Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation'

Garden Designers for Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire


It is always good to know what sort of experience others have encountered from a business. We take pride in giving a friendly, knowledgeable and thoroughly professional service and are proud to list below comments and recommendations from our clients over the years...


"Our garden (nearly 2 acres) needed an overall design which included a formal 'Italian style' terrace, a new driveway, paths and paving. Beds were created to break up the large expanses of grass to give it more interest. Our ideas and gardening competences were cleverly taken into account and we now have a beautiful garden that's easy to maintain but with all year round interest. Steph did a wonderful job juggling all our requirements, was helpful and informative and always on the end of the phone if I had a problem."
S Veried (Weasenham)

"Steph was recommended to us by an established gardening firm we had commissioned to lay the foundations for a brand new garden. We had moved into a redeveloped property, which was sitting in a quite substantial plot. Whilst we knew a little about some aspects of garden build, we lacked the ability to truly see how it could and should look. Steph provided us with a plan and a colour scheme that not only matched the house itself but was easy on the eye and practical. She initially set this out for us on "walk through” video - extremely impressive. In conjunction with our gardeners she then proceeded to bring it to life. We are very pleased indeed with end result. Our friends and family comment on how wonderful the garden looks. It now has shape and interest, which we expect to last for many years to come. Steph dealt with us in a very friendly way and it was a pleasure to have her add so much to our home."
LK & JS (Stoke Holy Cross)

"We live in an old listed farmhouse that for years had a patio at the rear divided into two areas covered with municipal paving slabs with weeds growing up through the cracks . Everything was grey, dull and far from maintenance free . Then Steph came along ,came up with a plan and provided us with a dvd showing exactly how the area could be transformed . What a difference ! The service provided was not only the design ,but also what could be planted and where . The features we wanted to retain were enhanced and the overall affect is two connected areas with character and a planting scheme that fully meets our requirements . The professional input takes into account what you already have , produces a hard landscape to maximise the potential and provides you with a planting scheme that you want but everything is in the right place"
Leigh and Angela (Ashwellthorpe)

"We bought our house and for 6 years had spent money on the garden but my husband and I hated it because it was an awkward shape and the fencing seemed to dominate the space. We were in a despair and so we started researching garden designers in Norfolk and Suffolk. After searching on line for weeks I kept coming back to Stephs website as her gallery showed effective hard landscaping and beautiful planting. I was worried about hiring a garden designer but Steph was fantastic. She talked us through the process without any pressure to buy. She listened really carefully to our needs and as my husband and I don't always agree took on board our conflicting ideas. After careful consideration we decided to go ahead and I can honestly say it was the best investment in our home we ever made. We had a limited budget and Steph's garden design has allowed us to do the garden in stages as money becomes available. She provided excellent scale drawings and a virtual walk through which enabled us to see how fantastic the garden would look. Her design for the hard landscaping is transforming the space and we are amazed at how different it looks. We now have different levels and height has been introduced with trellis fencing and a pergola. Its beginning to look like a garden fit for Chelsea. We both love it so much we are saving our pennies so she can come and do a design for the front.”
The Barnetts (Diss)

"Steph really helped us to focus our ideas and develop a manageable and coherent re-design of our garden. We are very happy with the outcome so many thanks.”
Chris and Penny (Saxlingham Nethergate)

"Steph at Greycat has done fantastic work for us. Great ideas, lovely and innovative designs to our brief with implementation on time and on budget. We particularly love the walk through plans that she supplies - it is great to see how it will look once finished! We will continue to use Steph as we further develop our garden, and have no hesitation in recommending her”
Colin & Lesley (Alpington)

"Steph’s approach to design starts with listening to her customers to get a feeling for their lifestyle and what they are looking for. Next she takes into account the surroundings, the style of your house and garden and what is already there. Only then does she start to develop her designs and marry all aspects together. In our case she sympathetically designed a front garden for a 1920’s house, which is both practical and stylish, having some hints of the “Art and Craft” movement, but with a modern twist. Her planting suggestions too were in keeping with the style and featured a warm colour scheme. The video she created before the project started was very realistic and showed the design in great detail. When our front garden was finished, we had a number of people stopping in the road to congratulate us on the changed look of our house. We were extremely pleased with Steph’s design and services and would not hesitate to recommend her."
Dagmar Miller (Colney Lane, Cringleford)

"Steph provided a comprehensive and very attractive redesign for my cottage garden. A computer-generated "walk-through" was very realistic and enabled final tweaks to be made before the work commenced. I opted to order the plants through her as well. It has rekindled my interest in gardening, especially as there was a handy plant maintenance guide provided at the end! Very pleased with the work."
Anups de Silva (Freethorpe)

