Garden advice

Expert garden advice from Flourish Landscaping

Practical garden advice from experienced landscapers, based on real projects across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond and Cobham.

These guides draw on decades of hands-on work in South West London and Surrey gardens, covering everything from orientation and soil conditions to planting design and hard landscaping. Whether you are planning a full redesign or solving a specific problem, you will find clear, practical advice here backed by real project experience.

Garden styles

Choosing the right garden style helps shape every later decision, from layout and materials to planting and how the space is used. These pages explore popular garden styles through the lens of real domestic projects, helping you work out what suits your home, budget and way of living.

Garden styles hub

Explore the full collection and compare contemporary, naturalistic, Mediterranean, formal, cottage and tropical garden ideas.

Contemporary gardens

Clean lines, structured layouts and modern materials for gardens that feel refined, practical and easy to use.

Naturalistic gardens

Flowing planting, seasonal change and softer structure inspired by natural landscapes and modern planting design.

Mediterranean gardens

Warm materials, relaxed seating, pergolas and drought-tolerant planting for a sun-inspired outdoor living space.

Formal gardens

Balanced layouts, crisp structure and elegant detailing for gardens that feel calm, organised and timeless.

Cottage gardens

Colourful planting, relaxed structure and a softer style that still feels usable, practical and well designed.

Tropical gardens

Bold foliage, layered planting and sheltered seating for a lush, immersive garden with strong character.

Garden orientation guide

Understand how light, shade and aspect affect every design decision.

North-facing garden design

How to make the most of shaded, cooler spaces with the right layout and planting.

Best plants for a north-facing garden

Reliable species that thrive in shade across Surrey and South West London.

Common problems in shady gardens

Moss, bare soil, struggling plants, practical solutions for difficult spots.

South-facing garden design

Design ideas for sun-drenched spaces, managing heat, drought and glare.

Best plants for south-facing gardens

Drought-tolerant and sun-loving species well suited to our local conditions.

Why south-facing gardens fail

The most common mistakes and how to avoid them.

East-facing garden advice

Morning sun, cooler afternoons, how to design for gentle, changing light.

West-facing garden advice

Afternoon sun and warm evening spaces, getting the most from this favoured aspect.

Windy garden advice

How to protect planting, choose windbreak species and improve usability in exposed gardens.

Awkward garden types

Some gardens are difficult not because of orientation alone, but because the shape, levels, privacy or access create awkward conditions. These are often the gardens that benefit most from careful design. The right layout can turn frustrating spaces into some of the most effective and enjoyable gardens to use.

Courtyard garden ideas

Compact enclosed spaces can feel calm, stylish and highly usable with the right layout, planting and materials.

Wrap-around garden ideas

How to bring awkward side and rear spaces together into one joined-up garden that flows properly.

Sloped garden ideas

Terracing, retaining walls, drainage and layout ideas for gardens with difficult levels.

Side return garden design

Make better use of narrow side spaces with smart access, planting and paving ideas.

Long, thin and narrow garden ideas

How to stop a narrow garden feeling like a corridor, with better zoning, focal points and planting structure.

Stepped and split-level garden ideas

How to connect different levels into one usable garden with steps, terraces and clearer movement through the space.

Planning your garden

How to approach layout, zones, materials and planting, a practical guide to getting started.

Designing your garden

The key principles behind a garden that works, proportion, flow, structure and planting balance.

Low-maintenance garden design

Create a beautiful, manageable garden without sacrificing year-round interest.

Patio design

Natural stone or porcelain? Layout, proportion and materials for outdoor entertaining spaces.

Evergreen structure

How to give your garden shape and backbone that holds together through every season.

UK garden trends 2026

What is shaping garden design this year, and how to apply it to your own space.

Flooded and waterlogged gardens

Drainage solutions, French drains, soakaways and water management across Surrey clay soils.

Garden irrigation

Efficient, automated watering systems, designed to reduce water use and protect planting.

Overgrown and tired borders

How to reclaim borders taken over by vigorous plants and redesign them for long-term success.

Garden law

Boundaries, tree preservation orders, permitted development, what you can and cannot do.

Ornamental grasses

Movement, texture and year-round interest, why grasses have become essential in modern planting schemes.

Multi-stem trees

Sculptural, space-efficient and full of seasonal character, how we use them in Flourish garden designs.

Pleached trees

Stylish screening and privacy above fence height, ideal for overlooked gardens in Surrey and South West London.

Roses for London gardens

The best varieties for clay soil, front gardens and walls, chosen from years of planting across Kingston and Surbiton.

Dahlias for late summer colour

Bold, long-flowering and reliable, how to keep borders looking their best into autumn.

Eco-friendly planting

Sustainable alternatives to traditional bedding, better for pollinators, lower maintenance and longer lasting.

Refreshing a garden with new planting

How to transform a suburban garden without rebuilding everything from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best garden orientation?

There is no single best orientation, each aspect brings its own opportunities. South-facing gardens offer the most sun but can suffer from drought and glare. North-facing gardens are cooler and shadier but can be transformed with the right planting. East and west aspects provide gentler, more balanced light. Our orientation guide covers each in detail.

What is the best garden style for a family garden?

That depends on how you want to use the space, but contemporary, cottage and naturalistic gardens can all work very well for family life. The key is to balance seating, circulation, planting and lawn or play space in a way that suits your home. Our new garden styles hub is a good place to compare the different approaches.

Can a north-facing garden be improved?

Yes, significantly. Many of the most elegant gardens we design are north-facing. The key is choosing the right plants, species like Hydrangea, Dryopteris ferns and Sarcococca thrive in shade, and ensuring the layout works with, rather than against, the available light. See our guide to best plants for north-facing gardens.

How do you deal with a waterlogged garden?

Persistent waterlogging usually indicates compacted subsoil, clay-heavy ground or inadequate drainage. Solutions range from French drains and soakaway systems through to raised beds and selective planting of moisture-tolerant species. We have completed major drainage projects across Surrey, including in Cobham and Kingston. Read more about our flooded garden solutions.

When is the best time to redesign a garden?

We take on garden design and build projects throughout the year. Autumn and winter are ideal for planning and groundworks, leaving spring and summer for planting and finishing. If you are considering a project for next season, getting in touch early, ideally by autumn, means you are ahead of the busiest period.

What can you do with an awkward garden?

Awkward gardens usually improve most when the layout is simplified. Zoning, screening, stronger focal points and careful planting can make courtyard, wrap-around, narrow, sloped or split-level spaces feel deliberate rather than compromised.