Gardening and Landscaping in Manchester and Greater Manchester

Landscaping Services Across Greater Manchester

Your garden is an extension of your home. Done well, it adds living space, increases your property value, and gives you somewhere to relax, entertain, or let the kids play. Done badly, or neglected, it's just wasted space you avoid looking at.

We provide complete landscaping services across Greater Manchester. Whether you need a tired garden brought back to life, a blank canvas designed from scratch, or specific work like a new patio or driveway, we have the skills and experience to deliver. We work on front gardens, back gardens, courtyards, and commercial outdoor spaces.

Hard Landscaping

Hard landscaping means the solid, permanent structures in your garden. The bones of the design that everything else fits around.

Patios and Paving

A well-laid patio creates usable outdoor living space. We install patios in natural stone, porcelain, concrete paving, and block paving. Indian sandstone is popular for traditional looks. Porcelain pavers give a contemporary finish and are virtually maintenance free. We prepare proper sub-bases, set correct falls for drainage, and point with the right mortar or jointing compound for your chosen material.

Driveways

First impressions matter. A new driveway transforms the front of your home and solves practical problems like parking and access. We install block paving, resin bound gravel, tarmac, concrete, and natural stone driveways. All driveways must allow for surface water drainage under planning rules, so we design with permeable options or drainage channels where needed.

Decking

Timber or composite decking creates raised outdoor living areas. Good for sloping gardens where levelling with paving would be expensive. We build decks with proper subframes, adequate ventilation underneath, and non-slip surfaces. Composite decking costs more upfront but lasts longer and needs less maintenance than softwood.

Fencing and Boundaries

New fencing defines your space and provides privacy and security. We install close board fencing, panel fencing, picket fencing, trellis, and contemporary horizontal slatted designs. Fence posts set in concrete or postcrete for stability. We also build brick walls and rendered walls for more permanent boundaries.

Garden Walls and Raised Beds

Retaining walls hold back soil on sloping sites. Raised beds make gardening easier and add structure to flat plots. We build in brick, block, natural stone, railway sleepers, and rendered blockwork. Proper foundations and drainage behind retaining walls prevent problems down the line.

Steps and Paths

Garden steps need to be safe, properly proportioned, and suited to the setting. We build steps in brick, stone, sleepers, and paving. Garden paths connect different areas and keep feet dry in wet weather. Materials matched to your patio or chosen to complement planting.

Pergolas and Garden Structures

Pergolas provide shade and somewhere to grow climbing plants. Garden rooms, summerhouses, and outbuildings extend your living space outdoors. We build bespoke timber structures or install quality prefabricated buildings on proper bases.

Soft Landscaping

Soft landscaping is the living part of your garden. Plants, lawns, and soil that bring colour, texture, and life to outdoor spaces.

Lawns

A good lawn needs proper preparation. We rotovate and level the ground, improve soil if needed, then lay turf or sow seed depending on budget and time of year. Turf gives instant results but costs more. Seed is cheaper but takes a season to establish. We use quality turf suppliers and appropriate grass seed mixes for the conditions.

Planting

The right plants in the right places make a garden work. We design planting schemes suited to your soil type, aspect, and maintenance preferences. Shrubs for structure, perennials for seasonal colour, grasses for movement. Native plants for wildlife. Evergreens for year-round interest. We source quality plants and prepare planting holes properly with compost and fertiliser.

Trees

Trees add height, shade, and maturity to gardens. We plant specimen trees, fruit trees, and screening trees. Choosing the right size matters. Too big for the space causes problems later. We advise on species suited to Greater Manchester's climate and your soil conditions. Staking and watering in the first year helps trees establish.

Hedges

Hedges provide screening, wildlife habitat, and a greener alternative to fencing. We plant native mixed hedges, formal hedges like yew, beech, or privet, and informal hedges. Bare root plants in winter are cheaper than container grown but establishment takes longer. We supply and plant hedging at appropriate spacings for the species.

