Landscaper in Dorset (8)

Landscapers operating in Dorset can support all sorts of garden improvement projects, from small garden landscaping to full-scale garden renovations. As part of their projects, landscapers typically cover the following duties and responsibilities:

• Liaising with clients to understand their wants and needs
• Interpreting client comments to create an initial garden design
• Creating garden design plans, including layout drawings, moodboards and planting schemes
• Hiring equipment
• Recruiting additional labourers, where necessary
• Procuring all materials, such as wood, cement, soil, and stones
• Monitoring the budget and keeping spending on track
• Regularly checking in with the client(s) to make sure they’re happy
• Clearing the garden site and excavating, where necessary
• Installing real or artificial grass, complete with ground prep and levelling
• Planting trees, hedges, bushes, flowers, shrubs, and other kinds of greenery
• Treating lawns and soil with nourishing chemicals
• Laying topsoil, compost and mulch to improve soil health
• Building fences and erecting structures, such as pergolas and gazebos
• Constructing rockeries
• Building patios, decking, fences, retaining walls and garden paths
• Positioning patio slabs
• Adding finishing touches with garden lighting, furniture, and other design details

We recommend contacting multiple landscapers working in Dorset and discussing your project needs. Speaking to more than one landscaper will help you to find the best tradesperson for the job.

If you're not sure where to start, use our search tool to find garden landscapers working in Dorset who have been checked and reviewed. Or post a job and let tradespeople covering your local area come to you.

Landscapers in the UK charge an average day rate of £180 - £280. Prices can vary significantly though and the following factors influence the cost of hiring a landscaper in Dorset:

• Scale and complexity of your garden landscaping project
• Garden size
• Type of landscaping services needed
• Number of labourers working on the project
• Your location - landscaper costs vary throughout the UK and even within Dorset

To help you budget for your project, here are the average costs for common landscaping services:

• Real grass – £12 - £30 per m²
• Artificial grass installation – £25 - £60 per m²
• Levelling – £20 - £120 per m²
• Terracing (10m long, 1m deep) – £1,200 - £2,400
• Flagstone paving (incl. base, supply and installation) – £65 - £80 per m²
• Decking (per m²) excl. handrails – £50 - £120
• Brickwork – £45 - £65 per m²

These are typical prices, but every job is different. As a general rule, soft landscaping (like planting or turf) costs less than hard landscaping (like patios, walls and decking).

If you also need to hire a garden designer, you’ll likely be quoted a fee of around 10% of the total cost of your garden renovation project.

You may also need to budget for:

• Site clearance or excavation
• Hiring specialist equipment
• Disposal of garden waste
• Extra labour for complex builds

Read our landscaping cost guide for a closer look at up to date prices.

For accurate garden landscaper costs in Dorset, we recommend getting at least three quotes from tradespeople who operate locally. By shopping around you can make sure you're paying a fair and competitive price for the work.

While there’s some overlap between the two roles, gardeners and landscapers generally focus on different parts of your garden’s life cycle. Think of gardeners as the people who keep things growing and tidy. Landscapers are the people who build and shape the space in the first place. You might work with a landscaper to create your dream garden, and then hire a gardener to keep it looking good.

• Gardeners maintain your garden. They help you look after your existing outdoor space. That includes tasks like mowing, pruning, weeding, feeding, and seasonal planting.
• Landscapers create and transform. They take a garden from concept to completion, often redesigning the layout, building new features, and managing bigger changes.

Gardeners perform tasks such as:

• Weeding
• Lawn mowing
• Planting
• Pruning
• Fertilising the soil
• General plant and lawn maintenance

In comparison, common landscaping tasks include:

• Creating design plans
• Laying new soil / artificial grass
• Erecting fences
• Installing water features
• Adding decking

Gardeners typically work on smaller projects at residential properties. While landscapers also work on residential projects, they are often hired to work on large-scale public and commercial projects too.

Hiring a landscaper can be a smart investment - especially if your garden needs more than just a tidy-up. While the upfront cost might feel steep, a good landscaper will save you time, stress and money in the long run.

Landscapers bring experience, creativity, and the right equipment. They can also spot potential issues before they become costly mistakes. That means better results, fewer headaches, and a garden that looks good and lasts.

Here’s when hiring a landscaper in Dorset makes sense:

• Your garden is difficult to manage or has drainage/levelling issues
• You’re planning to redesign your garden layout
• You want to add new features (e.g. patio, pergola, raised beds)
• You’re working to a specific budget or timeline
• You lack the tools or knowledge to do it yourself

On the other hand, landscaping projects are often expensive. If you’re working with a tight budget, it may be worth exploring DIY garden design methods as a more cost-effective option.

When looking to hire a landscaper, it’s always helpful to ask a few questions about their work and experience. Asking the right questions upfront can help you avoid misunderstandings later, and also gives you confidence that the landscaper you’re hiring is right for the job.

Here are some example questions to ask when hiring a landscaper:

• What landscaping services do you offer?
• Do you offer design as well as build?
• Are you certified in landscaping or horticulture?
• Do you have any trade memberships?
• What kind of projects do you usually take on?
• Can I see examples of your previous landscaping projects?
• What’s included in your cost, and what is charged as extra?
• How do you handle garden waste? Is disposal included in the price?
• How long do you estimate the job will take?
• Do you offer a customer satisfaction guarantee?

By asking these sorts of questions, you’ll be able to get a clearer understanding of the landscaper’s experience and the quality of their service. A good landscaper will be happy to answer your questions, walk you through the process, and explain any costs clearly.

You’re likely going to be working with a landscaper for several weeks or months, so it’s important that you hire a friendly and reliable tradesperson.

Garden landscaping projects are generally complex and time consuming. For the best experience and finished results, hire a reputable landscaper who can meet all of your project’s needs.

Here are our top tips for finding the right landscaper for your project in Dorset:

1. Choose a qualified garden landscaper

There are thousands of gardeners out there, but not all of them have professional qualifications and landscaping experience. Ideally, you want to hire a landscaper with a recognised qualification, such as RHS certification, an NVQ, HND, or NPTC.

2. Always ask for references

One of the best ways to hire a quality landscaper with confidence is to ask for references from their previous customers. Good quality landscapers will be happy to provide you with contact details of their previous or existing customers.

3. Read their reviews and ratings

It’s also a good idea to check reviews and ratings from the landscaper’s previous customers. Checking a tradesperson’s Checkatrade profile is a great way to see their most recent reviews quickly and all in one place. If you’re happy with what their previous customers have to say, you can then contact a landscaper directly from their profile.

4. Check their insurance

It’s important to make sure that the landscaper you hire has appropriate insurance. Hiring an insured landscaper will help you to avoid financial disputes should a claim need to be made following an accident or damage to your property.

Reputable garden landscapers will have a number of relevant insurance policies in place to cover their work, including public and third-party liability insurance. Ask to see proof of insurance before agreeing to hire a landscaper.

5. Search Checkatrade

You will only find checked and verified, and guaranteed landscapers here on Checkatrade. All tradespeople must pass up to 12 checks before they're seen on our site.

Find landscapers working in Dorset by requesting a quote online or using our simple search tool.