A garden designer plans how a garden should look, feel and function in relation to its surroundings.This includes the layout, materials, planting, design, lighting – ensuring the space complements both the house and your lifestyle.
A landscaper takes that vision and builds it on site — preparing the ground, constructing hard landscaping, and installing everything as designed.
They work closely together, but they’re different roles. In a well-run project, the design leads the way and the build brings it to life with care and precision.
At Cameron, we bring both under one coordinated garden design and landscaping service so there’s no gap between what’s designed and what’s delivered.
Costs vary depending on the size of the garden and how detailed the work is, but high-end garden projects are usually a meaningful investment.
As a rough guide:
At Cameron design fees are set out at the beginning within the proposal. It’s important that there is an idea of budget right at the beginning, the aim is to make sure the design and the investment sit comfortably together from the beginning, so there are no surprises later on.
Most high-end gardens fall into these broad ranges:
The range isn’t just about size — it’s really about detail. Things like bespoke materials, mature planting, lighting, water features, and custom construction all influence cost.
A good budget gives the design room to breathe. If it’s too tight, decisions get compromised. We always aim to shape the design around a clear and realistic framework from the start.at the beginning within the proposal. It’s important that there is an idea of budget right at the beginning, the aim is to make sure the design and the investment sit comfortably together from the beginning, so there are no surprises later on.
The best gardens tend to come from getting a few key things right early on.
How you’ll actually use it is usually the starting point — whether it’s for entertaining, relaxing, family life, or all three.
The garden should also sit comfortably with the house, its architecture and interior, feeling like a natural extension rather than something separate.
Good structure helps everything feel organised, even if it’s subtle, and material choices have a big influence on the overall tone.
Planting brings softness and seasonality, while lighting quietly transforms how the space is used in the evening.
When these elements come together well, the garden feels balanced and settled rather than forced.
When choosing a garden designer, it is important to ask:
Look for clear communication, structure, and confidence in how they describe their process, not just presentation images.
At Cameron, we see the process as collaborative but well guided, so clients stay involved to the level they want to, without needing to manage the detail.
If the garden isn’t working — if the layout feels unclear or the space doesn’t function properly — that’s usually a design issue and a garden designer is needed.
If the structure is already in place and it simply needs looking after, then a maintenance team may be enough.
Often it sits somewhere in between. In those cases, a short design conversation usually helps clarify the right approach before anything begins.
There’s no single route into garden design, but experience and a strong portfolio are key. Many designers come from landscape architecture, horticulture, or design backgrounds, usually with years of practical project experience. You can look to see what accreditations the studio has.
For landscaping teams, it’s more about technical ability, site knowledge, and consistent delivery.
Ultimately, the strongest indicator is the quality of completed work and how well it holds up over time.
At Cameron we are accredited by BALI and SGD, also recognised by Country Life top 100 2026.
A typical garden design and build project follows a natural sequence.
At Cameron, we manage this as one continuous process so the original idea is carried through from start to finish.
Garden maintenance services vary more than people expect. It’s worth looking at how much horticultural knowledge the team has, and whether they understand the original design intent.
Consistency matters too — whether the same people return regularly, and how carefully they work with planting over time.
Good maintenance isn’t just about keeping things tidy. It’s about helping the garden develop and mature and ensuring it looks its best year-round.
The Cameron garden maintenance teams are highly trained, passionate horticulturalists who really care about the gardens they work in.
Garden maintenance services vary more than people expect. It’s worth looking at how much horticultural knowledge the team has, and whether they understand the original design intent.
Consistency matters too — whether the same people return regularly, and how carefully they work with planting over time.
Good maintenance isn’t just about keeping things tidy. It’s about helping the garden develop and mature and ensuring it looks its best year-round.
The Cameron garden maintenance teams are highly trained, passionate horticulturalists who really care about the gardens they work in.
Yes. We take garden design projects from initial ideas through landscaping and planting to full completion and then on to garden maintenance too. All our departments work closely together which keeps everything aligned, ensures the integrity of the design is delivered and that you work with one team. We all work towards the end goal that your garden looks its best all year round and that you love spending time in it.
