Hard Landscaping · Cheltenham & the Cotswolds
The Structure a Garden Is Built On.
Patios, driveways, decking, paths, steps and pergolas. The built side of a garden, set out and constructed by the same team that drew it.
One of the few UK teams trusted to build to RHS show garden standard.
Gold Medal Winner
RHS Flower Show
Tatton Park
Landscaping Team 2023
Featured on BBC
Featured on Gardeners' World
Hard landscaping across Cheltenham and the Cotswolds.
Kirsty McGeorge
& Ian Stone
Directors, George-Stone Gardens
"The groundwork you don't see is what
makes the surface last."
Hard landscaping covers the built, structural side of a garden: patios, driveways, decking, paths, steps and pergolas, along with any retaining walls a sloping site might need. These elements give a garden its shape and its everyday practicality, and they're usually what a family notices using most, whether that's a driveway used every day or an outdoor space used for entertaining through the summer.
At George-Stone Gardens, hard landscaping sits alongside soft landscaping and planting, garden features, and the wider garden design and construction services covered on our main landscaping page. Since 2007, our team has delivered hard landscaping as part of garden transformations across Cheltenham and the wider Cotswolds, from a single driveway resurfaced within a wider scheme to a full set of patios, paths and terracing across a larger property.
What We Build
What hard landscaping includes.
As part of a complete garden transformation, hard landscaping might involve just one element, such as a driveway, or several working together across a property. Patios and terraces create space for outdoor seating, dining and relaxing, while driveways need to cope with daily vehicle weight without cracking or sinking.
Planned, not retrofitted. Well-planned drainage within the layout controls surface water and reduces soil erosion on sloping ground, and the choice of finish reflects all of this.
One Integrated Team
Built by the team that designed it.
Every hard landscaping project we deliver gets checked, level by level, by the person who drew it. That follows directly from working as one integrated team rather than handing drawings to a separate contractor once the design phase ends. A retaining wall gets built with the drainage that was planned for it at concept stage, rather than added afterwards because water started pooling somewhere it shouldn't. Steps and driveways get positioned according to how the finished garden will actually be used, not just where they happen to sit on a plan.
This standard of construction is part of why our team received an RHS Gold Medal at Tatton Park, where judges cited near-faultless construction. We bring that same professional standard and quality to every residential project we take on, not only to show gardens built for competition.
Materials
Driveways, paths and patios.
Choosing a driveway or patio material for a Cheltenham property means balancing appearance, drainage and how the surface wears over years of daily use.
Block paving
Durable and versatile, since individual blocks can be lifted and relaid if disturbed by ground movement or utility works.
Resin-bound and permeable paving
Water drains through rather than running off into the street, improving both kerb appeal and drainage performance.
Gravel
Straightforward, budget-friendly and naturally permeable, though it needs a properly compacted sub-base to stop it shifting under vehicle weight.
Tarmac and concrete
Tarmac suits larger driveways cost-effectively, while concrete offers a durable, low-maintenance finish for a cleaner look.
Porcelain and mixed paving
A popular low-maintenance choice for patios and terraces, with gravel borders where a softer, more natural edge suits the garden.
Whatever the choice, regular maintenance such as resealing or repointing helps preserve the finish and extend its lifespan. A professional site survey, checking ground levels and drainage, remains essential before work begins.
Paths and walkways serve a different purpose to a patio or driveway, connecting parts of a garden together, a side gate to a back door, or a driveway to the front entrance, rather than providing space to sit or park. A path that follows how people naturally move gets used properly; one that only suits the drawing often gets bypassed for a shortcut across the lawn. Natural stone, brick and resin-bound surfacing all suit paths in the Cotswolds, chosen for grip underfoot as much as appearance. Where a path leads to a bin store, side access or an evening seating area, it's worth planning garden lighting alongside it rather than as an afterthought. Our page on patios, paths and paving covers this in more detail.
Matching materials to Cotswold design.
Material choice in the Cotswolds also depends on the style a property is aiming for. Traditional Cotswold design tends to favour natural stone paving and dry stone walls, built to weather in the same way as the buildings around them. Contemporary designs, by contrast, often favour clean lines, minimalist planting and materials such as porcelain, alongside modern fencing and screening for privacy. Most projects sit somewhere between the two, using local stone in places and cleaner, contemporary lines elsewhere.
Dry stone walling is a skill in its own right, one that depends on selecting and setting stone so a wall holds its line for decades rather than a season. For more detail on this specific technique, our dry stone walling page goes into the specifics.
Where It Fits
Where hard landscaping fits into a project.
Hard landscaping projects with George-Stone Gardens typically start from £40,000, rising depending on the scope of driveways, patios, decking and any structural work involved.
Part of a wider transformation
Hard landscaping is delivered as part of a wider garden transformation rather than as a standalone job, since the construction decisions made here directly shape what soft landscaping, drainage and garden features can achieve later on.
Local ground, local weather
Nearly two decades of working across Cheltenham and the Cotswolds means these decisions get made with a clear sense of how local ground conditions and weather affect a finished surface over time.
Costed properly, before work begins
Driveway and patio costs move with material, size and the groundwork a site needs. We set out a detailed, itemised cost in a written proposal once we've assessed your specific site.
What Our Clients Say
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Frequently Asked Questions
Start the Conversation
However much of the hard landscaping needs rebuilding, from driveways and paths to decking and steps, we'll assess the site as part of a complete garden transformation and talk through what's realistic for it.
We respond to all enquiries personally. We'll get back to you within one working day.