When the mowing season draws to a close, and summer watering is a distant memory, why not make the most of those longer evenings indoors and make plans for next year?

Garden design and landscaping teams work all year round, and now is the perfect time to ask for help with alterations or complete makeovers.

Taking into account your existing garden, the practicalities of the site and your 'wish list', garden designers have the expertise to come up with a solution which is both practical and good looking.

In the long run, taking professional advice at the outset can save money by allowing you to avoid costly mistakes.

We'll take into account the style of your home, and ask you to think about practicalities - where you'd like the washing line, for example, or how you get from the back door to the garage.

All members of the family will be considered; young children need somewhere to play, whereas older relatives might enjoy an easily accessible, sheltered sitting area.

Plants play a big part in the style of the garden, and, depending your likes and dislikes, the 'look' you want to achieve, the conditions and how much time you want to spend maintaining it, we'll come up with the answer!

Perfect design solutions accommodate all your needs, providing you with a plan tailored to fit your budget.

Your 'open spaces' will be designed around interesting, flowing shapes, and durable and attractive hard landscaping materials will be suggested for patios, decking, pergolas and water features.

Focal points will be created, to draw attention to certain areas, or to distract from others.

Perspective tricks may be employed to make your garden appear wider, longer or perhaps less straight.

A detailed planting plan will enable you or your landscaper to create the scheme of your dreams, which will develop over time as the plants grow, and give you seasonal, year-round interest, whatever the style.

Once the planning stage is over, you'll be itching to start work.

The good news is that most landscaping jobs can be tackled all year round. Even though 'rain stops play' occasionally, we still continue to make gardens throughout the winter, which is great for those of you who'd like to get the backbone of the garden finished before planting next spring.

Whether you'd like a Japanese garden, a colonial deck surrounded by grasses or a traditional cottage garden, now is the time to design and build!