Garden Waste: What You Can and Can't Dispose Of

Garden Waste: What You Can and Can't Dispose Of

Spring's arrived and half of North London is staring at an overgrown garden wondering where to start. Before you fill sixty bin bags and realise the council won't take half of it, here's what you need to know about garden waste disposal in London.

What Counts as Garden Waste?

Garden waste (also called green waste) is organic material from your garden. The following all count:

All of this is straightforward to dispose of. We take it to a licensed composting facility where it's turned into compost and soil conditioner. Nothing goes to landfill.

What About Soil and Turf?

This is where it gets slightly more complicated. Soil and turf are technically classed as **inert waste**, not green waste. They're heavier than garden cuttings and need to go to a different type of facility.

We can take soil and turf, but be aware:

If you're not sure, send us a photo and we'll advise.

What About Hard Landscaping Waste?

Garden clearances often involve more than just plants. Here's what else we commonly clear:

We Take These

We Can't Take These

Your Options for Getting Rid of Garden Waste

1. Council Garden Waste Collection

Every London borough offers a garden waste collection service, but the details vary:

The council service is fine for ongoing maintenance — a few bags of cuttings after a weekend in the garden. But for a full clearance (overgrown garden, shed removal, patio ripped up), the volume limits mean it would take months.

2. Take It to the Tip Yourself

Every borough has at least one household waste recycling centre (HWRC). You can take garden waste for free, but:

If you've got a car and a small amount of waste, this is free and straightforward. For anything bigger, it's a lot of trips.

3. Skip Hire

A mini skip (2 yards) costs £220–£280 in London. It'll hold about 20–30 bin bags of garden waste. You load it yourself, and you'll need a road permit if you don't have a driveway.

Skips work for medium-sized garden clearances, but they won't take you far with heavy materials like soil, rubble or paving slabs — the weight fills them up fast.

4. Waste Removal Service (What We Do)

We turn up, clear everything, and take it away. You don't lift a finger. Pricing:

We take everything — green waste, soil, rubble, fencing, decking, sheds, furniture, pots, tools. Same-day or next-day collection available.

For most full garden clearances, this is the fastest and easiest option. And once you factor in the time, fuel and effort of doing multiple tip runs yourself, it's often the cheapest too.

How to Save Money on Garden Waste Disposal

A few things that genuinely help:

1. **Bag up loose green waste** — bagged waste loads faster than loose waste, which means a quicker job and a lower quote

2. **Separate materials** — if you've got a mix of green waste, soil and hard materials, separating them makes disposal easier

3. **Cut down large items** — if you're able to break down a shed frame or cut up fence panels, it saves space on the truck

4. **Be flexible on timing** — if we're already in your area, we may be able to offer a better rate

When's the Best Time to Clear Your Garden?

Most garden clearances happen between March and October, with the biggest spike in spring. If you can book early in the season (March–April), you'll have more availability to choose from.

That said, we do garden clearances year-round. Winter is actually a good time to clear overgrown gardens because the vegetation has died back and it's easier to see what you're working with.

Get a Free Quote

Send us a photo of your garden on WhatsApp and we'll price it up within the hour. We cover Islington, Barnet, Hackney, Haringey and Camden.

Call 07309 718960 or fill in the quote form on this site.

Licensed waste carrier CBU506357. 9.98/10 on Checkatrade. 100+ five-star reviews.