Business Details
27 Years
experience
Expert Garden Design Services in Norwich
Established in 1999, Samantha McKay Garden Design has become a trusted name in bespoke garden design across Norfolk and Suffolk. With over two decades of experience, the business combines formal qualifications from the Royal Horticultural Society and the English Gardening School with practical expertise in creating both traditional and contemporary gardens. Clients benefit from hand-drawn designs, tailored planting schedules, and a nationwide postal design service that maintains the same high standards.The team's commitment to understanding client needs ensures gardens that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and built to last. Testimonials highlight long-term satisfaction, with designs remaining relevant and beautiful for over 17 years. The business adapts to modern challenges, offering remote consultations and flexible service packages to suit varying budgets and requirements.
Services
Garden Design
Landscaping
Planting Design
Garden Renovation
Commercial Garden Design
Postal Design Service
Modern Planting
Courtyard Gardens
Wildlife Gardens
Japanese Style Gardens
Details
- Year established: 1999
Highlights and features
- We have over 20 years of experience in bespoke garden design.
- Our team holds diplomas from the English Gardening School and Pickard School of Garden Design.
- We offer a nationwide postal design service for remote clients.
- Our designs have stood the test of time, with gardens thriving after 17 years.
- We provide flexible service packages tailored to individual client needs.
What people say
Excellent investment
Transformed our garden
Delighted with results
Creative solutions
Beautiful planting
Services
Bespoke Garden Design
We create tailored garden designs that reflect individual client preferences and property characteristics. Our process involves detailed consultations to understand functional requirements and aesthetic goals. Each design incorporates sustainable planting schemes and practical layouts, ensuring gardens remain vibrant and usable for years. Clients receive hand-drawn plans and comprehensive planting schedules.
Postal Garden Design
This nationwide service provides professional garden designs without face-to-face visits. Clients complete detailed questionnaires and provide site measurements, after which we deliver hand-drawn plans and planting guidance. The process includes ongoing email support and cost estimates for implementation. Ideal for clients outside Norfolk and Suffolk seeking expert design input.
Garden Renovation
We revitalise tired or underused gardens through strategic redesigns that address specific challenges. Our approach preserves valuable existing features while introducing modern elements to enhance functionality. Services include replanting schemes, hard landscaping updates, and layout optimisation. Each renovation maintains the garden's character while improving usability and visual appeal.
Commercial Garden Design
Tailored outdoor solutions for commercial properties that balance aesthetics with practical requirements. We collaborate with architects and interior designers to create cohesive spaces that enhance business environments. Our expertise includes creating welcoming entrances, functional staff areas, and sustainable planting schemes that require minimal maintenance.
Modern Planting Design
Specialist planting schemes that combine seasonal interest with long-term sustainability. We select plants based on soil conditions, light levels, and client preferences for colour and maintenance requirements. Our designs ensure year-round visual appeal through carefully planned textures, heights, and flowering periods, creating dynamic gardens that evolve beautifully.
People
Samantha McKay
Garden Designer
With over 20 years of experience, Samantha McKay is a qualified garden designer holding diplomas from the Royal Horticultural Society and English Gardening School. She specialises in creating bespoke gardens across Norfolk and Suffolk, offering both on-site and postal design services. Her work focuses on functional, sustainable spaces that evolve beautifully over time.
Questions
What areas do you cover for on-site services?
We primarily serve Norfolk and Suffolk for face-to-face consultations, with a nationwide postal design service available for clients elsewhere in the UK.
How long does the garden design process take?
On-site projects typically take 4-6 weeks from initial consultation to final plans, while postal designs are completed within 3-4 weeks after receiving site information.
Can you work with existing garden features?
Yes, we incorporate valued existing elements like mature plants or structures into new designs while updating other aspects to meet current requirements.
Do you provide planting guidance after design completion?
Yes, we offer ongoing email support during implementation and can provide detailed planting schedules with care instructions for all recommended plants.
What qualifications do you hold?
I hold diplomas in Garden Design and Planting Design from the Pickard School of Garden Design and the English Gardening School in Chelsea.
Can you help with conservation area restrictions?
Yes, we have experience navigating planning requirements in conservation areas, including managing tree removals and maintaining historical garden features.
Reviews (2)
Henriette De Vrijer
Jul 10, 2022
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Sam designed our garden for us 17 years ago, so our garden is now mature. We still love the design every day and we have not made any major changes since. The design served all the purposes we asked for and working with Sam was easy and straightforward. We thought the price was on the steep side at the time, but as we are still benefitting from Sams professional knowledge after 17 years, it has proved to be an excellent investment.
Sandra & Glen Mackay
Sep 25, 2019
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Last year we commissioned Sam to completely redesign our garden, which needed to incorporate retaining walls, circular steps, two patio areas and a water feature. After a couple of visits and a few tweaks we had the design we wanted. Once the landscape work had been completed Sam came back to discuss the planting plan, incorporating our ideas with hers. She planted the garden at the beginning of March and although it is early days yet we are very pleased with the results.