Right sequence
Groundwork, construction then planting, so nothing has to be lifted, moved or replaced twice.
Bolton & Greater Manchester
Hard and soft landscapingin Bolton, built and plantedby the same team
The built elements and the green ones in one job: groundwork, paving, steps, retaining and timber structures, alongside lawns, borders, gravel and planting.
10 years in business · 10-year workmanship guarantee · £2m public liability cover
10 years
Working across Bolton as Greenerlawn
10-year
Workmanship guarantee
£2 million
Public liability cover
One team
In-house, no subcontractors
Fixed price
Free site visit, price that holds
Overview
Hard landscaping and soft landscaping, explained
Hard landscaping is everything constructed: sub-bases and drainage, paving, paths, steps, retaining walls, sleeper edging, fencing and decking. Soft landscaping is everything that grows or is spread, lawns real and artificial, borders, topsoil, bark, gravel and planting.
Most gardens need both, in the right order. Construction and drainage first, then edging and levels, then surfaces, then planting last so nothing new gets trampled or buried by the work that follows.
We handle both sides in-house. That means one survey, one fixed price and one sequence of work rather than a builder and a gardener working around each other and pricing defensively.
Who it is for, and when
- Whole gardens needing construction and planting together
- New-build plots left as rubble and thin turf
- Sloping gardens needing levels, retaining and terracing
- Front gardens combining paving, gravel and planting
- Spaces needing structure before any planting goes in
- Schools, nurseries and commercial grounds
What it costs to ignore
What goes wrong when the two are split
Split the work between trades and the sequence usually breaks. Planting goes in before the machinery has finished, so it gets crushed. Topsoil is spread before levels are set, so it has to be moved twice. Paving is laid before drainage is resolved, so water is still going the wrong way: only now it is under a new patio.
Nobody owns the result either. When the construction and the planting are priced separately, each trade builds a margin against the other's work and the joins between them, where paving meets lawn, where a border meets a step, are exactly where the finish falls apart.
Meanwhile the garden sits half-done. Stripped in autumn and waiting on the next contractor, it becomes a mud bath through winter, with bare soil washing onto paths and into drains and a planting season lost.
Common mistakes we get called out to fix
- Planting before construction and machinery work is finished
- Spreading topsoil before final levels are set
- Laying surfaces before drainage is resolved
- Leaving joins between hard and soft elements to chance
- Booking separate trades with nobody sequencing them
- Under-specifying sub-bases to afford a better surface
Our process
How we run a hard & soft landscaping job
The same sequence every time, so you know what is happening and when.
Step 1
Free site visit and survey
We walk the garden, measure up, check levels, soil and drainage, and go through how you want to use and maintain the space.
Step 2
Layout and fixed-price quote
Layout and materials agreed, then one written price covering clearance, groundwork, every built element, planting and waste removal.
Step 3
Clearance and groundwork
Old surfaces and vegetation out, spoil away, levels set and drainage resolved before anything new is built.
Step 4
Hard landscaping
Paving, paths, steps, retaining, edging, fencing and timber structures installed in the right order.
Step 5
Soft landscaping
Lawn real or artificial, topsoil, borders, gravel and bark, and planting, done last so it is not damaged by the work before it.
Step 6
Clean down and handover
Everything washed down and cleared, then we walk the finished garden with you. Balance due on completion.
What you get
The difference it makes
One fixed price
The built and the green elements in a single written quote, with no gaps between trades to argue over.
Clean junctions
Where paving meets lawn, border meets step and gravel meets edging, all detailed by the same team.
Drainage designed in
Falls, channels and soakaway routes planned at quote stage, not discovered mid-job.
Balanced garden
Enough hard surface to use in winter, enough planting to keep it from feeling like a yard.
Guaranteed workmanship
10-year workmanship guarantee and £2 million public liability cover across the whole job.
In detail
Construction, planting and getting the balance right
How we set the proportions and the sequence on a full landscaping job.
Groundwork and drainage first
Every landscaping job starts underground: excavation to depth, compacted sub-bases, falls set away from buildings, and channels or gullies where water needs a route out. On the heavy clay around Bolton this is the difference between a garden that drains and one that holds water all winter.
