Plan B Garden Design

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Earls Colne
Plan B Garden Design

Garden Design
Consultancy
Soft Landscaping, including planting
Garden maintenance

Plan B Garden Design will offer you bespoke garden design services through a traditional hand drawn approach. I am passionate about creating beautiful gardens that meet the needs of the client and my training at Writtle College enables me to do this. Plan B will offer you the following services:

- Full or partial garden design
- Soft Landscaping, including planting
- Garden maintenance

Do any of these sound like something you currently require? Please feel free to contact me to discuss any ideas or requirements you have and I will always do my best to ensure you are 100% satisfied with the service you receive!

28/10/2026

The clocks went back on Sunday.

And just like that, your garden disappears at 4:30pm.

All that work. The planting, the patio, the tree you spent ages choosing. Gone from view for most of the evening until March.

You think the problem is the time of year.

It's not.

The real problem is that your garden was only ever designed for daylight.

Good garden lighting isn't about flooding the space. It's about choosing what to show:
• A specimen tree lit from below
• Steps and paths you can actually see
• A patio that feels warm enough to sit out on
• Planting that still looks beautiful from the kitchen window in December

Because we design and build gardens, lighting is planned from the very start. Cabling, power and fitting positions are built into the design, so the finish is clean and nothing looks like an afterthought.

Already have a garden you love? We can add lighting to existing gardens with minimal disruption too.

As a Certified in-lite Installer, we use premium, energy-efficient 12-volt systems with smart timers, built to last for years.

The result? A garden you enjoy all year round, not just in summer.

Want to see your garden after dark?

DM us LIGHT and let's talk it through.

24/10/2026

🌿 **Garden Features That Define a Space** 🌿

Sometimes, one beautifully considered feature is all it takes to transform an entire garden.

A bespoke pergola that creates the perfect outdoor living space, a water feature that brings a sense of calm, or a statement planter that adds a striking focal point.

At Plan B Garden Design, we believe these elements should do more than simply look beautiful. They should feel like they've always belonged.

It's not about adding more. It's about choosing the right features, in the right places, to create a garden with character, balance and purpose.

In our latest blog, Boyd explores how pergolas, water features and sculptural elements can elevate a garden from beautiful to truly exceptional.

🌿 **Read our latest blog and discover how thoughtful design makes all the difference.**

https://www.planbgardendesign.com/post/garden-features-that-define-a-space-pergolas-water-features-and-sculptural-elements

21/10/2026

Diary of a Garden Designer – A Day of Inspiration at FutureScape 2026

An early start as the Plan B team piled into the car for the long drive to Farnborough for FutureScape 2026. It’s one of the biggest events in the garden design and landscaping calendar, and with hundreds of exhibitors, industry talks and plenty of new products to discover, we knew it was going to be a busy day!

One thing I enjoy about running Plan B Garden Design is that there’s always something new to learn. Garden design is constantly evolving, whether that’s new materials, clever technology, innovative products or simply different ways of approaching familiar challenges.

We spent the day chatting to suppliers, exploring ideas and listening to excellent talks. Garden lighting, irrigation and those all-important finishing touches were particular areas of interest, as these are becoming a bigger part of what we offer our clients.

At Plan B, we’re always looking for ways to make our gardens not just beautiful, but better places to spend time. For me, the real skill is creating an outdoor space that works for the people using it. FutureScape helps us challenge our approaches and discover ideas to bring to our gardens.

It was also great to have the team together away from our usual projects. We rarely spend a whole day sharing ideas, comparing notes and having a laugh. There were conversations along the lines of “We could use that on a project!” or “That’s something we should be offering at Plan B.” That’s why these days are so worthwhile.

By the time we got home, we’d covered plenty of miles and were ready to put our feet up. But we also came back with fresh ideas, new contacts and plenty of enthusiasm.

For me these visits are an investment in what we bring to our clients: stronger supplier relationships, practical knowledge and fresh ideas. Whether we’re designing a complete garden transformation or adding features to an existing space, that experience helps shape the details.

A really enjoyable day, and a reminder that even after years in the industry, there’s always something new to discover. That’s what keeps this job interesting – and what helps Plan B continue to grow and evolve.

