving.

    Close-up of vibrant orange geums and purple bellflowers blooming in a summer garden border with lush green foliage

From start to finish Tom and his team were lovely to work with. He managed to interpret our ideas and turn them into an incredible garden. We coined the phrase “in Tom we trust” as we went through the process and it never failed us! His team did a very professional job and were always polite and hard working. We love enjoying the garden and spending time outside.

S Taylor

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about garden design

  • It depends on the garden's complexity, but typically 6-12 weeks from initial consultation to finalised plans. Smaller gardens move faster, larger estates with intricate features take longer. We'll give you a clear timeline in the initial proposal - and Tom's responsive throughout, you're never waiting weeks for feedback or revisions.

  • Everything needed to create your garden: site survey and assessment, concept designs in 2D and 3D, masterplan, detailed planting schemes, lighting layouts, dimension plans and specifications. The fee varies based on your garden's size and complexity. We outline exact costs in the proposal after the complimentary initial consultation.

  • Not at all. Some clients arrive with clear vision and Pinterest boards, others just know their current garden isn't working. Tom's skilled at drawing out what you're really after through conversation and often what emerges is better than what you thought you wanted.

  • Yes. Whether that's redesigning a tired front garden, creating a new entertainment area or solving a problem corner. We approach partial redesigns with the same rigour as complete transformations, ensuring new elements integrate properly with what's staying.

  • With our Design & Build service, adjustments happen quickly because the same team handles both. Minor tweaks are normal and easily accommodated. Significant changes might affect timeline and budget, but we'll talk through implications honestly before proceeding. The design-only route means changes go through your contractor, though Tom can advise if you've opted for project management.