Merthyr Tydfil sits at the head of the Taff valley, right on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons, and its gardens feel it. Rain comes in often and heavily, the wind finds its way up the valley, and a lot of homes are built on steep ground. A garden here has to be planned around water and slope first, and looks second.
That is the way Tony and the team approach work in Merthyr Tydfil. We think about where the rain will go, how the ground will be held, and which surfaces will stay safe underfoot in a wet winter. Then we make it look good. Quotes and advice are free, whether you live in an old terrace on the hillside or on one of the newer estates.
Each of our services, shaped for a town where the ground is steep and the weather is wet.
Trees on a slope can lean, shed limbs in a gale or shade a small garden for most of the day. We prune, crown lift, fell where needed and trim hedges. Read about tree surgery and hedge care.
Steep gardens gather years of rubble, old steps and brambles. We clear them, carry everything down to the road and take the green waste away. See our garden clearance page.
In Merthyr Tydfil a good design starts with drainage and levels, then adds the seating, planting and paths. We plan the whole garden so water runs where you want it. See our landscaping and garden design page.
Smooth, polished slabs can turn slippery in a damp upland winter. We lean towards textured stone and porcelain with a grip, laid with a fall so rain runs off rather than pooling. More on patio slabbing and paving.
Timber that stays wet for weeks will go green and slippery. On Merthyr Tydfil decks we allow good airflow underneath, use grooved or anti-slip boards and suggest composite where shade and damp are a problem. Read about garden decking.
Fences higher up the valley sides take the brunt of the wind. We set posts deep in concrete and choose panels or slatted designs that let some of the wind through. See our fencing and gates page.
Turf in Merthyr Tydfil needs free-draining ground beneath it, so preparation matters more than the grass itself. We improve heavy soil, add topsoil and level carefully before laying. More on turf laying.
Terraced gardens on steep Merthyr Tydfil plots rely on walls to hold the soil back. We build retaining walls with drainage behind them, plus steps, boundary walls and raised beds. See brickwork and garden walls.
Being at the top of the valley and close to the Beacons, Merthyr Tydfil gets more than its share of wet weather. Water runs off the hill above, soaks into heavy ground and has to go somewhere. If a garden has no plan for it, it ends up at the back door, under the patio or sitting on the lawn.
The first question we ask on a visit is simple: where does the water go now, and where should it go? Our guide Designing a Garden for Merthyr Tydfil's Wet Climate looks at planting, surfaces and layout with that in mind.
Planting helps as well. Shrubs and grasses that tolerate wet roots, a rain garden in a low corner, raised beds that drain freely and bark mulch on bare soil all soak up and slow down water. A water butt on the downpipe takes a little pressure off the drains and gives you something for the pots in a dry spell.
Most wet gardens can be put right with one or two of the following, chosen after we have seen how the ground behaves:
We cover these in more depth in Garden Drainage Solutions in Merthyr Tydfil. If you are having new paving laid, Paving That Stays Safe in Wet Merthyr Tydfil Winters is worth reading too.
Practical work for wet, steep gardens, with honest advice before any digging starts.
We look at where rain comes from and where it will go before we suggest a single slab, so the finished garden stays dry and safe.
Terraces, steps and retaining walls are everyday work in the valleys. We plan how materials get up and down a slope as well as how it will look.
We visit, walk the garden with you and explain what will make the most difference. There is no charge for the quote.
We are rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google and 10 out of 10 on Checkatrade. See our reviews for what people say.
Many Merthyr Tydfil terraces were built along steep ground, and the gardens behind them climb or drop sharply. A slope like that is hard to mow, hard to sit on and easy to slip on. Cutting it into terraces turns it into a series of small, flat, usable spaces. Plenty of these streets date from the town's days as the iron capital of Wales, so rear access can be narrow and everything may need carrying through by hand.
Each level is held by a retaining wall or sleepers, linked by steps, and drained so water does not collect at the foot of every wall. A lower terrace might become a patio, the middle a small lawn or raised beds, and the top a sheltered seat with a view down the valley.
Terracing moves a lot of soil and the walls have to be strong enough for what they hold, so it needs careful planning. For a larger or higher retaining wall, or one near a house or boundary, it is sensible to check with the council and get engineering advice first. Our Terracing a Steep Merthyr Tydfil Garden and Retaining and Boundary Walls in Merthyr Tydfil explain more.
Some of the newer estates around the town sit on gentler ground, but they share the same wet climate. Lawns laid on compacted ground at handover struggle, and thin fences take a battering in the wind.
We often start these gardens by improving the soil and relaying turf properly, then add a patio with a good fall and sturdier fencing. Strong Fencing for Windy Merthyr Tydfil Gardens explains which fences cope best higher up.
Real reviews from homeowners across Merthyr Tydfil — 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.”
Guides on drainage, terracing, paving and fencing for a wet upland town.
Merthyr Tydfil is one of the valley towns we cover. We also work across Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Monmouthshire and the coast.
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.
First we find out why. It may be run-off from higher ground, compacted soil or a surface with no fall. The answer might be a french drain, better soil, a change of levels or a mix. Our home guide on stopping a garden waterlogging gives an overview.
Textured natural stone, riven slabs and anti-slip porcelain are good choices. Laying them with a proper fall matters as much as the slab, so water does not sit on the surface.
Usually, yes, if you want to use the space. Terracing turns a slope you avoid into flat areas for sitting, growing or play. It is a bigger job, so we will talk through the options, including sleepers and fewer, wider levels.
Steepness and access make the biggest difference here, followed by drainage, the amount of soil to move, the materials and how much waste has to go. We explain it all in a free quote.
Autumn and spring are normally best, when the ground is moist but not waterlogged. We avoid laying on sodden or frozen ground. Read Laying Turf in Merthyr Tydfil for more.
Fill in the form below or call or message Tony, and we will arrange a time to come and see the garden.
Tell us about your garden and what the weather is doing to it. A photo of the slope or the wet patch helps.
