First things first

What’s the difference between a plant makeover and garden design ?

With our plant collections, you can bring a very different new look to your flower beds and dramatically change the way you feel about your outdoor space. However if it’s an even bigger change you’re looking for, with a whole new layout, new patios and hard landscaping, new features like pergolas or water features, then you need our design service. Our garden designers will work with you to create a design that reflects all of your desires and transform all your outdoor space.The garden design service also includes a plant plan, so you get the best of both worlds.

Plant makeover

What do i need to get started?

You can call us, ideally with the following information, would be helpful, but if you struggle with any of this we can help you on the phone.

1. Your garden style

By completing our short fun quiz you can discover your garden style. We use machine learning and psychometrics to look for patterns in the information you share and predict your garden style. You may love the result or may know already what you like. Even if you don’t agree with the result, this is a way for us to get to know you a little better, so that we are one step closer to helping you transform your garden in line with your style & space. When we combine your style choices with the information you give us about the size of your outdoor space available, soil type and orientation, we can then select a collection of plants that are personalised to you. 

2. Selected for most soil types
The collections will grow in most soil types, but heavy clay like soils don’t drain well, which is not so good. We can provide soil improvers for this or extra mulch. As standard we deliver the right amount of compost for the number of plants you have ordered, to be mixed into your soil when you plant, so for example, 3 bags per collection of 10 plants.

4. Your garden orientation

How much sun and shade you have will affect how your plants grow. When you look down your garden from your property, where, if at all, do you see the sun rise or set? Your beds / plants need to get a minimum of 2 hours of sun a day.

Quality guaranteed

We do all we can to ensure your plants thrive in your garden. 

We work with an award winning nursery whose expert team hand select your top quality plants to order.  

All of your plants come with a 7 day quality guarantee. (Link to  FAQ’s) 

Easy to look after and suiting most soils and aspects, these plants need a minimum of 2 hours sun/ day. 

Our plants are established, larger (2Litre +) sizes so they are more robust.

You will need to plant with compost for your plants to thrive and we deliver compost (extra charge) with the plants.

We provide a planting guide and a care guide for longer term guidance for plant care.

We update the collections throughout the year, (yes, you can plant most of the year) so the plants are suitable for planting when you order. 

Planting

How quickly should the plants be planted after delivery?

We know that very few people will be able to plant on the day of delivery, especially if everything arrives later in the day. We advise you to give all the plants a good water once you have moved them to your garden. The plants come with a 7 day guarantee so planting within this time frame is highly recommended to keep the plants in top condition and so you get to look at the plants closely. Your guarantee will be affected if the plants haven’t been watered. Some plants are more resilient than others and our ‘Planting guides’ will help you decide what order to plant everything in. We also advise that you prepare the beds in advance of the delivery as far as possible as this will speed up your planting. That means weeding and digging the soil to make it as loose as possible, ‘edging’ the beds, next to grass, where needed and being ready for compost & planting.

How do I make sure I get the planting right? I’ve never done it before.

We provide a guide to show you where to plant each type of plant to optimise the look of the collection.

Your plants come colour coded so even if you don’t know much about the plants, you can follow the drawing. We also email notes on use of the compost to make your beds as rich as possible, full of good nutrients for your plants. We suggest you start by getting your beds ready and then placing the plant pots all around your garden, following the guide, so you get a good sense of where everything needs to go. Don’t forget that each plant will need space around it to grow and fill out, so in the early days don’t be surprised by the gaps.

If you need help with the planting we can help you with this - we have partnered with Zeg, Zero-emission gardening, in North & East London for example. Above all, don’t worry. The more you plant the easier it will become and the sense of achievement and transformed garden at the end will definitely make it worth it.

How do I keep my plants looking their best? 

Your plants are hand selected and come direct from the nursery to your door, so the quality is excellent. Our collections are updated in line with seasonality, ensuring it’s the right time to plant. The plant collections are designed to be easy to maintain and we will email a care guide.We have partnered with ZEG who can provide on-going garden maintenance support if you would like that too.

What can I do if one of my plants doesn’t look healthy?

If a plant is starting to look unhealthy, check the care guides for that plant to check that there’s nothing on the ticket that could help. (in terms of water or sunlight or soil) Also check it for pests, like greenfly or slugs. If that doesn’t help call us and we’ll see if there is anything we can suggest. The plants come with a 7 day guarantee so planting within this time frame is highly recommended so you get to look at them and contact us within 7 days. Please see our t&c’S for our refund policy. If we conclude that it was an unhealthy plant, we will refund you for the cost of that plant or arrange for a replacement. Please keep the plant until this is resolved in case the nursery want it back. 

Garden design

1. What does the design briefing process involve?

We ask you to complete the garden personality quiz and measure your garden. If your garden is a difficult shape we have detailed drawings to help you do this. Accurate measurement is important both because it’s the foundation of the design and because it is used in the costing of the build of your new garden. We will also need photos of your garden and any photos of gardens or elements within gardens that you particularly like. You will be paired with one of our garden designers based on your requirements and they will ask any outstanding questions before going away to do their first design/Garden Plan Layout for your consideration.

2. What do i get at the end of the design process?

You get a drawing to scale which can be used for landscaping estimates and building. It is a representation of your vision and dream garden. You will also receive a plant plan featuring the appropriate plant collection.

3. I work full time, so what options are there for design enquiry calls outside normal working hours?
There are some call options outside of 9am-5pm. When you click through to book a call, check the calendar for those slots.

4. How long does the whole garden design process take?
Once your designer has all the information and images they need from you they will take 7 to 10 working days to get the first concept to you by email, with a whats app/ call to discuss feedback and changes.

5. Do you build my new garden? I don’t have a landscape gardener yet. How do I find one?
We work with trusted landscape partners whom we can recommend. We can advise you on the best way to find a good landscape gardener in your area that you can work with. We recommend you get three quotes and the chance to meet different companies to see who you would be most comfortable working with. Our design service includes a call with you, your chosen landscaper and our designer, to go over any design questions thay have or to discuss any changes of materials or anything like that.

6. Why work with you, if I can go straight to a landscape gardener?
There are garden designers and landscape gardeners. The designer focuses on the overall look, use of the space and brings a detailed knowledge of plants to the project. The landscape gardener has expertise in the physical side of building your garden and planting. You can find both areas of expertise in some companies but it is very common to have a designer, such as Doorstep Gardener, who is separate from the landscape gardener. It’s similar to having an architect working with a builder.

How do I pay?

Whether you are having a plant makeover or garden makeover the process for payment is the same
After our call we send you an invoice which will give you the total (if you are ordering plants it will include any extras such as trees or compost.) We use the Stripe online payment system which accepts Visa and Mastercard but not American Express. Once payment is received your plants are ordered / your designer is engaged and starts work.