Soft Landscaping & Garden Planting Services in Stockton-on-Tees & Teesside

Professional Planting Design, Borders & Garden Planning

Soft landscaping and planting design bring colour, structure, texture and seasonal interest into a garden. From formal gardens and structured contemporary planting through to softer cottage-style borders and wildlife-friendly spaces, the right combination of plants can completely transform the atmosphere of an outdoor space.

With over 30 years of landscaping and horticultural experience, Green Onion Landscaping designs and creates soft landscaping schemes across Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire. We combine practical planting knowledge with creative garden design to create gardens that continue to develop and thrive long after planting has been completed.

Just as you would not renovate a building without careful planning and design, transforming an outdoor space benefits from professional garden planning, horticultural knowledge and a clear long-term vision.

We take time to understand your ambitions for the garden alongside any styling, planting or material preferences you may already have in mind. Every garden is different, so understanding how the space will be used is an important part of creating a planting scheme that feels balanced, practical and personal to the property.

We design and plant a wide variety of garden styles including formal gardens, contemporary planting, cottage garden borders, low-maintenance planting, Japanese-inspired gardens, decorative gravel gardens and wildlife-friendly spaces designed to complement patios and paving, pathways, decking, fencing, water features and wildlife ponds.

We also design and plant structured hedging schemes including Photinia, Laurel, Yew, Hornbeam and defensive security hedging such as Pyracantha to help provide privacy, define garden spaces and create year-round structure within a planting design. Carefully planned hedging can soften boundaries while also bringing balance, screening and permanence to a garden layout.

Our Planting Design Process

Every garden and every project is different. Green Onion Landscaping offers a thorough planting design service with sensible pricing proportionate to the scale and complexity of the project.

We take time to understand how the garden will be used alongside any styling, planting or material preferences you may already have in mind. We will measure the garden in detail and assess any existing features that can be enhanced, alongside any practical issues or limitations that may need to be overcome as part of the design process.

During the consultation we also assess factors including soil conditions, drainage, sunlight levels, surrounding landscaping features and the overall structure of the outdoor space to help determine the most suitable planting approach for the garden.

A professionally designed planting plan helps create a garden that feels balanced and cohesive throughout the seasons. Plant selection is carefully considered to ensure the right combination of colour, texture, structure and seasonal interest while also taking maintenance requirements and long-term growth into account.

We work with trusted nurseries, wholesale suppliers and specialist growers across Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire to source high-quality trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses and planting suitable for gardens throughout the North East.

Consultation Fees & Planting Plan Costs

Initial garden and planting design consultations are carried out on a chargeable basis depending on the size, complexity and scope of the project. This allows time for proper site assessment, discussion and tailored horticultural advice. During the visit we will discuss your ideas, preferred planting style, garden layout and the overall atmosphere you would like to create within the space.

It is helpful to us if as much information as possible has been gathered beforehand, including photographs, inspiration images, magazine cuttings or catalogue pictures showing the types of planting and garden styles you are hoping to achieve. This helps ensure valuable consultation time is used effectively.

Detailed planting plans are also available after our initial visit and are chargeable depending on the size and complexity of the planting area to be designed. Once the design brief has been agreed, planting plans are prepared with plant selections suited to your soil conditions, garden style and long-term vision.

Additional design consultations and follow-up meetings after the initial consultation may also incur additional charges depending on the scope of further work required.

If tree planting involves a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), Green Onion Landscaping can also liaise with specialist nurseries and local authorities to help ensure legal compliance. TPO-related consultation, liaison and specialist sourcing work is also chargeable due to the additional administration and planning often involved.

Soft Landscaping FAQs

What is soft landscaping?

Soft landscaping refers to the living elements of a garden, including plants, trees, shrubs, hedges, lawns and flower beds. It is often carried out alongside hard landscaping features such as patios, paving, decking and fencing to create a complete garden design.

What is the difference between soft landscaping and hard landscaping?

Soft landscaping focuses on planting and living features within the garden, while hard landscaping includes permanent structures such as patios, driveways, pathways, retaining walls, decking and fencing. Most successful garden projects combine both elements.

Can you design and plant new garden borders?

Yes. We can create new planting schemes, redesign existing borders and recommend plants that suit the size, style and conditions of your garden. Plant selections can be tailored for colour, seasonal interest, wildlife value or low maintenance requirements.

Do you supply the plants as well as install them?

Yes. Green Onion Landscaping can source and supply suitable plants, shrubs, trees and ornamental grasses as part of a complete soft landscaping project.

Can you create a low-maintenance planting scheme?

Yes. Many customers want attractive gardens that require less upkeep. We can recommend low-maintenance planting combinations that provide colour, structure and interest throughout the year while reducing the need for frequent pruning and maintenance.

Can you plant trees and hedging?

Yes. We can supply and plant ornamental trees, screening trees, specimen shrubs and structured hedging to provide privacy, seasonal interest and year-round structure within the garden.

Can soft landscaping include new lawns?

Yes. Soft landscaping projects often include new lawns and turfing alongside planting, border creation and garden improvements to help complete the overall garden design.

Can soft landscaping include seasonal planting and hanging baskets?

Yes. Soft landscaping can include seasonal planting displays, container planting, hanging baskets, shrubs, trees and hedging. Green Onion Landscaping also supplies summer hanging baskets across Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire.

Do planted gardens require ongoing maintenance?

Most gardens benefit from ongoing care including pruning, feeding, mulching, deadheading and seasonal maintenance. We also provide garden maintenance services to help keep planting schemes looking their best throughout the year.

When is the best time of year for planting?

Many trees, shrubs and perennials can be planted throughout much of the year, although autumn and spring are often considered ideal planting seasons due to favourable soil moisture and growing conditions.

Get in Touch

Green Onion Landscaping provides soft landscaping and planting services across Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire.

📞 Call us on
01642 640303
or
07701 097196

Book a consultation