We don’t work to a fixed style, every garden and client is different. We deliver a dynamic, personalised and tailored outside space that transforms where you live and how you live in it.
A Cameron garden is known to deliver considerable atmosphere and a sense of place, employing inspiring planting recipe.
We take great pride in delivering a garden design solution to complement and enhance your lifestyle, transforming your outside space into something beautiful and atmospheric that works on a practical level too. By focusing on creating gardens that sit comfortably with their setting, enriching your home — calm, well-structured spaces that sit naturally with the architecture and landscape around them.
Each project is different, but the approach stays consistent: professionalism and artistry combined with clarity and attention to detail.
This depends on the project, but it usually includes mood boards, draft designs finalising in a master plan, planting layouts, material suggestions, and visuals to help explain how the garden will come together.
For more complex projects, additional imagery may be used to help communicate scale and atmosphere.
The aim is to make sure you can clearly understand the space before anything is built.
Timings vary, but broadly speaking the design stage takes around 4–12 weeks, sometimes longer for more complex schemes. Construction usually takes 4–24 weeks depending on scope. Larger gardens naturally take longer.
We don’t rush the process — each stage needs proper time to be resolved properly.
We keep clients updated regularly with progress reports, photographs, and direct communication from the site team. You don’t need to be present, but you’ll always know what’s happening.
Yes. A well-designed garden can make a real difference to how a property feels and performs. It extends living space and improves the connection between house and the surrounding cityscape or landscape.
The value added depends on the quality of design and execution, but a considered garden almost always adds meaningful appeal and market value.
Luxury garden design is not about size — it’s about care and resolution.
Luxury gardens feel more considered. Materials are chosen carefully, planting is structured, and everything sits together in a balanced way.
Standard landscaping tends to focus on completion. High-end design focuses on how the space feels over time.
That depends entirely on you.
Some clients want to be closely involved, others prefer a more hands-off approach with regular updates.
We adapt to both, making sure you always feel informed without needing to manage the detail.
Yes, regularly. When house and garden are being designed at the same time, it’s often better to coordinate early so everything feels connected rather than separate. The Camerom team is very experienced at working with other contractors.
Our designers start by understanding what it is you want from your garden. Then we consider the architecture — its proportions, materials, and character. The interior palate is also really important. From there, the garden is developed to sit naturally alongside your home rather than compete with it.
The aim is always continuity between inside and outside, where the two locations complement and enhance each other.
Absolutely, if it’s designed properly. Structure and evergreen planting provide consistency, while seasonal planting adds variation. Wonderful seed heads ensure winter interest and food for birds and insects. We also think about how the garden is used in different conditions, not just summer.
It comes down to flow and connection.
Spaces need to feel easy to move through, with clear areas for dining and seating, relaxing and entertaining, often linked directly to the house. Lighting and materials help set the atmosphere in the evening.
We use subtle changes in level, planting, materials, and structure to define spaces without breaking the garden apart. Each area has a purpose, but the whole garden still feels connected.
It can be designed to be manageable, yes.
That comes down to plant choice, layout, and materials.
All gardens need care, but the aim is to make that care straightforward and predictable.
We usually combine planting and structure.
Privacy in a garden is usually achieved through a combination of:
The aim is to create privacy without making the space feel closed in.
It’s usually a combination.
Evergreen planting like yew or holly gives structure, while layered planting adds softness. Built elements are used where stronger or faster screening is needed.
Lighting changes how a garden feels in the evening.
It can highlight planting, guide movement, and create atmosphere without overpowering the space.
Used well, it’s subtle but transformative and extends the gardens life from inside and out.
Benefits of lighting:
Small gardens benefit from:
Clean layouts, restrained materials, and thoughtful planting can make a small garden feel significantly more spacious.
You can’t remove it completely, but you can soften it.
Planting, structural boundaries, and changes in level all help reduce the impact of surrounding noise.
When done well, the space feels noticeably calmer and more contained. Water is a good addition too.