Oakdene Landscapes: Laying the ground.

02/09/2023

Looking to turn your garden or driveway into a thing of beauty?

Then Joseph Filgate, a landscape gardener in Reigate, is ready to help. Along with his team at Oakdene Landscapes, he designs and builds stunning outdoor spaces for homes in the Surrey Hills, from patios, retaining walls and decking, to fencing, drives and pergolas.

Joseph started the company in 2020 and, despite Covid, Oakdene Landscapes has gone from strength to strength. He’s taken on all sorts of projects, big and small, and has no regrets about starting out on his own.

“I love running my own company, being outdoors, meeting clients and – as a dog lover – meeting their dogs too!”

But his greatest satisfaction comes from transforming any size or shape of garden into something that everyone can enjoy and appreciate.

From language to landscapes

Joseph originally had other career plans – to become an English teacher. But a love of nature and the desire to be his own boss drew him first into the building trade, then landscape gardening, and finally, when a golden opportunity arose, to start Oakdene Landscapes.

“I did give teaching a go,” he says, “but every holiday I’d pick up work on building sites. So eventually I trained properly as an electrician and general builder. That’s when I began to oversee outside parts of the build – and realised I really enjoyed it.”

With his training, Joseph could now design, project manage, and build outdoor spaces for any size home, but it was still a side hustle to his teaching. Then he scooped a big landscaping project that needed full-time commitment, and he knew he’d reached a crossroads.

“I realised I wanted the freedom of working for myself and being able to design and manage a project from start to finish”. And so, with the help of a best friend, Oakdene Landscapes was born.

Family man and countryside fan

When he’s not creating gorgeous gardens, or shoring up retaining walls to keep you safe, Joseph is a keen football player, with a busy social and family life. He was born in Kingston upon Thames, moved to Brockham as a boy, and recently moved to Beare Green.

‘‘Between my little family – my daughter, dog and missus – I manage to juggle a healthy work-life balance. Key to that is the vast countryside and the walkability. I can walk my Labrador to Leith Hill, and the pubs, very easily. It makes it a very sociable place.”

So if you’re looking for a landscape gardener in Reigate, what more could you want than a fan of the great outdoors? Whether your dream is a family-friendly garden for you and the kids to enjoy, a designer oasis that’s a sanctuary of calm, or a smart new driveway for a true sense of arrival, Joseph and his team are ready for the challenge, however great or small.