Borders and Beds

We create new borders by removing turf, improving soil with compost, and edging with metal, stone, or timber. Existing borders can be cleared of weeds and replanted with fresh schemes. Mulching after planting suppresses weeds and retains moisture.

Garden Clearance and Preparation

Before the nice stuff happens, many gardens need clearing and preparing. We handle all the hard graft.

Overgrown Garden Clearance

Gardens can get out of control quickly. Brambles, self-seeded trees, and years of neglect make some gardens feel hopeless. We clear overgrown vegetation, remove stumps, and dispose of green waste properly. Often the garden underneath is better than you expect once it's revealed.

Tree and Shrub Removal

Old trees and overgrown shrubs sometimes need to go. We fell trees safely and remove stumps by grinding or excavation. Check before removing trees as some are protected by Tree Preservation Orders or Conservation Area rules. We can advise and handle applications if needed.

Site Levelling

Sloping or uneven gardens need levelling for patios, lawns, or play areas. We excavate, fill, and compact to create level areas. On steep slopes, we build retaining walls to create terraced levels. Spoil removal or redistribution on site depending on quantities.

Soil Improvement

Greater Manchester soils vary from heavy clay in some areas to sandy and acidic in others. Poor soil grows poor plants. We improve soil structure with organic matter, adjust pH where needed, and ensure proper drainage. Good soil preparation is the foundation of successful planting.

Driveway Regulations

Planning rules changed in 2008 to reduce flooding from paved-over front gardens. If you're paving over more than 5 square metres of front garden, you either need to use permeable materials or drain water into your own garden rather than onto the highway.

Options that comply include:

• Permeable block paving with open joints
• Resin bound gravel (not resin bonded which is impermeable)
• Gravel or loose aggregate
• Grass reinforcement grids
• Standard paving with drainage to soakaways or rain gardens on your property

Traditional impermeable paving draining to the street requires planning permission. We design driveways that comply with regulations so you don't need to apply.

Garden Design

Good gardens don't happen by accident. They're designed with purpose, considering how you'll use the space, what you like looking at, and how much maintenance you want to do.

We offer design services ranging from simple layout sketches to full planting plans. For larger projects, we can work with garden designers to create detailed schemes. For smaller jobs, our experience means we can suggest layouts and planting that work.

Things we consider in garden design:

• How you want to use the space: dining, relaxing, kids playing, growing veg
• Sunlight patterns through the day and seasons
• Views you want to keep, hide, or frame
• Privacy from neighbours and passers-by
• Access for bins, maintenance, deliveries
• Budget and what's realistic
• Ongoing maintenance you're willing to do

Landscaping Across Greater Manchester

We work throughout Greater Manchester on residential and commercial landscaping projects:

Victorian terraces in South Manchester often have long narrow gardens that need clever design to feel wider. 1930s semis typically have larger plots with space for proper lawns and borders. New builds sometimes have compact gardens where every metre matters. We understand the different garden types across the region and design solutions that suit each.

Commercial Landscaping

We also work on commercial outdoor spaces:

• Office grounds: Car parks, entrance areas, outdoor break spaces
• Retail: Car parks, planters, entrance landscaping
• Pubs and restaurants: Beer gardens, outdoor dining areas, smoking shelters
• Rental properties: Low maintenance gardens that look good between tenancies
• New developments: Landscaping for completed house builds

Commercial work often needs completing quickly with minimal disruption to trading. We plan around your business needs and work efficiently.

Why Choose Renovate for Landscaping?

• Complete service: Hard and soft landscaping from one company. No coordinating separate contractors
• Proper groundwork: We don't cut corners on bases and drainage. Things done properly last
• Quality materials: Good paving, decent plants, proper fencing. Not the cheapest we can find
• Experienced team: Landscapers who know what they're doing and take pride in results
• Clear quotes: Fixed prices with everything included. No surprises
• Reliable: We turn up when we say and finish when we say
• Fully insured: Public liability insurance for your peace of mind
• Waste removed: We take away all rubbish and leave your garden clean