Inherited an overgrown garden? Start with a plan

Start with what you want to keep

Before asking for a complete clearance, walk the garden and photograph the plants, structures and areas you like. Mark anything you want protected. If the planting is unfamiliar, ask for an identification visit before deciding what goes.

The RHS explains that neglected borders can be renewed rather than removed wholesale. Waiting to see more of the growing season may reveal useful planting, especially when you have just moved in and have only seen the garden in winter.

Separate three different jobs

Make three lists: access and immediate tidying; repairs or changes to the layout; continuing maintenance. A clearance crew, designer and regular gardener may answer different parts of the brief. Ask a company which parts it can take responsibility for, and where another specialist is needed.

State what ‘clear’ means: cut back, remove selected plants, take out roots, dispose of material, or prepare a new planting bed. These are different scopes. Ask for photographs or a marked sketch showing what remains at the end.

Show the difficult parts before the quote

Photograph the narrowest access point, steps, slopes and likely parking or delivery point. Note wet areas and any hidden surfaces or structures. Tell the professional what is known and what needs assessment.

Ask who checks the area before cutting or removal, including useful habitat and any animals using it. The RHS recommends retaining some long grass and dead material for wildlife; a tidy working area and habitat elsewhere can be planned together.

Agree the first phase and what follows

A useful first phase may be access clearance and an assessment rather than a full redesign. Request a separate waste-removal line and an explanation of what will happen to the material. Agree which tasks you will handle yourself.

Use the brief builder to give every company the same starting information. Before booking, agree the exact work, exclusions, disposal arrangements and how additional discoveries will be priced.

Put your plan into practice

Explore services, look through professionals’ work and send your garden brief.