Because this is our own scope rather than a subcontractor's, the specification under the surface matches what goes on top.
Hard elements: paving, steps and retaining
Paving, paths and terraces are laid on full beds over compacted bases with restrained edges. Sloping gardens get levels resolved with cut and fill, retaining walls or sleeper edging, and steps with consistent risers.
Fencing, decking and timber structures go in as part of the same programme so the garden is not opened up twice.
Soft elements: lawns, borders and planting
Artificial grass suits gardens that need to be usable all year with no maintenance; where a real lawn is wanted, levels and topsoil are prepared for it. Borders are dug over, edged and mulched so planting has a decent start and a clean line.
Gravel and bark areas are laid over membrane with proper edging so they hold their shape instead of migrating across paving.
Getting the balance and the upkeep right
The proportion of hard to soft is a lifestyle decision. More paving and artificial grass means a garden usable in February with almost no upkeep; more planting means more interest and more to do. We set that balance around how much time you genuinely want to spend out there.
We are straight about maintenance at the quote stage: which parts need nothing, which need an occasional brush, and which need real gardening.
Recent work
Hard & Soft Landscaping we have completed in Bolton
More photographs on our our work page.
Guaranteed, insured,
fixed price
The same terms on every job, domestic or commercial. Read more about how we work.
- 10-year workmanship guarantee
- On all work we carry out. Exact exclusions: Not Provided.
- 10-year grass guarantee
- The manufacturer guarantee on the grass, passed straight on to you.
- £2 million public liability
- Full cover in place on every job we carry out.
- Clear payment terms
- 25% deposit to book your slot, balance on completion. Quotes and site visits are free.
Common questions
Hard & Soft Landscaping questions,
answered straight
Anything not covered here, ask Shaun Brickell directly on 07757 559036.
What is the difference between hard and soft landscaping?
Hard landscaping is the constructed part, groundwork, drainage, paving, paths, steps, retaining, fencing and decking. Soft landscaping is the growing and spread part, lawns, borders, topsoil, gravel, bark and planting.
Can you do both on the same job?
Yes, and it works far better that way: one survey, one fixed price and one sequence, with the planting going in last so it is not damaged by the construction.
How much does full landscaping cost in Bolton?
It depends on size, access, how much clearance and groundwork is involved and the materials chosen. We price on site, the visit and written quote are free, and the price is fixed.
How long does a full landscaping job take?
Most gardens run from a few days to a couple of weeks depending on groundwork and how many elements are involved. The expected duration is set out in the quote.
Do you take all the waste away?
Yes, clearance, excavation and waste removal are included in the fixed price, so there is no skip to arrange.
What guarantee comes with the work?
A 10-year guarantee on our workmanship, and we carry £2 million public liability cover on every job.
How do payments work?
A 25% deposit secures your slot and covers materials. The balance is due on completion, once you have seen the finished job and you are happy with it.
Which areas do you cover?
We work across Bolton, Horwich, Westhoughton, Farnworth, Kearsley, Little Lever, Blackrod, Bury, Radcliffe, Atherton, Chorley and the wider Greater Manchester area.
Often done at the same time
Garden Makeovers & Transformations
Lawn, paving, borders, fencing and planting handled as a single job with a single fixed price. No juggling three trades, no gaps between them, and no half-finished garden left over the winter.
Paving & Patios
Porcelain, natural Indian stone, block paving and concrete slabs, every type of paving except resin. Groundwork, falls and drainage done by the same team that lays the surface, with a fixed price and a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Groundwork & Base Prep
Excavation, compacted sub-base, edging and falls carried out fully in-house by the same team that lays the lawn or paving on top. This is the stage that decides whether a garden still looks right in ten years.
Also see our homepage and the areas we cover across Bolton and Greater Manchester.
Free quote
Get a fixed price for your
hard & soft landscaping in Bolton
Tell us roughly what you are after and we will arrange a time to come and look. No charge for the visit, no charge for the quote, and no pressure afterwards.
- Phone
- 07757 559036
- Opening hours
- Open 7 days, 7:30am – 6:30pm
10 years in business · £2m public liability cover · 10-year workmanship guarantee