Written by Mark Reid,
Trades Editor ·Verified 23 September 2026
Southampton gardens throw up a fair mix of challenges. Along the coast near Weston and Netley you're often dealing with sandy, free-draining soil, while further inland around Bassett and Chilworth the clay gets heavier and holds water after a wet spell. Add in the city's mix of Victorian terraces with tiny courtyard plots, 1930s semis with decent-sized rear gardens, and newer estates out towards Hedge End with postage-stamp lawns, and you can see why local knowledge matters. A landscaper who's worked across these areas will know which turf copes with shade under mature trees on roads like The Avenue, or how to deal with drainage on a sloping plot near the Common.
The businesses featured here are drawn from public business listings and ranked using review rating and review count, with a small boost for those showing a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm landscaping is genuinely what they do day to day, which keeps builders, tree surgeons and general handymen who dabble in gardens off this particular page. Listings flagged as permanently closed are stripped out automatically as part of that process. Where you spot a Trust Verified badge, that business has gone further and passed our full verification, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company information; our How We Verify page sets out exactly what that involves. For any business without the badge, those checks haven't been done by us, so it's worth doing them yourself before signing anything.
Before you commit to a quote, ask to see photos of previous jobs local to Southampton, not just a generic portfolio. Get written confirmation of what's included, groundworks, materials, waste removal, because vague quotes often balloon once a skip's needed or extra topsoil turns up. Check whether they carry public liability insurance and ask for the policy details rather than just taking their word for it. If the job involves paving, decking or a new boundary wall, ask about building regulations or planning permission, particularly if you're near a conservation area like Old Southampton or Portswood. Getting two or three quotes for anything beyond a basic tidy-up is standard practice and will quickly show you who's pricing sensibly.
How We Select & Rate The Best Landscapers in Southampton
Rankings are based on review rating and review count pulled from public business listings, with a small lift given to businesses that show a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm landscaping work is what they primarily do, which filters out unrelated trades. Listings marked as permanently closed are removed automatically. Businesses carrying a Trust Verified badge have additionally passed our full verification, covering qualifications, insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company information; see our How We Verify page for details. Other businesses listed haven't been independently verified by us, and appearing here isn't an endorsement. Do your own checks before hiring anyone.
Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →
Residential and commercial clients across Southampton turn to MTM Landscaping & Design Ltd for garden design and grounds maintenance work. Based in SO16, the company holds a perfect five-star rating across twenty Google reviews, suggesting consistent results on site. Services cover the range expected of a full landscaping firm, from initial design through to installation and ongoing upkeep.
Acre Landscapes is a Southampton-based landscaping company serving residential and commercial clients across the SO19 area and beyond. With a Google rating of 4.7 from 14 reviews, the business has built a steady local reputation for garden design and outdoor construction work. Further details on services and past projects are available through their website.
Landscaping services covering Southampton and the surrounding area, Andamar Landscapes takes on residential and commercial outdoor projects. The company works across garden design, construction, and maintenance, giving clients a single point of contact from initial plans through to completion. SO31 7EF places them well for both city-side and coastal-fringe properties across the region.
Complete Gardening and Landscaping Services is a Southampton-based landscaping company operating in the SO16 area. The business holds a perfect five-star rating across its Google reviews, suggesting consistent results for local clients. Services span the range expected of a full landscaping outfit, from garden maintenance through to more involved ground and outdoor space work.
Artificial grass installation is the core specialism at Artylawns, a landscaping company based in Southampton. The business serves residential and commercial clients across the SO16 area, supplying and fitting synthetic lawn surfaces as an alternative to natural turf. Its focused scope makes it a practical option for homeowners seeking low-maintenance outdoor spaces.
Transparency notice: Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. All other listings are ranked by a combined score drawn from ratings and review counts published on third-party business listings, plus basic completeness signals such as a working website and phone. A Trust Verified badge means we have independently checked that business's documents; businesses without it have not been independently verified by us. How we verify →
Is your business missing?
Get listed and reach customers actively searching for your services in this area.
A basic garden tidy-up or lawn re-turfing might run £300 to £800, while a full redesign with new patio, borders and planting for an average semi-detached garden can land anywhere from £3,000 to £10,000 depending on materials and size. Decking, retaining walls, and drainage work push costs up further, especially if the ground needs excavating. Always get two or three written quotes, prices between local firms can vary by hundreds of pounds for the same job.
Do I need planning permission for landscaping work in Southampton?
Most garden landscaping, patios, planting, fencing under 2 metres, doesn't need planning permission. However, if you're in a conservation area such as parts of Old Southampton or Bitterne Village, or you're building a raised structure or a boundary wall over 1 metre next to a road, it's worth checking with Southampton City Council first. A decent landscaper should flag this before starting, but it's your responsibility to confirm.
What's the best time of year to have landscaping work done?
Autumn and early spring are generally best for turfing and planting, since the soil's workable and there's enough rainfall to help things establish. Hard landscaping like patios, paving and decking can be done year-round, though heavy clay soils around areas like Bitterne can get waterlogged in winter, which slows groundwork down. Booking in quieter months, January and February, often gets you better availability too.
Should I choose a landscaper who specialises in design or just installation?
It depends on your project. If you've got a clear idea of what you want, a firm that focuses on installation, turfing, paving, fencing, will usually be cheaper and quicker. If you're starting from scratch or have an awkward plot, a landscaper who offers design as well as build can save you from costly mistakes later. Ask to see examples of similar projects they've completed nearby.
How long does a typical garden landscaping project take?
A lawn re-turf or basic planting scheme might take a day or two. A full garden redesign with patio, decking and new borders typically takes one to three weeks depending on size and weather. Groundworks and drainage issues can add time, particularly on clay-heavy plots that need extra drying out. Ask for a realistic timeframe in writing before work starts, and factor in a few days' contingency for wet weather.
How do I choose between landscapers in Southampton?
Start by reading recent reviews rather than just the overall star rating, and look for comments mentioning reliability, tidiness and communication. Ask to see photos of finished work in gardens similar to yours, ideally nearby, since soil type and drainage vary across the city. Confirm they hold public liability insurance and ask to see the certificate. Get a written, itemised quote from at least two or three firms so you can compare fairly, and check whether a Trust Verified badge is shown, or do your own research into their trading history and qualifications if it isn't.
Related Guides
More independently researched rankings you might find useful
