Your questions answered
Everything you might want to ask.
Grouped by where you are in the decision — from early research through the build to the guarantees after. If your question isn't here, just call and ask.
Before you call
Is the first visit free, or is there a charge?
It depends on the job. Small fencing and lawn work starts with a free, no-obligation site visit. For garden design and larger projects there's a consultation fee of £60 inc. VAT, which covers a proper visit of an hour to an hour and a half where we walk the plot, talk through your brief and set the project up properly — including the groundwork for your 3D design. It's a considered piece of work, not a sales call.
What is the 3D SketchUp walk-through, and why does it matter?
Before we build anything on a design project, we model your garden in SketchUp so you can walk through it on screen — seeing the levels, materials, structures and planting in three dimensions rather than on a flat plan. It means you approve the actual finished garden before a spade goes in, and expensive changes-of-mind happen on the model, not on site. You can also take the 3D visualisation as a standalone service.
Will I actually deal with Charley?
Yes. Charley Carvill founded Monarch in 2003 and leads the projects himself — which is why clients name him personally in their reviews, from 'Charley hit the brief' to two projects fifteen years apart. He brings 28 years of horticulture, including training on the greens at Buckinghamshire Golf Club ahead of a PGA tournament, to every garden.
Which areas do you cover?
We're based in Chalfont St Peter and cover roughly a 5km radius across south Buckinghamshire — Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Giles, Little Chalfont, Seer Green, Fulmer, Denham and out toward Beaconsfield. For larger design-and-build schemes we're glad to discuss work a little further afield.
Do you take on both small jobs and full transformations?
Both. We build complete design-and-build gardens, but we also fit a run of fencing, lay a patio, install a deck or a water feature, or put in a wildflower meadow. Plenty of clients start with one job and come back — Bryan Glick had us for two projects fifteen years apart.
During the project
Do you use subcontractors, or is the work done in-house?
The core landscaping and build is carried out in-house by one Monarch team, so the standard stays consistent and nothing is lost between trades. Where a job needs a certified specialist — carpentry, electrical connections for lighting or pumps, or irrigation — we bring in our own trusted people and coordinate them within the project, so you still deal with one team.
How does the Jacksons Fencing guarantee work?
As a Jacksons Fencing Approved Installer we supply and fit Jacksons' timber and fittings, which carry a 25-year guarantee on the timber treatment. Fitting to their approved standard is what keeps that guarantee valid — and it's the kind of longevity one client described as detail bordering on the obsessive.
Can you keep a project on time and on budget?
That's the aim on every job, and it's what clients tell us we deliver — Emma Brosnan's review notes her project was completed 'on time and within budget.' The 3D design stage is a big part of it: agreeing the scheme in detail up front means far fewer surprises once the build is underway.
Can you make a garden low-maintenance or child-friendly?
Yes — it's a common brief and we design around it. Sam Tinkler wanted a front area that was child-friendly and easy to maintain, and that's exactly what was built. Wildflower meadows, the right planting, robust hard landscaping and clever layout all help a garden look after itself.
Guarantees & after we're done
What guarantees come with the work?
Jacksons-approved fencing carries Jacksons' 25-year timber treatment guarantee. Beyond that, our reputation rests on gardens that last — as Emma Brosnan put it, a result that 'will last for many years to come.' We hand over every project with clear guidance on what's covered and how to keep it right.
Do you provide aftercare once the garden is finished?
Yes. New planting and wildflower meadows in particular need a season or two to establish, so we hand over with clear aftercare guidance and stay on hand. Sam Tinkler's review specifically notes that the aftercare has been great — it's part of how we work, not an afterthought.
How does a wildflower meadow reduce mowing and offset carbon?
As a Wildflower Turf Accredited Partner we install native meadows — poppies, cornflowers and more — that only need cutting once or twice a year rather than weekly, which cuts commercial mowing costs sharply. For home gardens it's a low-input, wildlife-friendly way to offset carbon and bring pollinators and colour to a plot.
What happens with the structural side of a large project?
For large-space landscaping we handle the design, commission the surveys and coordinate structural engineering input where a scheme needs it — retaining, levels and drainage on a slope, for example. It means the garden is built on sound foundations, with one team coordinating the whole thing.
Still wondering about something?
The quickest way to a straight answer is a call or an email with a photo of the garden. No obligation, no pressure.