Award-Winning Garden Designers in Forest Row, Sussex
Bespoke garden design for Forest Row properties, from village homes and period houses to mature gardens and larger plots within the High Weald.
Forest Row is home to a varied mix of properties, from village homes and period houses to larger gardens close to Ashdown Forest and the surrounding countryside.
We work with homeowners who want to make more of those spaces, whether that means giving an established garden fresh direction, planning around a renovated home or finding a thoughtful solution for a more challenging site. Led by designer and plantsman Nic Howard, our team brings together garden design, planting design and practical horticultural expertise.
We work in Forest Row and nearby areas including East Grinstead, as well as across the wider Sussex area. The aim is always to create a garden that works for the property and the people who live there, while making intelligent use of what the site already offers.
Customer Testimonials
Rated 5 stars on Google Reviews
Garden and Landscape Design in Forest Row
Forest Row sits within the High Weald, where woodland, rolling ground, hedgerows and small fields give the surrounding landscape a particularly established character. Trees are a major feature of the wider area, and individual gardens can also be shaped by shade, changes in level, existing planting and views beyond the boundary. These are not details we look at after the design has been decided. They help shape it from the beginning.
Our team looks carefully at how the garden works as a whole, including routes through the space, changes in level, boundaries, views and the relationship between different areas. Alongside this, our horticultural expertise helps us assess soil, drainage, sunlight, exposure and existing plants before developing the planting direction.
Growing conditions can vary considerably across the area, which is why we assess the individual garden rather than assuming the same plants or solutions will work everywhere. Where mature trees or established planting are healthy and add value, they can become part of the new design rather than something that automatically needs to be removed.
Explore Our Work
Our portfolio includes contemporary homes, established country gardens, smaller residential spaces and more complex sites, with each project shaped around a different brief and starting point.
Explore our portfolio of award-winning garden designs, each one unique and tailored to our clients’ vision.
Meet Nic Howard
Nic Howard founded We Love Plants in 2001 and is our Director and Lead Designer. A Registered Member of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers, his experience spans mature gardens, contemporary homes, listed country houses and more challenging sites.
That experience is particularly relevant to gardens in and around Forest Row, where mature trees, established planting, period properties and the surrounding High Weald landscape can all influence the design. Nic looks carefully at what is already working within a garden before deciding where new structure or planting can add the most value.
His extensive horticultural knowledge also helps shape planting choices around the conditions of the individual site, and he personally selects plants for our projects at the nursery.
Explore Our Services
We manage every stage of your project, from initial ideas to planting and long-term aftercare. Our process begins with a detailed consultation and site assessment to understand your garden’s character, opportunities and challenges. We then create bespoke design plans, including layouts, planting schemes, and visual concepts. During construction and planting, we work closely with trusted contractors, maintaining hands-on oversight to ensure exceptional craftsmanship. Once complete, our ongoing guidance helps your garden flourish and evolve beautifully.
Why Choose Us
- Direct involvement from Nic Howard: Nic remains closely involved throughout the design process, bringing both design experience and extensive plant knowledge to the project.
- Experience with mature and challenging gardens: Our work includes established landscapes, listed properties and sites where trees, levels, soil or existing planting need to be carefully worked into the design.
- Specialist planting knowledge in-house: Our dedicated, RHS-qualified soft landscaping team manages plant sourcing and installation, with Nic personally selecting plants for our projects.
- Support beyond the design stage: We can continue through implementation, planting and specialist garden aftercare, helping maintain continuity from the original ideas through to the developing garden.
- Designed around your space: We start by understanding how you live, what you want from the garden and what matters most to you, rather than imposing a particular style on the space.
Our Garden Design Process
Awards & Accreditations
Our professional certifications and industry recognition demonstrate our commitment to excellence in garden design.
Book a Consultation
Book a design consultation today and let’s discuss how we can create your dream outdoor space.
Call 01883 744020, email hello@weloveplants.co.uk or fill in the contact form below.
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FAQs
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Do I need to know exactly what I want before booking a consultation?
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No. Many clients know that their garden is not working as well as it could, but are less certain about what the answer should be. The initial conversation is an opportunity to explain what you enjoy, what frustrates you and how you would like to use the garden, so we can begin exploring the possibilities with you.
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How much does garden design cost in Forest Row?
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The cost of garden design depends on the size and complexity of the site, the amount of design work involved and the level of support required. Following the initial consultation, we provide a clear proposal setting out the recommended scope and costs so you can understand what is involved before deciding how to proceed.
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Is planting design included as part of a full garden design?
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Yes. Planting is considered as part of the wider design rather than treated as decoration at the end. We use moodboards, planting palettes and our horticultural knowledge to establish the planting direction, before Nic personally selects plants and our in-house team carries out the installation.
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Do you provide aftercare and maintenance once the garden has been planted?
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Yes. Once planting is complete, we provide clear guidance to help the garden establish successfully, including advice on watering, pruning and seasonal care. We also offer an ongoing garden aftercare and maintenance service, with specialist horticultural support tailored to the planting and the needs of the garden as it develops.
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How long should I allow for a garden design project?
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The design phase typically takes around three to six months, depending on the size and complexity of the garden. The build itself can take around four to sixteen weeks or longer, depending on the scope of the project, the time of year and contractor availability.
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Nic’s ability to design and plant gardens is both innovative and beautiful, without being pretentious