Free Garden Survey & Soil Report for Broadstone, Dorset (BH18)

A no-obligation garden visit with free soil testing, a detailed Garden & Soil Report and a free hedgehog detection tunnel.

The survey is available to Broadstone (BH18) residents as part of free Hortimate membership. There is no subscription, contract or obligation to use our services.

What your Garden & Soil Survey includes

• We map and assess your garden. We walk the garden with you, identifying its main features, planting areas and any concerns or problem areas. We mark key features and planting on a satellite map of your garden, including the areas we assess and the locations of soil samples.

• We test your soil at up to four locations. At each location we measure pH, moisture, soil temperature and NPK levels, and assess both the topsoil and subsoil to identify soil type. The results are included in your Garden & Soil Report, with recommendations for soil improvement and suggestions for plants suited to the soil and conditions in each area.

• You receive a detailed Garden & Soil Report. Your report includes a marked-up satellite map showing key garden features, planting and soil sampling locations, together with your survey results and recommendations. We assess the aspect and light conditions of different areas, identify soil improvement opportunities and suggest plant types suited to the soil, light and conditions in each area of your garden.

We can provide a hedgehog detection tunnel. If you'd like one, we'll provide a tunnel with inked tracking pads and a small sample of Brambles Hedgehog Food to help attract visiting hedgehogs. You can keep the tunnel, or we'll collect it afterwards for reuse. If you don't want a tunnel, that's absolutely fine.

How to book your free survey

The easiest way to arrange your free survey is to call us. We'll arrange your Hortimate membership and find a convenient appointment for you.

Prefer to book online? Click Book your free garden survey below. You'll first confirm that you live in our BH18 service area, then join Hortimate free and choose a convenient date and time through our online booking system.

Why do we offer the survey free?

Trust matters when you're looking after someone's garden. Your garden is precious to you, and we understand that it can take time to feel comfortable letting someone you don't know look after it.

The Garden & Soil Survey gives us the opportunity to get to know your garden, while giving you the opportunity to get to know us. You can see how we work, discuss what matters to you and decide whether you feel confident using Hortimate.

That's particularly important for some of our services such as Slug and Snail collection, where we may visit your garden at night while you're asleep, and Holiday Garden Watering, where we may look after your garden while you're away on holiday.

Trust and confidence are earned. We believe we should give something useful first, rather than asking you to trust us before you've had the chance to get to know us. That's why the Garden & Soil Survey and Garden & Soil Report are free, with no obligation to use any of our services afterwards.