"The garden looks lovely and we often sit and compliment your design, as does everyone who visits the house! We engaged Greycat Gardeners as we needed an expert to bring to life our vision of a garden that combined formal area’s with a structure that maximized the space available and created a usable and beautiful space where once there was an undulating, uninteresting lawn. Steph listened to us, and cleverly articulated the features that were important to my wife and I, and delivered a garden design that was perfect for our needs. We are delighted with the results and would have no hesitation to recommend Greycat."
Simon and Karen (Freethorpe)

"I have never used a garden designer before but this is the best money I have ever spent, particularly as Steph's prices are very affordable. I could tell in the first five minutes that Steph was excellent at her job and a real plantswoman. She explained that she can offer a range of services from a one hour consultation to a scaled plan with planting suggestions or even a complete service with buying and planting all the plants. I wanted to do the fun bit myself so I opted for a proper scaled plan with planting suggestions. Steph listened carefully to my requirements and took note of the type of plants and flowers I preferred. She spent a considerable amount of time taking photos and measuring up. When she presented her plan, I was truly blown away and when she asked for my initial thoughts and whether I wanted anything changed, I couldn't think of a single thing: it was perfect and exactly what I wanted. To add to my delight, she gave me a very comprehensive planting scheme with plant suggestions for all seasons WITH PICTURES! That was so helpful. The hard landscaping was done by groundwork contractors who found her scaled drawings perfect and then the fun began: shopping for plants! I am truly delighted with every aspect of my garden design and, one year on, the garden is thriving. I cannot recommend Steph highly enough: I love gardening but would never have the vision to design what Steph came up with. Recently, Steph came back for a one hour consultation on another area of my garden that seemed not to knit together. She very quickly pointed out what the problems were and offered suggestions for improvement along with one or two planting suggestions too. So whether you need a whole garden design or just one area, Steph is the definitely the person you need to sort it all out!"
JW (Loddon)

"Steph was a pleasure to work with. She understand what I wanted and needed from the first time we spoke, was willing to listen to my suggestions and make useful suggestions of her own to maximise the small space. The drawings and ‘virtual garden’ she produced were great visualisations and allowed me to see exactly what I was getting. Completing the job punctually and in a cost-effective manner I would be happy to recommend her to anyone wanting a new garden!"
P Crick (Norwich)

"My new build-house came with an uninspiring patch of turf front and back with which I really wasn’t sure what to do. Luckily, I contacted Greycat Gardens and Steph knew exactly what to do! Over 4 years later both gardens are looking better than ever and Steph has been very helpful in that time with advice on how to look after everything and some more ideas for new plants. Thank you very much"
Helen P (Cringleford)

"I am extremely pleased with the service Greycat Gardeners have provided. Steph Markham project managed the whole scheme which meant all I had to do was to approve her inspirational re-design of my garden and her excellent choice of plants. Steph sourced the plants and worked with the equally exceptional Arkscape Landscape and Gardening who transformed the hard landscaping and planted the new plants in accordance with Steph's design. This meant that I now have a magical new garden which has already attracted many compliments from neighbours and friends. In addition, Steph provided me with a detailed layout of the planting with useful descriptions on the aftercare of the new planting. I have no hesitation in recommending Greycat Gardeners."
L Halton (Poringland)

"We are absolutely delighted with the garden design work Steph has completed for us. Being a newly converted property with nothing more than a top soiled area at the front and courtyard at the back she had a blank canvas to work with. We are very pleased with the imaginative and attractive designs and planting suggestions she produced, which were far beyond our expectations. The extensive hard landscaping work carried out on the courtyard was completed to agreed timescale, with the minimum of disruption and great attention to detail. We would not hesitate to recommend Steph and team to anyone in the future."
Mr and Mrs K Barley (Tacolneston)

"After spending too much money on our previous garden we decided to employ a professional to sort out our new one and what luck we had in choosing Steph. A listening ear with clear and concise plans plus a good follow on service. Without doubt the best money we have ever spent in the garden"
Rob and Val Bentinck (Watton)

"We first met Steph Markham at the Sandringham Flower Show where her garden design won “Best in Show.” We resolved to contact her for advice should we need help with our garden, which although beautifully situated, posed several challenging problems. We had no previous experience of professional help in garden design and were rather apprehensive .When she first saw the garden she quickly understood the problems and reassured us that given time to formulate a plan she was confident she could solve our problems. The plan, when completed was comprehensive, well presented and radical ! We needed time to think through the plans and at all times Steph was patient and always willing to listen to our concerns . She has been very generous with her time and project managed with sympathy and a firm hand! Her design and the work completed under her supervision, has been of the highest quality and we are thrilled with the way the garden has developed. Her aftercare has been enthusiastic and she has always shared her expertise willingly and without insistence! We can recommend Steph and Greycat Gardeners without reservation !"
Mike and Liz Chadwick

