Category Archives: Guide

It seems you’re prepared to address that outdoor space. Good on you! You may have been looking at that sad lawn for years, or you just bought a place with a war-torn garden.

Whatever brought you to this point, there’s no reason a landscape renovation needs to be the chaotic mess most people think it is.

Here’s the key – where most homeowners get it wrong is diving straight in without thinking it through properly. I have seen it again and again.

Someone gets an urge for a new garden, hires the first landscaper who arrives the next morning, and three months later, they cannot understand why their new garden does not match their expectations. Or even worse, what’s causing it to fall apart now?

Let’s discuss how to genuinely prepare for a landscape makeover so your eyes don’t grow bigger than your garden.

Listen, I’m going to be honest with you. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have given sustainable landscaping a second thought. Did you realise that gardens were gardens? However, you were likely aware that this trend was approaching. The thing is, Australia’s weather isn’t becoming any friendlier.

We all know what happens in drought years. Water restrictions are implemented, the lawn begins to appear straw-like, and what about that stunning cottage garden for which you spent thousands? Indeed, it’s all but destroyed.

The great news is, of course, that sustainable landscaping in Australia doesn’t equate to beauty compromised for practicality.

Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Work with our conditions rather than constantly struggling against them, and you will come up with gardens that look better, are cheaper to maintain, and don’t make you feel guilty every time you turn on the tap.

Most people would be surprised to learn that it is unseen background work that often determines the success or failure of a garden.

I have seen too many cases, both as a garden designer and through my general experience in Australia, where people spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on hardscaping and beautiful plants. Yet all fails because they never measured the soil before planting.

The subject of soil testing for landscapes isn’t particularly glamorous. Let’s be honest, it’s not as appealing as designing an outdoor kitchen or selecting water features. But if you want consistent results that meet your expectations, this is the process to start. This procedure should be your first step.