Advice · Clearances
How to Clear an Overgrown Garden
An overgrown garden clears in layers: paths and access first, the green growth cut back in stages, then whatever the growth was hiding dealt with last. The real job isn't the cutting, it's the waste, and that's also what decides whether this is a DIY weekend or a job worth handing over.
Written by Jamie Rogerson · 25+ years on the tools · Updated 2 September 2026
No judgement either way, incidentally. Gardens get away from everyone, and half our clearance work starts with an apology we tell people they don't need to make.
Where do I start with an overgrown garden?
At the edges of what you can reach: clear a path through first so you can move and carry, then work one area at a time rather than skimming the whole garden. Cut growth back in layers instead of trying to take it to the ground in one pass.
Leave what the growth was hiding (old structures, dumped rubbish, sunken slabs) until the green stuff is out and you can see what you're dealing with. That's also the point to take photos if you want a professional quote for the rest.
How long does clearing an overgrown garden take yourself?
Longer than the cutting suggests, because every barrow-load has to go somewhere: council green bins take a fortnight's worth at a time, and tip runs are limited by your car. The growth of several years rarely leaves in one weekend.
As a comparison, guides allow a professional team 1 to 3 days for a large overgrown garden with the waste leaving on the van as it's cut (BookaBuilderUK).
What does professional overgrown garden clearance cost?
For 2026, BookaBuilderUK puts a large or heavily overgrown garden at £800 to £1,800, rising to £1,200 to £2,500 or more where soil, rubble or old structures are coming out. The waste sets the price, not the lawn size.
Fantastic Services puts the South East above the national average, which is worth knowing when you compare quotes locally. Ours are fixed, from photos or a free visit.
What do I do with all the garden waste?
DIY, your options are the green bin, tip runs, a skip or a licensed collection, and the costs add up: guides price a transit-van load of waste at £150 to £300 (BookaBuilderUK). Burning it annoys the street and is restricted in most areas, so plan the waste before the cutting.
A professional clearance folds all of that into the price: everything we cut and lift leaves on the van as we go, so there's no pile waiting for a skip.
When is it worth calling a professional?
When the growth is woody or bramble-thick, when there are structures or hard surfaces to come out, or when the honest answer to the waste question is a dozen tip runs. At that point the fixed price usually beats the lost weekends.
One practical tip if you do call someone: don't tidy up first. Photos of the garden at its worst get you an accurate quote first time.
What should happen after the clearance?
Decide before the clearance finishes, because a cleared garden grows back the moment you turn your back. Either put a maintenance rhythm in place, or use the blank canvas while it's blank.
Because we also handle groundworks and full garden landscaping, we can quote the next stage at the same visit as the clearance. Plenty of people stop at the clearing, and that's fine too.
If the garden's got away from you, send us photos of it exactly as it is: call 07813 073814 or use the quote form. Fixed price, waste included, no judgement. The full service is on our garden clearance page.
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