In person, on site
I walk the garden with you and design from what I see: the soil, the light and what is already growing.
Planting-led garden design, anywhere in Ireland
Garden Design that starts with the planting
Professional garden design and planting plans, available remotely throughout Ireland and through remote or on-site consultation in Cork.
Planting First. Everything Else Follows
Planting Is Considered From Day One
In many projects, planting is added at the end.
In my work, planting shapes the structure, atmosphere and long-term success of the garden.
This prevents gardens that look good initially but struggle or feel disjointed over time.
If you’d like to understand the structural thinking behind my approach, see Planting Design & Garden Structure in Ireland.
One service, in person or remote
Whether your garden is already laid out or not, I can help. Every design is planting-led, with the planting shaping the garden rather than being added at the end. How much detail it needs is something we settle together once I understand the garden.
Remote, online
We talk it through online, working from your photographs, measurements and notes.
However the design is delivered, the planting is drawn up as Planting by Numbers: every plant named, positioned and counted, so you can follow it yourself or hand it to a gardener.
If your garden is established and the question is what to keep, what to move and what to replace, that judgement needs to be made standing in the garden rather than from photographs. I take that work on in Cork and the surrounding area only. See garden design in Cork.
Not sure where to start? Tell me a little about the garden and where it is, and I will recommend the right next step.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR GARDENGarden design across Ireland How working remotely works· 01 / 03
Garden design, wherever you are.
You show me the garden, we talk through what it needs, and I recommend the right way forward. Here is how working remotely begins.
01 / Show me the garden
You become my eyes on site.
Send photographs from several angles, rough measurements and your location. I will guide you on what to photograph if i need anymore info.
- Show the whole space and the areas causing problems
- Tell me about sun, wind, soil and what already grows well
- Include a simple sketch or measurements where possible
Your photos do not need to be professional.
Start by telling me about your garden → I will recommend the appropriate next step personally.
What remote does and does not change
The deliverable is identical to an on-site project. The same plans, the same plant knowledge, the same thirty years of Irish growing behind every decision.
What changes is the survey. On site I gather the information myself. Remotely you gather it, which means the quality of what you send affects what I can do. I will guide you through it, and if the garden turns out to need something I cannot assess from photographs, I will say so rather than guess.
If your garden is in Cork or the surrounding area, I can visit it instead. See garden design in Cork.
What the work covers
Included
- Overall garden layout and design direction
- Suggested positions for patios, paths, walls, steps and other key elements
- Location and shape of planting areas
- Decisions about existing trees and planting
- Detailed planting plans with positions and quantities
- Plant lists and reference images
- Plant sourcing and supply options
- Guidance for contractors implementing the design
Not included
- Engineering calculations
- Drainage engineering
- Detailed construction specifications
- Structural drawings
- Detailed level surveys
- Planning or architectural services
- Hard-landscaping construction
What happens once the plan is ready
A planting plan is only useful if it can actually be built. Mine are drawn to be followed by the person holding them, with every plant named, positioned and counted. How it gets into the ground is your choice.
Do it yourself
Plant it at your own pace
I can source the plants from Irish growers and have them delivered to your door, labelled to match the plan, so nothing has to be worked out on the day.
Your own gardener
Hand it to whoever you use
The plan is written to be handed over without translation. I am available alongside if your gardener or landscaper has questions as the work goes on.
Cork only
The whole project overseen
For gardens in Cork I can recommend the right landscape contractor and oversee the project through to completion. This is not available remotely.
Where every project starts
An online garden consultation is the first step for every remote project.
A focused video session going through your photographs, measurements and what you want from the space, followed by practical recommendations and a clear next step.
€295, deducted from the design work that follows.
If you decide not to go further, you still have a considered assessment of the garden and a direction to work in.
If you would rather talk it through first, call me on 086 049 5930 or email info@theirishgardener.com.
Examples of my planting design work
See how the right planting choices change a garden
The Douglas Road garden shows what happens when mature planting is edited rather than cleared. The Ballintemple garden was designed around a family already using the space.
These gardens were designed the same way yours would be, whether I stood in them or worked from photographs. See the finished work in the portfolio.
What They Say...
From wildlife-friendly gardens to low-maintenance spaces, I’ve helped countless homeowners create gardens that truly work for them.
“Peter’s expertise turned my blank lawn into a stunning pollinator-friendly garden. His advice and design were invaluable!
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“I'd been putting off the garden for three years. Within a week of getting the plan I knew exactly what to plant and where
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“Peter's garden design completely transformed my outdoor space. His expert advice and attention to detail resulted in a stunning, functional garden that suits my lifestyle perfectly. The Plan and plant sourcing service made the process so easy!
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“Peter came, visited the garden and advised. We didnt need a garden design. Peter made the suggestions, he sourced the correct plants and showed us exactly where to plant and how to layout the beds. I could not be happer with how it has turned out
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What a planting plan actually contains
Every design ends in something you can act on. That document is the planting plan.
It is built around your soil, your aspect, your microclimate and how much maintenance you actually want, rather than around a plant palette that looks good on paper and struggles in the ground.
- Scaled layout showing every plant in position
- Full plant list with quantities
- Reference images, so you know what you are getting
- Spacing and planting guidance
- Plant sourcing and delivery options
The Thinking Behind the Work
If your layout is already largely in place, what you may need most is not a full redesign but a clear planting strategy. Read what a planting plan is to understand the difference. If the garden is part of a newly built home, you may also want to read garden planting design for new homes in Ireland.
