How much does it cost to create a showstopper garden from a blank canvas? Clare Griffiths received quotes of up to €25,000 when she sought a price to landscape the 2,200sq m area around her newly built home in Donadea, Co Kildare. “I would have loved to have thrown that type of money at a landscaper, but I couldn’t justify it, and we couldn’t afford it anyway,” she says.
She and her partner, Shaun Leonard, had already spent six years trying to obtain planning permission for their home. They first sought permission to build on Leonard’s family’s land, and when that failed, they bought a site nearby. “Our kids were already in the local school, so we needed to stay here and we are so grateful that we got to stay here and build our dream home. It was the hardest, but also the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done.”
They moved into the house in 2023 and decided to tackle the garden later. The prospect of their son’s First Communion last year was the impetus they needed to begin that job. “We had muddy paths, and we had no driveway, so we knew we had to dive straight into it.”
After getting quotes from landscape gardeners ranging from €20,000 to €25,000, they realised they would have to do the work themselves. “I’m not very green-fingered, but I do know what I like, and Shaun is great at tackling things, so we worked well as a team,” she says.
READ MORE
He is a blocklayer, but this type of heavy landscaping work was new to him. “He threw himself into learning how to do it and what materials to use so that it was done properly, and we wouldn’t look back in five years’ time and say, ‘I regret not doing this, or that’.”
Where do you begin when you are creating a garden from scratch? Creating a space without steps was a priority, so that it would be accessible for young and old people. Their four children range from one to 14 years old. “Getting the levels right was so important to us and we spent a lot of time researching that and making sure it would work long term, even when we are older.”
They came up with a plan for a Mediterranean-style garden, because she says it reminded them of holidays, and they liked the style of the trees and the planting. They created a tropical area in a courtyard that can be accessed from the glass hallway. “The tropical area is definitely my favourite area. It really grounds us inside looking at that,” she says. Two palm trees surround the ornamental grasses. “We still have more planting to do, but gardens aren’t built overnight, so we can add to it as time goes on and we have the budget for it.”
Limestone stepping stones link the courtyard to the patio area. “And we continue the Mediterranean theme with an olive tree at the front door in a beautiful pot and olive trees in the patio area so every area is linked in some way.”
Her partner built an outdoor fireplace with Italian red bricks that were given to him by a client when they were left over after a job. “They sat on a pallet at the back of our house for two years and we had no idea what to do with them. Shaun designed the fireplace himself and it has really pulled everything together. Our dining table is beside the fireplace so you can cook a pizza or barbecue there and it’s just lovely when you are sitting down there.”
They also got the children involved in the garden design. “The two apple trees are the children’s project. They planted them and they will look after them. I think it’s so important to involve the kids in the garden because it’s a life lesson, and hopefully one day they will be able to use the skills they’ve learned in their own gardens.”
When it came to the footpaths around the house, Leonard studied many YouTube videos before coming up with a plan for flower beds, surrounded by limestone stepping stones and decorative sandstone. “The easy option would have been to put in concrete paths, but this grounds the house into the landscape much more,” she says. A barrier between the house walls and the flower beds guards against damp and ensures rainwater is drained away. The paths are 6in below finished internal floor levels and graded away from the house foundations.
Before they bought any plants, they tested the soil so they wouldn’t waste money making unsuitable choices. “Our local garden centre Caragh Nurseries are incredible. I went in there at the start of our build and asked for some advice on what to plant and how to get the layers right,” she says. “Local garden centres are fantastic and have the people there to help you rather than doing the guessing game. That’s what costs you more down the line.”
She is very happy with their choice of Hydrangea – Paniculata Limelight – as this hardy pistachio and ivory coloured conical shaped flower is flourishing. “We didn’t put in anything that is going to be huge maintenance, but it still gives us something to do every spring or summer. It was all about staying within the budget. The most extravagant thing we would have planted was the palm trees.”
Leonard built a 5.4m long by 900mm high planter wall at the patio area, adding plants such as French lavender to keep the flies away from the dining area, clary sage to encourage pollination, ponytail grass to add interest all year round and allium Mount Everest, which Clare says is a beautiful architectural plant that will come back year after year.
She also looked at what was growing nearby and took inspiration from that. “We are very close to Donadea Forest and there are beautiful purple flowers growing out of the wall there so I stuck with purple flowers. And we planted two cherry blossom trees because they are in the area.”
They started the garden work in November 2024 and it was ready for their son’s First Communion party last May. And so to the all-important question. How much cheaper was it to do it themselves? “We finished our garden for half of what we were quoted,” she says. “That was solely due to us doing it ourselves and Shaun doing the research and pouring everything into it while doing a full-time job.”
Their €12,500 bill included everything but the outdoor furniture. “That was our gift to ourselves and it will last a lifetime, please God,” she says. She bought the decorative stone in bulk, which was much cheaper, and says it’s definitely worthwhile to ring around and haggle to get the best price for items like this.
She also advises choosing plants and trees with a view to how they will look in 10 years. “And stick to your plan, because otherwise you will make last-minute decisions and it will drive up your costs.”
Looking at their garden now, she says she is delighted they took the time to plan it properly instead of rushing in to lay concrete paths when the house was being built. “Good things come to those who wait and I am so glad we did wait and save that money. Now, when we are sitting out on the patio and reflecting on it all, it feels like the most rewarding thing ever.”
- You can follow Clare on her Instagram account willow_wood_house_home.
