✓ Verified Google reviews·✓ Reviewed regularly·✓ Updated 29 May 2026
Written by Mark Reid,
Trades Editor ·Verified 29 May 2026
Torquay's gardens come with their own set of challenges and opportunities. The town sits on sloping ground above the bay, which means many properties have terraced gardens, retaining walls, and awkward levels that a landscaper needs to handle confidently. The local geology is largely red Devon sandstone and clay-heavy soils, both of which affect drainage, planting choices, and the stability of any hard landscaping. Coastal exposure is a real factor too: gardens in areas like Babbacombe, Wellswood, and along the seafront face salt-laden winds that can batter plants and accelerate the weathering of fencing and timber structures. A landscaper who knows the area will already understand which plants cope well, which paving products hold up, and how to grade a slope without creating a future drainage headache.
The businesses on this page were drawn from third-party business listings and ranked by public review rating and review count, with a small lift applied to those that show a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm that landscaping work is what they primarily offer, which keeps unrelated trades off the page. Any listing flagged as permanently closed is removed automatically. Where you see a Trust Verified badge next to a business, that company has additionally passed our full verification process, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information. See our How We Verify page for the full list of checks. Businesses that don't carry that badge have not been independently verified by us, and you should carry out your own checks before booking.
Before committing to any landscaper, ask for a written quote that breaks down labour, materials, and any groundwork or waste-removal costs separately. It's worth getting two or three quotes for any job over a few hundred pounds, particularly for larger projects involving patios, decking, or drainage work. Ask whether the company carries public liability insurance and check that cover is current before work starts. For garden design projects, ask to see previous work in comparable Torquay gardens, ideally on slopes or coastal plots similar to yours. If any tree removal is involved, check whether planning permission or a tree preservation order applies to your property, as many older residential streets in Torquay have protected trees. Agree a clear schedule and confirm who is responsible for obtaining any skips or road licences if required.
How We Select & Rate The Best Landscapers in Torquay
Rankings on this page are driven by public review rating and review count, drawn from third-party business listings, with a small lift applied to businesses that have a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm that the listed trade is what they primarily offer, which is how unrelated businesses are kept off the page. Listings flagged as permanently closed are removed automatically. Businesses marked Trust Verified 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 the complete list. Other businesses on this page have not been independently verified by us, and inclusion is not an endorsement. Always do your own checks before hiring.
Positions 1–5 (Recommended and Featured) may be paid placements. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →
Willow Garden Services and Sales (SW) Ltd is a landscaping company based in Torquay, covering the South West. With a 4.9 rating from 173 Google reviews, the company has built a consistent record across garden design, landscaping, and related outdoor work. Clients across the area appear to rate the results highly, making it a well-regarded local option for garden projects.
BL Building & Landscaping is a Torquay-based landscaping and building firm covering outdoor construction and garden transformation projects across the area. Nineteen Google reviews have returned a perfect five-star rating, suggesting consistent results on the ground. The company operates from the TQ1 postcode, keeping its work focused on the local patch rather than spreading thin across Devon.
Rated five stars across seven Google reviews, Barton Landscapes is a Torquay-based landscaping company serving residential and commercial clients in the area. The consistent rating, drawn from a modest but uniform set of responses, points to reliable output rather than volume marketing. Barton Landscapes can be found online at bartonlandscapes.co.uk.
Garden design and landscaping services covering Torquay and the surrounding area, Apricus Landscape Garden Design works across residential outdoor spaces. The company holds a five-star Google rating from its reviewers, reflecting consistent attention to the finished result. Its portfolio spans design planning through to practical installation, making it a single point of contact for garden transformation projects.
AJ Landscaping is a landscaping company serving Torquay and the surrounding area. With a five-star rating across its Google reviews, the business has built a consistent local reputation for outdoor work across residential properties. Services cover the range of landscaping trade, from garden design and clearance through to hard landscaping.
Transparency notice: Recommended (#1) and Featured (positions 2-5) listings may be paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears in those positions. 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 →
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Costs vary quite a bit depending on the scope of work. A basic tidy-up, including pruning, weeding, and lawn care, typically runs from around £150 to £400 for a half-day visit. A new patio in natural sandstone or porcelain can cost anywhere from £1,500 to £5,000 or more depending on the size and the material chosen. Full garden redesigns on a sloped Torquay plot, with terracing, retaining walls, and new planting, often start at £5,000 and can run considerably higher for larger gardens. Decking installations generally fall between £1,500 and £4,000. The red clay soils common in the area can add time to groundwork, which affects labour costs. Getting two or three quotes is entirely normal and gives you a realistic sense of the market rate for your specific job.
What time of year is best for landscaping work in Torquay?
Most hard landscaping work, such as paving, decking, and wall building, can be carried out year-round in Torquay's relatively mild climate. Planting is generally most successful in autumn or spring, when the soil is workable and plants establish more easily before summer heat or winter cold sets in. Lawn laying from turf works well from March through to October, though you'll need to water consistently in a dry spell. If you want work done in summer, book early as that's when landscapers in the area are busiest. Coastal gardens can be more exposed in winter, so structural work is best completed before late autumn if you want plants bedded in before the season turns.
Do I need planning permission for landscaping work in Torquay?
Most garden landscaping doesn't require planning permission, but there are exceptions worth knowing about. If your property is in a conservation area, which covers parts of central Torquay, Torre, and St Marychurch, there are restrictions on cutting down or significantly pruning trees above a certain size. Tree preservation orders also apply to individual trees across the town, and your local authority, Torbay Council, can confirm whether any trees in your garden are affected. Permitted development rules mean most patios, paths, and decking under 30 centimetres in height don't require permission, but if you're planning a raised deck, a new outbuilding, or significant front garden work, it's worth checking with the planning department before you start.
What should I do about drainage in a sloped Torquay garden?
Drainage is one of the most common issues landscapers deal with in Torquay, precisely because so many gardens run steeply down from the house. Clay-heavy soil holds water and can cause pooling around foundations or patio edges. A good landscaper should assess the fall of the ground before laying any hard surfaces and factor in surface drainage channels, soakaways, or French drains where needed. If you're having a new patio or driveway laid, ask specifically how water will be directed away from the house. Block paving and certain porcelain products can be laid on permeable bases to help with run-off. Don't skip this conversation with your landscaper; drainage problems fixed during construction are far cheaper than those fixed afterwards.
Can a landscaper in Torquay help with a coastal garden?
Yes, and local experience genuinely matters here. Gardens close to the seafront or on exposed headlands face wind, salt spray, and dry, free-draining soil in summer. A landscaper familiar with Torquay will know which plants cope well in these conditions, things like Pittosporum, Griselinia, Cordyline, Agapanthus, and hardy Fuchsias all perform well along the South Devon coast. They'll also know that fencing and timber structures need to be robust and well-maintained to withstand the exposure. Raised beds with improved topsoil can help in gardens where the existing ground is poor. Ask to see examples of coastal garden projects the landscaper has completed locally before committing.
How do I choose between landscapers and check they're trustworthy?
Start by asking each company for references from recent local jobs, ideally in Torquay or nearby areas. Ask to see photos of completed projects that are similar to yours in scale and style. Confirm they carry public liability insurance and ask to see the certificate rather than just taking their word for it. Check how long they've been trading and whether they have a registered business address, not just a mobile number. Look at their reviews across public listings and pay attention to how they respond to any critical feedback. A written contract or detailed quote before work starts is essential. It should set out the scope of work, materials to be used, a payment schedule, and what happens if additional work is needed. Paying a large deposit upfront is a red flag. Staged payments tied to completion milestones are far more reasonable.
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