16/10/2026

Two gardens. Two very different starting points.

One was a brand new build with builder's turf, a slab path and brick walls on every side.

The other was a red brick cottage with a tired lawn and a narrow border along the front.

Both were technically gardens. Neither was a space anyone wanted to spend time in.

Garden one now has:

Slatted timber screening to soften all that brick
A herringbone path leading through the space
A timber pergola framing an olive tree
A dining and fire pit area for long summer evenings
A hot tub tucked into its own corner

Garden two swapped the lawn for planting:

Lavender lining the path to the front door
Feathery grasses for movement and height
Yellow achillea glowing against the brick
The client's original sundial, now at the heart of it all

Different homes. Different briefs. Same result.

A garden that feels like part of the home, not just the bit outside it.

If yours still looks like the "before"... DM us GARDEN and let's talk about what it could be.

14/10/2026

Some gardens you design.
Some you never forget.

This Japanese garden is one of ours, and we still love looking back at it.

The brief was simple. A calm space to step into at the end of the day.

So we built it around stillness:

Swept grey gravel and slate, raked to flow like water
A silver-leaf tree as the heart of the garden
Red timber details for that classic Japanese touch
Natural stone placed by hand, not by numbers
Soft, rounded planting that stays neat all year

Before, it was just a back garden.
Now it's a place to slow down.

Thinking about what your outdoor space could become?

DM us GARDEN and let's talk.

10/10/2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Star Review!

What do our customers have to say?

07/10/2026

Let's be honest.

Nobody's ever looked at a garden tap and thought, "Phwoar."

Pipes. Timers. A man crouched by a wall in a fleece.

Not exactly the stuff of glossy magazine covers.

But here's the thing…

You've spent good money on beautiful planting. Then August hits, you go away for a week, and come back to crispy borders and a very sad-looking hydrangea.

You think the problem is the weather. It's not. The real problem is relying on a watering can and good intentions.

What's actually happening in this photo:

A programmable controller that waters on schedule, whether you're home or on a sun lounger in Spain
Drip lines that deliver water straight to the roots, not the patio
Dry foliage, so less fungal disease
Far less water wasted than hand watering or sprinklers
Pipework hidden under mulch and planting, so you'll never see it

Old way: dragging the hose out every evening and still losing plants.

New way: a quiet little system doing the job for you, every single day.

The result? Healthier, stronger plants and a garden that looks after itself.

So no, irrigation isn't sexy.

But a lush, thriving garden in the middle of a heatwave? That's very sexy indeed.

DM us DRIP to find out what a drip irrigation system could do for your borders, pots and planters.

02/10/2026

🌿✨ Bespoke Gardens, Designed to Perfection ✨🌿

Your garden should be more than just an outdoor space—it should be a luxurious extension of your home. At Plan B Garden Design, we create high-end, bespoke gardens that blend elegance, functionality, and timeless beauty.

From meticulously crafted layouts to stunning soft landscaping, we design outdoor spaces that reflect your lifestyle and complement your property. Whether you dream of a tranquil retreat, a grand entertaining space, or a contemporary show garden, we bring your vision to life with expert craftsmanship and premium materials.

🌸 Exquisite design
🪵 Premium finishes
🌿 Seamless indoor-outdoor flow
💡 Bespoke lighting & features

Transform your outdoor space into something truly extraordinary. Get in touch today to discuss your vision! ✨

30/09/2026

A little detail from the studio: the Plan B stamp of approval. 🌿
It’s the finishing touch on a planting plan that’s been carefully considered, from the first ideas through to the final choice of plants. We always enjoy the moment it’s ready to share with a client.

23/09/2026

This little one joins me almost every day when I’m working in the Plan B studio. 🐿️

He’s usually busy darting around, burying treasures and making very good use of the dead hedge at the more rustic end of our garden.

It’s a lovely reminder that gardens don’t need to be pristine to be full of life. Sometimes the slightly wilder areas make the very best homes for our local wildlife.

Although judging by the speed he moves, I’m not entirely sure whether he’s helping with the garden or plotting something…

Caption this! 👇

Address

Upper Holt Street
Earls Colne
CO62PG

Website

http://www.planbgardendesign.com/

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