CGLA

14/08/2026

Will your garden still look beautiful after another hot summer?

With hotter, drier summers becoming more common across the UK, now is the time to think differently about how our gardens are designed.

The good news? Creating a garden that's better able to cope with heatwaves doesn't mean giving up the lush planting and timeless character of a traditional British garden.

In our latest Insight, we share how thoughtful planting, healthy soils and intelligent landscape design can help your garden flourish, whatever the weather.

🌿 Read the full article
https://cgla.co.uk/climate-resilient-garden-design-british-gardens/

06/08/2026

The best gardens aren't finished on the day we leave.

Great gardens are never just about how they look.

They're about how they make you feel.

A place to gather with family, entertain friends, reconnect with nature or simply enjoy a quiet moment outdoors.

This short collection of recent CGLA projects showcases our approach to creating timeless landscapes that feel as though they've always belonged.

Which garden inspires you most?

06/08/2026

The best gardens aren't finished on the day we leave.

They're just beginning.

These are some of our recently completed gardens, photographed the following year once the planting had settled, matured and begun to reveal the landscape as it was always intended to be.

It's a reminder that great garden design isn't about instant results. It's about creating landscapes that become more beautiful with every passing season.

🌿 Ready to begin your own garden transformation?

06/08/2026

Great gardens are never just about how they look.

They're about how they make you feel.

A place to gather with family, entertain friends, reconnect with nature or simply enjoy a quiet moment outdoors.

This short collection of recent CGLA projects showcases our approach to creating timeless landscapes that feel as though they've always belonged.

Which garden inspires you most?

14/07/2026

Why are some gardens so expensive? 🤔

It isn't usually the paving or the planting.

The biggest costs are often the parts you never see:
🌿 Groundworks
🌿 Drainage
🌿 Retaining walls
🌿 Skilled construction

If you've ever wondered where a landscaping budget really goes, this article explains it all.

Read more 👇

https://cgla.co.uk/what-makes-gardens-expensive/

01/07/2026

03/06/2026

Where should you invest your garden budget first?

In the third article in our garden budget series, we explore one of the most important parts of any landscaping project: prioritisation.

No matter the scale of investment, thoughtful decisions about where budget is allocated can dramatically improve the long term success of a garden.

We look at why structure, layout and drainage should almost always come before decorative features, and how fewer elements executed properly will usually create a far more refined result than trying to include everything at once.

The article also explores:
• where planting offers the greatest value
• how to plan for future phases
• balancing lifestyle needs with aesthetics
• why coherent long term planning matters
• the hidden cost of reworking poorly planned gardens

Read the full article here:
https://cgla.co.uk/where-should-you-invest-your-garden-budget-first/

29/05/2026

What does a £250k garden budget actually deliver?

In the second article in our garden budget series, we explore how projects begin to shift at this level from individual features towards fully integrated landscape schemes.

A £250k garden can often combine:
• extensive natural stone terraces
• mature planting and trees
• bespoke lighting and irrigation
• level changes and retaining walls
• outdoor kitchens and pergolas
• integrated drainage and infrastructure

At this scale, gardens often start to feel more complete, with investment spread thoughtfully across the entire space rather than focused into one standout feature.

We also look at why priorities still matter, and how structural works, access and bespoke elements can quickly influence overall costs.

Read the full article here:
https://cgla.co.uk/what-does-a-250k-garden-look-like/

21/05/2026

How much does a luxury garden actually cost?

It is one of the questions we are asked most often and the honest answer is: it depends on far more than most people realise.

We are starting a new journal series exploring what different levels of investment can realistically achieve within a high quality residential garden project.

The first article looks at what a £100k garden might include, where budgets tend to go, and why two seemingly similar gardens can vary dramatically in cost.

From bespoke planting and lighting to pergolas, paving and structural works, we explore how thoughtful prioritisation can create beautiful, functional outdoor spaces at every scale.

Read the full article here:
https://cgla.co.uk/what-does-a-100k-garden-look-like/

16/05/2026

Designing a garden for a new build home is a rare opportunity to create a landscape that feels considered from day one.

From planning and biodiversity requirements through to soil preparation, structure, planting and long term management, our latest article explores the key principles behind successful new build garden design.

Whether you are building a contemporary home or a country house, thoughtful landscape design can dramatically improve how the space feels and functions for years to come.

Read the full article here:
https://cgla.co.uk/new-build-garden-design/

Designing a Garden for a New Build Home CEO & Garden Designer Ruth Marshall New build homes cover an enormous range of property types, from modest infill plots to substantial country houses. Despite that variation, there are some consistent themes and considerations that apply to almost all projects...