GARDEN DESIGN IN HERTFORDSHIRE

Every metre, considered

Gardens need clear priorities. HDL designs gardens around how the space will be used, then brings together layout, paving, planting, privacy, storage and access so every part has a purpose.

Discuss your projectView our work

Space is valuable. The brief comes first.

Good garden design starts with the way people live. A quiet place to sit, a space to entertain, less maintenance, better privacy or more useful storage can all lead to a different layout.

Hertfordshire Drives & Landscapes keep the process practical and buildable, shaping each decision around the property, the available space and the landscaping work needed to make the garden feel settled, useful and properly finished.

  • Small landscaped garden with paving and planting
  • small garden design hero
  • Small garden design with natural stone patio, outdoor seating, raised timber planting beds and colourful planting.
The Social Garden garden design project

Make the space feel more generous

Good garden design is not about squeezing in more features.

Clear sightlines, simple material choices, layered planting and carefully positioned focal points can create more depth.

Defining different uses without over-dividing the garden also helps the space feel calmer, more open and easier to move through.

Small garden design with natural stone patio, outdoor seating, raised timber planting beds and colourful planting.

Get the practical details right

In your space, every decision matters.

We consider furniture dimensions, access, storage, drainage, privacy and planting before fixing the layout.

The amount of maintenance you are comfortable with also influences how much paving, lawn and planting is appropriate.

GARDEN SOLUTIONS

Different spaces need different answers

Compact gardens often have very different constraints. The layout should respond to the shape of the plot, privacy, access and how the space needs to work day to day.

Urban gardens

Overlooking, tight access and competing uses are common in urban gardens.

Careful zoning, screening and planting can improve privacy without making the space feel enclosed.

Courtyard gardens

Courtyards often rely on strong surfaces, vertical planting and good use of light.

Material choice, drainage and planting depth all become more important where space is limited.

Long & narrow gardens

Long gardens can feel like corridors.

Changes in direction, planting and separate zones can create depth and give different parts of the garden a clearer purpose.

Small family gardens

Family gardens need to balance play, seating, storage and planting.

The aim is to create flexible areas without allowing one use to take over the whole space.

Low-maintenance gardens

Durable paving, simpler planting and well-planned storage can reduce upkeep while keeping the garden interesting and usable.

Contemporary small gardens

Clean lines, porcelain paving, structured planting, screening and lighting can create a calm, uncluttered feel in compact spaces.
Residential garden pergola and hanging chair above patio installation

Turn the brief into a buildable plan

We start with how the garden needs to work, then shape the layout around the property, access, levels and available space.

Because HDL designs and builds the garden, practical construction decisions can be resolved alongside the design from the beginning.

From first idea to final detail

Our garden design & build process

A clear process keeps decisions organised and gives every stage of the project the information it needs.

Step 1

Understand the use

We talk through how the garden needs to work day to day.

Step 2

Read the setting

We review access, levels, light, privacy, existing features and maintenance needs.

Step 3

Shape the layout

Each surface, route, planted area and practical feature is given a clear role.

Step 4

Carry out the work

The agreed landscaping, paving, planting and patio elements are completed in sequence.

Real gardens across Hertfordshire and beyond

Garden transformations with a clear purpose

See how we have turned landscapes into practical gardens that feel more generous, more private and better suited to everyday life.

  • Hertfordshiredrivesandlandscapes Luton Nj in the finished Three Patios & Central Lawn garden in Luton.

    Three Patios & Central Lawn

    Three-Zone Porcelain Patio Garden with Central Lawn

    Three porcelain patio areas arranged around a generous central lawn, connected by lighter aggregate-set paths rather than one continuous paved area.

    Luton Garden Design, Landscaping

    View project : Three Patios & Central Lawn
  • Herts Drives Landscapes Hitchin Hb in the finished Terrace, Lawn & Garden Room garden in Hitchin.

    Terrace, Lawn & Garden Room

    Porcelain Terrace & Lawn Garden with Garden Room Groundwork

    A Hitchin garden brought together with porcelain paving, renewed lawn and coordinated groundwork for a client-supplied garden room.

    Hitchin Fencing, Garden Design

    View project : Terrace, Lawn & Garden Room
  • Wide view of the finished Ardley garden for the Stone Terrace & Brick Detail project.