Practical, Not Theoretical
Every design is grounded in real Irish soil conditions, wind exposure, drainage and seasonal performance.
Established Gardens Respected
If you already have mature planting, we assess what should stay, what should go, and how to build intelligently from what’s already there. Only available in Cork - cant be provided remotely
Eco-Friendly & Sustainable by Default
Irish gardens should be alive with birds, insects, scent, and texture. I prioritise:
- pollinator-friendly planting,
- long-term ecological health,
- climate-appropriate choices,
- reduced water use,
- gardens that require less chemical intervention.
Planting Design Rooted in Irish Growing Conditions
Every garden has its own character, soil, exposure and potential.
With more than 30 years’ horticultural experience across Ireland, I design gardens that are:
• Grounded in real plant knowledge
• Built to thrive in Irish weather
• Structured for long-term maturity
This isn’t template design. It’s informed, site-specific garden planning.
If you’d like to understand what influences planting plan pricing, see Planting Plan Cost in Ireland.
Ongoing Support Beyond Drawings
From plant sourcing to contractor guidance, I remain involved to ensure the garden develops as intended.
Common questions
How does remote garden design actually work?
You send photographs, rough measurements and a description of the garden. I tell you exactly what I need and how to photograph it. We then go through it together on a video call, and the design follows from there. The deliverable is the same as it would be for a garden I visited.
Is a remote design as good as an on-site one?
The design work is identical. What differs is the survey. On site I gather the information myself, remotely you gather it, so what you send affects what I can do. In practice a garden photographed properly gives me most of what I need. If something cannot be assessed from photographs, I will tell you rather than guess.
Can you design the layout, or only the planting?
Both. Where the layout needs resolving I produce a concept design setting out the position of patios, paths, steps, walls, boundaries and planting areas, with the planting designed alongside. Where the structure is already in place, the work is the planting within it.
Do your designs include construction drawings?
No. I produce concept designs and planting plans. Where technical drawings, structural detail, drainage or level surveys are required, those come from a contractor, engineer or other professional. I am happy to work alongside them.
Can you supply the plants?
Yes. Once the plan is complete I can source the plants from Irish trade growers and have them delivered to your door, labelled to match the plan.
Do you visit gardens outside Cork?
On-site visits are available in Cork and the surrounding area. Everywhere else in Ireland is worked remotely, which is what this page describes. See garden design in Cork if your garden is local to me.
How long does it take?
It varies with scope and season, but most small to medium projects move from consultation to final plan within a few weeks.
What does it cost?
The online consultation is €295, deducted from the design work that follows. Design fees depend on the size and complexity of the garden and are quoted after that consultation, before any work begins.
Not sure what your garden needs?
Tell me a little about the garden, where it is and what you are hoping to achieve. I will recommend the right starting point.
Planting design advice Ireland
Planting design is where
Planting design is where
every garden decision begins
Most garden problems I am asked about: gardens that never quite feel right, plants that fail to thrive, borders that look busy but not balanced, trace back to the planting decisions made at the start. The wrong plant for the soil. The wrong scale for the space. Planting added as an afterthought rather than used to create the structure the garden needed from the beginning.
The pages below cover the planting decisions that matter most in Irish gardens. Whether you are starting with a blank space, working with an existing garden, dealing with a difficult condition, or trying to understand what a planting plan actually involves, you will find the relevant advice here.
A plan also needs a season to be put into the ground, and in Ireland that window matters more than most people expect. When is the best time to plant in Ireland sets out the planting windows a finished plan should be timed around.
"The right plant in the right place is not a happy accident. It is a decision that requires knowing the soil, the exposure, the aspect and the sequence. That is what planting design is."
Browse by topic
Planting design advice for Irish gardens
Organised by the decisions most Irish gardeners face. Every page is specific to Irish conditions, Irish soil and Irish growing realities.
Planting for difficult conditions
Shade, clay, wet soil and wind
Irish gardens present specific challenges that generic planting advice does not address. These pages work through the conditions that most commonly cause planting decisions to fail.
Garden size and structure
Small gardens, borders and new builds
Structure is what makes a garden feel considered rather than accidental. These pages cover the structural planting decisions that determine how a garden looks and functions long term.
Privacy and screening
Creating enclosure and screening in Irish gardens
Privacy is one of the most common reasons Irish gardeners invest in planting. Getting the plant choice right for the exposure, soil and space available is where most mistakes happen.
Understanding planting plans
What a planting plan is and whether you need one
Many gardeners are unsure what a planting plan actually involves, what it costs and whether it is the right starting point for their garden. These pages answer those questions directly.
Soil-first planting design
Every planting decision starts below ground
The right plant in the wrong soil will always struggle, regardless of how carefully it was chosen or how well it was planted. Soil structure, biological activity and nutrient retention are what determine whether a planting plan succeeds or simply survives. NutriChar is a biochar plant food made using a patented process, combining organic biochar with organic composted poultry manure. It improves the structure of Irish soils, supports the biological activity that makes nutrients available to roots, and helps soil hold and release what plants need. Fast acting and long lasting. Soil first, then healthier plants, better roots and longer results.
Not sure where to start?
Before you plant anything in your Irish garden, ask Peter first
Describe your garden, the conditions, what you are trying to achieve and what you have tried already. I will give you a direct answer based on Irish conditions and over 30 years of planting experience. No generic advice. The right direction for where you actually are.