Planting & gardens

Plants that suit the spot

The right plant in the right place needs less water, less work and fewer replacements. We choose planting for the sun, shade, wind and soil in each part of your yard.

What we plant

Feature and shade trees

A well-placed tree gives shade, structure and a focal point. We choose trees for their mature size, root habit and distance from the house, pipes and paving, and plant them with room to grow.

Hedging and privacy screens

Screening for privacy from neighbours, hiding fences and softening walls. Lilly pilly, murraya, viburnum and native options all have their place, depending on the height you need, how fast you need it and how much clipping you’re happy to do. Larger advanced plants give a quicker screen.

Native and low-water gardens

Grevilleas, westringia, lomandra, kangaroo paw and other Australian plants that handle Sydney summers with little water, and bring birds and bees into the garden.

Coastal planting

Plants that cope with salt, wind and sandy soil for gardens near the water, from the Northern Beaches to the Eastern Suburbs and the Sutherland Shire.

Garden beds and borders

Mass planting, layered borders and garden beds that frame the lawn and the paving, with year-round structure and seasonal colour.

Soil comes first

Most Sydney soils need help before planting. Heavy clay holds water and starves roots of air, while sandy soil drains so fast it holds nothing. We improve the soil in each bed with quality garden mix and compost, and finish with a good layer of mulch to hold moisture, keep roots cool and keep weeds down.

Planned in layers

Good planting is designed in layers: trees for height and shade, shrubs and hedging for structure and screening, and groundcovers to fill the space and cover the soil. Plants are spaced for their size when grown, not when they’re planted, so the garden fills in without overcrowding. If you’re changing more than the planting, start with landscape design and planning.

Ready to grow

Beds are prepared with improved soil and mulch, and we can run drip irrigation to them so new plants establish without daily hand watering. You get watering instructions for the first months, while the roots get established.

Planting with the rest of the build

On a full project, planting goes in near the end, after the drainage, walls and paving, so the plants aren’t damaged by the rest of the work. Garden beds along retaining walls and paving are planned at the same time, so the levels, edges and irrigation all fit.