    Stone Terrace & Brick Detail

    Natural Stone Terrace with Brick Detailing & Curved Garden Screen

    A natural-stone terrace detailed with brick runners, low retaining walls and a curved hardwood screen, designed to sit naturally within an established Ardley garden.

    Ardley Fencing, Garden Design

    View project : Stone Terrace & Brick Detail
View all projects

garden design client testimonials

Recommended for thoughtful design and the gardens we create

5.0
14 Google reviews

Would highly recommend. Have done a great job of transforming our boring new build garden in to something far more interesting. From design through to landscaping works, all was done professionally & to a high standard.

Rodger Lucas
Google review

The work carried out by them has been high quality and we are really pleased with our finished lovely contemporary easy to maintain family garden. It has allowed us to make the most of the space and it now feels a natural extension of our home. I wanted to feel like we were in the Mediterranean and that's the finish we got.

Kanan Tekchandani
Google review

We booked Hertfordshire Drives & Landscapes to design and landscape a large area of our garden that was overgrown and had been left to it's own devices for years. The team were absolutely amazing from start to finish. They took our suggestions and created a great design - the work started within a few weeks of making the first enquiry and was completed ahead of their proposed end date. There were no delays for supplies and the quality of the work was exceptional. The team were super professional, friendly and talented. Genuinely cannot recommend the company enough.

Jonathan Hackford
Google review

We commisioned Hertfordshire Drives to re-pave a 60m2 garden patio in sandstone, along with rebuilding a tiered garden wall and raised bed. The team had great ideas and included nice details within their original quote price. The project was completed quickly and to a high standard with minor snagging resolved quickly and profressionally. The team are friendly and kept us update on whatsapp throughout. Would highly recommend!

Dan Hartveld
Google review

Hertfordshire drives and landscapes did a fantastic job of turning our uneven scrub patch full of lumps of concrete weeds and stumps into a beautiful garden complete with patio, lush even lawn and new fencing. The attention to detail was fantastic and the guys couldn’t have been more helpful in guiding me with decisions, with clear explanations for their recommendations. Their experience was obvious and all my neighbours wanted their contact details because they did such a great job.

Elizabeth Turner
Google review

Would definitely recommend Hertfordshire Drives and Landscapes. They replaced an old patio with porcelain tiles and installed a new path. Tom, Zach and Will were an excellent team, nothing was too much trouble and Tom suggested minor enhancements to our project which improved the overall finish. The communication was outstanding, both from Mia in the office and the on-site team. The whatsapp group was a great idea and meant you were kept up to speed at all stages of the project. We had a few problems with foxes once the turf had been laid and Tom went over and above ordering fox alarms and carrying out repairs to electrical cables. We're delighted with the end result, a huge thank you to Tom and the team. It was a pleasure to work with such a professional company.

Cassie Sutterby
Google review

Tom and his team came highly recommended by a friend. They gave me ideas and advice which has transformed my garden. I love it!

Emerald Decorating Services
Google review

Great service from start to finish.  Lovely bunch of lads.

James Fletcher
Google review

Did an amazing job, nice attention to detail and good communication. The team here were very professional. Would highly recommend

Salim Uddin
Google review

Highly recommend Jonny and the guys. Very reliable, hardworking and knowledgeable. They created some metal boarders for us and we’re very impressed. Thank you!

Rebecca South
Google review

Amazing. Tom and the team were professional, polite and easy to work with. Their workmanship was excellent. Our garden is exactly how we imagined. We are going to use them for our driveway next. Highly recommend.

Henry Poor
Google review

Darren did a fantastic job on our garden—especially the patio, which looks amazing. He really listened to what we wanted and delivered. Highly recommended.

George E
Google review
Read all reviews on Google
See the HDL Difference

The details that make gardens work

In a garden, every edge, route and feature has to earn its place. From paving and planting to storage, screening and seating, we focus on the details that make the space feel practical, balanced and easy to live with.

  • Small landscaped garden with paving and planting
  • hdl fencing page hero
  • small garden design hero
  • The Social Garden garden design project
  • Mintlight Garden garden design project
  • Paved patio
  • landscaped garden
  • paved and decked garden

Questions

Garden Design frequently asked questions

Practical answers about garden design, garden ideas, low-maintenance layouts, patios, planting and how we work.

Still have questions? Call our team on 01462 658 442 or click the button below:

Contact HDL