Aberdare sits in the Cynon Valley, and its gardens are as varied as its houses. Some are the long, narrow plots behind Victorian terraces, some belong to larger older houses with mature trees and stone boundaries, and some sit on newer estates on the valley floor and sides. What almost all of them share is rain, and a lot of it.
T J Landscapes plans every Aberdare garden with that in mind: where the water comes from, where it should go, and which materials will still look right after a few wet winters. Tony and the team give free advice and free quotes, and we cover the whole of the Cynon Valley from our base in Torfaen.
Every service below is shaped by two questions we ask on each Aberdare visit: what kind of house is this, and where does the rain run?
A full landscaping and garden design in Aberdare starts with levels and falls. We work out where surface water gathers, then plan patios, lawns, beds and paths so the garden sheds rain instead of holding it.
For Cynon Valley rain we favour patio slabs and paving with a textured finish, laid on a proper sub-base with a gentle fall away from the house. Block paving for driveways can be laid to channel water into a drain rather than onto the pavement.
On a damp plot, garden decking needs air under it and a grooved or composite board that grips when wet. It suits the sloping back of many Aberdare terraces, where a deck can create a level seating area without a lot of digging.
Valley wind and wet ground are hard on posts. Our fencing and gates in Aberdare use concrete or well-treated posts set deep, with gravel boards keeping panels clear of the soil.
Heavy, wet soil is common across Aberdare, so our turf laying starts with the ground: breaking up compaction, improving it with topsoil where needed, and levelling so water does not sit in hollows.
The larger older houses in Aberdare often have tired boundary walls and steps. We build and repair brick and block garden walls, retaining walls and steps with weep holes and drainage behind them, so water does not push them over.
Mature trees are part of the appeal of Aberdare's bigger gardens. Our tree surgery and hedge care covers crown lifting to let light in, careful pruning, hedge trimming and felling where a tree has to go.
If an Aberdare garden has been left to run wild, a garden clearance is the first step. We cut back, clear out and take the green waste away, leaving a clean plot you can see properly.
Aberdare has a broader mix of homes than many valley towns, and the garden usually follows the house.
We look at each one on its own terms. A design that works behind a big stone-fronted house would feel crowded in a terrace, and a terrace layout would waste the space of a larger plot. For ideas across all three, see garden makeover ideas for Aberdare homes.
The Cynon Valley gets plenty of rain, and water running off the hillside above is as much of an issue as what falls on the garden itself. We plan for it from the first visit rather than treating drainage as an extra.
In practice that means a few steady habits. Hard surfaces get a fall towards a gully, channel drain or soakaway. Lawns are levelled so there are no dips to hold puddles. Beds on the uphill side can be raised with sleepers or walls, which keeps roots out of standing water. Where a garden is properly waterlogged, we talk through land drains and gravel trenches.
Our article on wet-weather garden planning in Aberdare goes into more detail, and the general guide to stopping a garden waterlogging explains the main options.
Practical garden work, planned around the valley's weather and the house you actually live in.
We look at falls, run-off and soakaways before choosing any surface, so an Aberdare garden stays usable through wet months.
A terrace, a larger older home and a new-build each get a layout that suits their size and style.
Clearance, groundwork, walls, paving, turf and fencing handled by Tony and the team, so the jobs fit together.
Ask us anything about your garden. We will tell you honestly what we think and what drives the cost.
Plenty of Aberdare homes are built on the valley sides, so the garden climbs or drops away from the back door. A slope is not a problem to hide; handled well, it gives a garden more interest than a flat rectangle.
We usually break a slope into two or three usable levels: a patio close to the house, a lawn or planting on the middle tier, and something low-maintenance at the top. Each level is held by a retaining wall or sleepers, with steps between them that are shallow enough to use safely in the wet.
The retaining walls matter most. Soil that is saturated with rain is heavy, so walls need a sound footing, drainage behind them and weep holes to let water out. Our guides to garden walls and steps in Aberdare and terraced garden design in the Cynon Valley explain how we approach it.
Most jobs begin with a visit. We walk the garden with you, look at access (a terrace with only a rear lane is a very different job from a house with a side drive), and check the ground and the way water moves across it.
After that we put together a free quote that sets out what we propose and why. If the garden is overgrown, a clearance may come first so we can see what is underneath. Once the work starts, we keep you informed as each stage is finished, and we leave the site tidy.
If you are near Dare Valley Country Park or anywhere else in the valley, the same approach applies. You can read what previous customers say on our reviews page, or send us a message to arrange a visit.
Real reviews from homeowners across Aberdare — rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 69 reviews and 10/10 on Checkatrade.
“Had my patio done by the company and could not be happier. Top quality work done and quickly too.”
“I was pleased to find Tony and his lads were absolutely great! Tony responded quickly & was very polite.”
“We were delighted with the work and materials, which were of very high quality. Tony and team helped us.”
Short guides written around Aberdare gardens: terraces, slopes, wet ground and older properties.
Beyond Aberdare, we work across the valleys and the wider South Wales area.
T J Landscapes South Wales
24 Conway Road, Pontypool
Torfaen, NP4 6HL
We cover homes right across South Wales, from Cardiff and the coast up to the valleys and the Brecon Beacons.
Often, yes. It depends on why it is wet. Compacted ground, a clay subsoil or water running off the slope above all need different fixes, from aeration and fresh topsoil to land drains or a gravel trench. We look at the cause first, then suggest the simplest thing that will work.
The main drivers are the size of the area, access (rear lane only, or a side drive), how much the ground slopes, the materials you choose, drainage needs and how much waste has to be removed. We explain all of this in a free quote, and there is more in our guide to what affects the cost of garden landscaping.
We usually suggest slabs with some texture, such as riven sandstone or a textured porcelain, rather than smooth finishes that can get slippery. Just as important is a firm sub-base and a fall that takes water away from the house.
It can be, if it is built properly. Good airflow under the frame, treated joists kept off the soil, and a grooved or composite board all help. Our guide to timber or composite decking for Aberdare gardens compares the two.
Sometimes. Trees can be protected by a tree preservation order, or by being in a conservation area, so check with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council before any major work. It is also wise to avoid cutting while birds are nesting. We will flag anything that looks like it needs checking.
We are based in Torfaen and Aberdare is well within the area we cover, along with the rest of the Cynon Valley. Get in touch and we will arrange a time to come and look at the garden.
Tell us a little about the garden and what you would like to change. Tony will get back to you to talk it through and arrange a free quote.
