Materials & specification
The materials a Hertfordshire garden is made of.
A garden is only as good as what goes into it — and what goes on underneath. After twenty years, Matt has settled views on which materials suit which job and why. This is a plain-English guide to the surfaces, structures and planting we work with, so you can walk into a consultation knowing roughly what you're choosing between. Nothing here is fixed: at the site visit Matt talks through what actually suits your home, your soil and your budget.
Hard surfaces — patios & paths
Sandstone · Porcelain · Natural paving
Indian sandstone gives warmth and a riven, natural texture; porcelain is crisp, flat and near-maintenance-free; natural paving suits a more traditional or rural setting. Whatever the finish, it's laid to falls on a properly prepared base with clean edges and neat joints — so it drains, sits level and doesn't lift or rock after the first frost.
Driveways — block, gravel & resin
Block paving · Gravel · Resin-bound
Block paving is hard-wearing and easy to lift and re-lay if services need access; gravel is cost-effective and naturally permeable; resin-bound is smooth, permeable and low-maintenance — and the surface our clients most often review unprompted. All of it stands or falls on the base beneath, which is why we excavate and consolidate properly before any surface goes down.
Structure — walls, steps & planters
Brick · Stone · Built-in seating
The brick-and-stone structure is what gives a garden its rooms, levels and places to sit. Garden walls, steps, raised planters and built-in seats are laid true and tied into the paving they border, so they read as part of one scheme. It's the detailing of these smaller elements that clients single out as the difference between designed and merely landscaped.
Soft landscaping — turf & planting
Natural turf · Beds & borders
The planting is what makes a garden come alive. We prepare and level the ground before laying quality natural turf so it roots evenly, and plant beds and borders chosen to suit the aspect and soil — so the finished garden reads as one considered design rather than a hard shell waiting to be filled.
What shapes the specification
- The base and levels — the part you never see, and the part that decides whether a surface lasts.
- The finish you choose, especially the paving, stone or driveway surface.
- How the hard and soft landscaping are tied together into one scheme.
- The character of your home and the setting the garden has to sit within.
- Drainage — where water goes, on a driveway, a patio and around a pool.
The only way to settle on the right materials is a free consultation. Matt will walk the garden with you, talk through the options honestly, and put a clear, no-obligation quote to whatever you decide — the same professionally managed process our clients describe from first query to finished garden.
Talk it through with Matt.
Every consultation and quote is free and no-obligation. Tell Matt about the garden and he'll walk you through the material options that actually suit your home.