£600k garden design business has BIG lead quality issue

Sam from Consilium Hortus is building a business that’s designed to last – both creatively and commercially.

Based in Essex, the company focuses on luxury garden design, transforming spaces into lifestyle-driven outdoor areas. With five years under his belt, Sam now wants to scale up – fewer but bigger projects, a stronger in-house team, and a brand that can one day be passed down to his children. The challenge? Generating better-quality leads and converting them efficiently, while keeping the brand’s personal touch intact.

Core business model

• Main Service: High-end garden design and landscaping
• Location: Based in Essex, operating across the Southeast
• Project Value: Up to £120,000+ for flagship builds
• Seasonality: Strongest demand from March to July

Approach to marketing

• Exhibits at Grand Designs Live each year with bespoke, pre-built displays
• Strong organic presence on Instagram and LinkedIn
• Monthly professional photo and video shoots to fuel content
• Face-to-camera videos by Sam build trust and recognition
• Client testimonials and CGI walkthroughs used in Meta Ads
• Previous exposure at RHS Hampton Court adds credibility
• Word of mouth and referrals continue to generate warm leads

Standout initiative

• CGI design walkthroughs are currently the best-performing Meta Ads
• Allows prospective clients to visualise complex, high-end builds
• Positions the brand as forward-thinking and polished
• Opportunity to evolve into fuller project case studies and video storytelling
• Helps qualify higher-intent leads by showing aspirational results upfront

Current marketing investment

• £3,000–£4,000/month in total
• £80/day active spend on Meta Ads
• Google Ads previously trialled at £30/day but paused
• Annual budget includes events, photography, videography, and freelance support
• Digital mix currently leans heavily toward Meta; organic content fills the gaps

Digital marketing opportunities

• Document full project timelines, from first consultation to completion
• Create short-form reels and long-form YouTube content per project
• Reintroduce Google Ads with a tightly geo-targeted approach
• Add more personalisation to the website (founder presence, team, reviews)
• Hand-deliver high-quality brochures in key postcode areas
• Include referral incentives when contacting past clients
• Audit all digital links – some current social links are broken

Growth strategy focus areas

• Hyper-local brand positioning in affluent areas of Essex and Suffolk
• Emphasise storytelling and personality to build trust and conversion
• Prioritise quality of leads over quantity
• Use project installs as springboards for print outreach and referrals
• Build authority by being visible across both digital and physical spaces

Summary

Consilium Hortus is well-positioned to grow, with a strong brand identity and a portfolio of standout work. The next stage is about consistency – refining how they tell their story, improving lead qualification, and maximising the impact of each project through content, ads, and client referrals. By combining Sam’s authentic, personal approach with a structured digital strategy and thoughtful offline outreach, the business can scale sustainably while staying true to its roots.

___

👋 Never miss an update. Sign up to T.E.A Break, our weekly newsletter.

👉 See our case studies to discover how we grow brands online.

👉 Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

👉 Follow our Grow with Evergreen podcast on Spotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts.

👉 Download our new Home and Garden sector paid media report