FAQ

Every garden is different, based on the natural attributes of your parcel of land, and ideas that look good in magazines or online can be expensive and/or difficult to construct on your average suburban block.

If you are not engaging the services of a landscape designer and are doing it yourself, it is important to start with a wholistic & high level appreciation of all of the options you have- each of which have design, practicality & budget implications.

Design ideas that work in a courtyard, may not have the same effect in a large garden.

They may also be cost prohibitive on a large scale.

Large gardens will often need lower cost open spaces like lawns to be cost effective.

More square metres generally equates to a higher budget.

A theme is important to underpin a landscape project, as it will inform material choices and the style of your landscape project.  So you need to look at your property and draw inspiration from what is already there.  

For example, how modern the house is or the colour of a brick or garage door could act as a starting point for a series of other choices in terms of fencing, garden edging and plants.

A parcel of land with natural slopes creates opportunities to use height, but this can get expensive retaining soil with foundations to avoid slippage.

Conversely, a flat garden needs thought to avoid it remaining “flat” from a design perspective.

Options vary, but sometimes the simple addition of pots or seating can create focal points and visual interest without expensive construction. Other options can get expensive, but make a big impact in the garden.

Smart thinking can sometimes combine the practical & the feature- for example a seat designed into a raised garden.

Items often left off landscape planning are such things as storage sheds, clotheslines, irrigation systems, and lighting.

Thinking of these things early in the project is important, as whilst they are added expenses they also impact the way that you live in the space.

Choices that support low maintenance can make a big difference in the time it takes to maintain the garden.  Consider:

• An edge to mow to;
• No grass at all;
• Green in garden beds, rather than lawn;
• Synthetic Turf;
• Drought tolerant plants;
• Use of mulch.

Like any building project, more space and more materials generally equals more cost.

So there is really no one size fits all budget.

The level of “construction” required will drive up your budget.  Consider:

• Gravel paths are less expensive than paving/concrete.
• Height generally adds cost (sloping blocks needing leveling for example).
• Synthetic Turf is more expensive than real turf (and seed is cheaper again).
• Such things as waste removal and underground rock breaking can be very expensive (and unseen) parts of a project.

Ideally, before coming to us you should have:

• A sketch of the area(s) in question and some measurements;
• In the sketch, indicate what each area might be- lawn, seating, pave area, step stones etc etc;
• Collate some pictures/designs that show the subtleties of what style you are looking for;
• Be realistic on budget for what you are asking- extra space = extra materials = extra budget requirement

We work right across Melbourne and Regional Victoria, but on a case by case basis depending on workload.