"We embarked on our garden re-design with high hopes but no ideas or direction! From the moment we met Steph she was patient, professional and always contactable. Her design for our garden was realistic but also imaginative. Steph, Paul & Graham all worked tirelessly during a very bleak winter to help turn plans into real life. We are really happy with the result and are still finding new plants, views and a new enjoyment from the garden"
Mr & Mrs M Walters (Wymondham)

"We found Greycat by searching the internet. You can be lucky or devastated and we were devastatingly lucky. Steph arrived when she said, produced what we asked for, used that eye for colour and height and managed the job leaving only footprints and a delighted client who won’t hesitate to call again. We have, why don’t you?"
Mr & Mrs Ian Mercer (Stowmarket)

"we are delighted with the new garden layout which has given us a larger than we thought recreational paved area whilst also somehow appearing to give us a larger looking lawn"
Mr & Mrs P Edwards (Longstanton)

"What a brilliant firm this is - providing personal, knowledgeable and helpful service with innovative ideas. They seem happy to deal with large or small projects, mine being small, and they have inspired me to continue and enlarge the raised vegetable beds they designed and installed. It has been an enjoyable experience from the beginning, giving me many hours of pleasure, a continuous supply of home grown vegetables and a source of admiration from visiting friends."
Mrs Pam Shaw (Great Yarmouth)

"I wanted to surprise my husband for his birthday so I employed the help of Steph at Greycat to design us a new garden. We merely wanted design ideas rather than the actual work doing but Greycat was more than willing to provide this for us. Having taking Steph on a tour of the garden she listened to what we wanted and then she offered her advise based on practicalities and size. A few weeks later we received several plans and a whole host of ideas concerning what would and wouldn't look good and more importantly what would grow in the garden! Thanks to Greycat's ingenious ideas we set to work and now have a garden we can be proud of!"
Dr Rebecca Fraser (Norwich)

"We have been delighted with the finished result of our garden, 18months on it looks even better and we get comments from neighbours and people in the village all the time about how lovely it looks which is very nice"
Mr Christopher Filsell (Diss)

"I cannot praise highly enough the service I received from Greycat Gardeners and Steph herself when I needed to ‘revive’ my rather neglected front garden. She visited me on several occasions to discuss what I was trying to achieve, to take photographs and hear my ideas and finally to talk through her suggestions for how my garden could look. I wanted to ‘lose’ some plants which were casualties of last winter, to remove some that just ‘weren’t right’ and to inject some fresh ideas ready for next season. Steph showed me her ideas on her laptop, mounted on a screen which was the exact colour of my house (which is an unusual shade of blue) and scrolled through the planting for each season so that I could see what to expect at each time of the year. Once we had agreed the planting, and a date was fixed, the work was undertaken quickly and without any fuss. The results were immediately obvious and Steph undertook to contact me in the Spring to check that the plants had survived the winter. She was as good as her word and there had been no obvious casualties. The heathers looked lovely to start with and the garden has been an unfolding delight ever since, early highlights being the opening of delicate little tulips…..delightful. It was nice to see some of my own plants incorporated into the design of the garden as this also helped to keep the cost down. My Hostas now look majestic next to dainty little edging plants. Thank you Greycat Gardeners for a lovely job!"
Sarah Bennett (Needham)

"Greycat Gardeners have transformed my garden with stunning hard landscaping and imaginative planting for year round colour. I can thoroughly recommend them."
S. Hayes (Brome, Suffolk)

"The work was completed with the minimum of disruption and we are both delighted with the end result. Just as important has been the level of follow-up service following the completion of the new garden area checking on the condition of the planting etc. We would have no hesitation in recommending the services of Greycat Gardeners to family or friends."
Mr & Mrs A. (Oulton Broad, Lowestoft)

"Steph has an artist's eye for colour, height and space. My garden is transformed. The everchanging colours give me a feeling of movement and calm."
R.G. (Beccles)

"We wanted to express our sincere thanks for the fabulous garden you have produced for us. Your initial design was a perfect interpretation of our wishes, and the project was executed with the precision and detail you promised. You have given us a garden to cherish and we look forward to enjoying it with our pending new arrival! Thanks again to you and the Greycat team."
Mr & Mrs P Lewis (Thorpe Abbots)