PRICE GUIDE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR · 2026–2027
Planting & Borders cost in the UK
£100–£1,500 per job. Typically £300.
Planting up a border costs £100–£1,500 per job in the UK, and around £300 is typical for one bed dug over and planted. Plants usually cost more than the labour, so the number and size of shrubs, perennials and specimen trees decide the bill, along with how much soil preparation the bed needs.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does planting & borders cost in the UK?
| Low end | £100 | one small bed planted with young perennials |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £300 | what most people pay |
| High end | £1,500 | a long border with mature shrubs and specimen trees |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the gardeners and landscapers near you.
What moves the price
- Number and size of plants — mature shrubs and specimen trees cost far more than small pots of perennials
- Size of the border — planting is often priced per square metre, so a long border costs more than a single bed
- Soil preparation — clearing weeds, digging over and adding compost before planting takes time
- Design work — a planting plan from a garden designer adds a fee before any plant goes in
- Mulch and edging — a bark or compost mulch and a crisp border edge add materials and labour
- Season — planting bare-root stock in autumn and winter is cheaper than buying container plants in summer
Domestic and garden services prices in the UK are up 24% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Domestic services and household services, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical planting & borders would have cost about £280 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7E6 →
WHAT YOU GET
What a planting & borders booking includes
Takes: Half a day to two days, depending on the size of the border and the soil preparation. Not included: Full garden design plans, irrigation, raised beds and ongoing weeding are priced separately — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common planting and border jobs
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Planting & Borders near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Plant bare-root shrubs and hedging in autumn or winter when they are cheaper than potted plants
- Buy smaller perennials and let the border fill out over a season or two
- Clear the old plants and weeds from the border yourself before the gardener arrives
Before you book
- Ask whether the planting price includes the plants or only the labour to plant them
- Check the soil type and how much sun the border gets so the right plants are chosen
- Avoid planting invasive species such as Japanese knotweed near boundaries, as the law controls their spread
- Plan who will water the new border for the first few weeks after planting
Planting & Borders cost: questions people ask
£100–£1,500 per job, around £300 typical for a single bed. A small bed planted with young perennials costs least; a long border with mature shrubs and trees costs most.
A single bed often takes half a day. A long border with heavy soil preparation can take two days.
Autumn and early spring suit most shrubs and perennials, as the soil is moist and warm enough for roots to establish. Bare-root plants are only sold in the dormant season.
For a large border it helps. A designer's plan matches plants to your soil, light and upkeep, which avoids costly replanting later.
Full garden design plans, irrigation systems, raised beds and regular weeding visits are separate jobs.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, worked out from published UK planting and landscaping cost guides — a national range per job, not a quote. Your price depends on the plants and the border.
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