GARDEN DESIGN
Melbourne Garden Design
Garden Design for Your Home, Business or Public Space
Embrace the uniqueness of both you and your site, as your garden design becomes a personalised masterpiece. Collaboratively, we’ll transform your outdoor space, ensuring it’s not only practical but also a manifestation of the vision you wish to achieve.
Whether your current garden is a blank canvas or you envision a complete transformation, trust in our design expertise and practical knowledge. We work seamlessly to understand your ideals and preferences, translating them into a garden that harmoniously blends aesthetics and functionality. Our landscaping team then constructs the design and brings it to life.
Melbourne Garden Design
Why choose Living Senses for Garden Design
Experience
Decades of combined designed experience and landscaping.
Eco-Friendly
Conscious design to ensure garden elements and plantings are environmentally appropriate.
Qualified Designers
Designers trained by some of Australia leading educators at the prestigious Burnley Horticultural School.
Local Knowledge
Excellent relationship with local suppliers, craftsmen and contractors.
Sensory Gardens
Attention to detail and client specific needs. Be it a personal dream, special needs or educational space.
Any Size Garden
We work with people in units, townhouses, urban blocks, acreage or public spaces
Proven Process
A client focused process that have proven its worth over many years and even more projects.
Landscape Construction
Complete execution of designs or direct to landscaping where applicable.
Garden Design Projects
Living Senses uses the best of technology to create a site plan but maintains the soft touch by completing all designs by hand.
Melbourne Garden Design
Our Garden Design Process
1
Free 30 minute ‘Meet & Greet’
Contact us via phone or email to arrange a ‘Meet & Greet’, free of charge, free of obligation! Kate or a design team member, will come to your house. Together we’ll walk through your garden and discuss the options and cost implications. A detailed quotation will be sent to you per email. Expect this free consultation to last 30 minutes.
2
Site survey
When we begin a design, we not only look but also ‘feel’ the site. All sites have a ‘power spot’; a place that seems a little more interesting than anywhere else. Light fall, views, natural enclosures, noise or privacy issues, garden features, existing trees and plants are all elements which help form the initial design ideas. We also take photos and measure up the site, so we can draw up a baseplan for further work.
3
Garden consultation
Finally, an allrounder to answer all your garden questions! A designer, landscaper, horticulturist and teacher in one. Ask all you like to know. You can expect practical advice and even demonstrations on how make the most of your plants and garden. Garden consultations are provided in your own garden and go for around 1.5 hours. If you decide to move ahead with our design and/or landscaping service, we’ll refund the $250 consultation fee.
4
Design brief meeting
What styles, plants, colours and materials do you love? Is low-maintenance important to you? Do you like lush and green plantings or maybe flowers in all seasons? What about a garden for growing veggies, attracting birds or a private sanctuary… or maybe all of the above? Your options and practical implications will be discovered in this design brief meeting.
5
Soil analysis & report
After we’ve taken measurements of the house, mature trees, paths etc., we will test the soil in several places. Healthy soil is very important for good plant growth. A soil report will give you practical advice and insight on how to improve the soil.
6
Concept designs
At Living Senses Design, all masterplan designs come with a minimum of two concept designs. You will also receive a mood board to help you visualise the ideas. Both designs are unique from each other. Do you like ideas of both designs? No worries, we’ll put them together in a creative way to make sure you love it all!
If you choose the ‘Concept Design’ service, you’ll receive one sketch design and mood board.
7
Masterplan design
The final design is produced when the concept is approved. This full set of computer drawings tells you all you need to know about your new garden design. Hand coloured drawings, images, elevation views and much more! Construction drawings, planting plans and booklets and planting notes are also included in the set. Lighting and irrigation plans are optional.
8
Planting plan & booklet
Many clients know which plants and colours excite them but are not sure how to make them look good together. Every masterplan design comes with a full planting design. Form, shape, texture, seasonal colours and water & sunlight needs are all taken into account. As a bonus, you will receive a free booklet with illustrations of all the plants, their specifications and maintenance notes.
Do you have an existing garden and only need plant suggestions? We can do that too! Contact us directly to book a free meeting and ask for a planting design.
9
Construction drawings
Special features like decking, stone walls, fences etc. can be tricky to build. That’s why our designs come with detailed, technical drawings to inform the landscaper. It has also proven especially useful for owners who build their garden themselves. We can recommend you the best stores and can provide laminated plans so you can work in all weather!
10
Site preparation, lighting design and irrigation plan
A set of three extra drawings to complete your masterplan design.
‘Site preparation’ has clear descriptions to show what work is required before the new garden can be built. This allows landscapers to quote your job more accurately.
Enjoy your garden after dark with garden lighting! It’s easy to install and some systems can be controlled via Bluetooth. Our ‘Lighting designs’ are easy to read and tell you which light features to place where.
The ‘Irrigation plan’ shows you where to position the irrigation pipes, taps, rainwater tank etc. Start saving time, money and the environment.
Testimonials
Clients' Testimonials
Don’t take it from us, hear from our many satisfied customers.
Hi Kate, the Hardenbergia is flowering and it looks spectacular! I love the flowers and the plants are really thriving. Thank you for your wonderful work!
- Fehmida / Croydon North
It was such a pleasurable experience and Kate's knowledge and passion was outstanding. I would highly recommend Living Senses not only for their professionalism but there personal approach and design know how!
- Olga / Wonga Park
Congratulations to Kate and her team, the stone seat looks absolutely fabulous. Stunning design and beautifully executed. Well done, thanks so much!
- Watts family / North Warrandyte
Contact living senses for garden design, landscaping, training and workshops, and commercial projects.
We endeavour to respond in a timely manner. However, some landscaping tasks are all hands on deck so if we do not repsond within 24hrs, do not worry, it is only because we have committed to an existing project and do not wish to let our clients down. We always try to respond with 24-48 hours.
Melbourne Garden Design
Frequently Asked Questions About Garden Design
We design gardens that you love and mean something to you! You are unique and your design will reflect this. Gardens can give great joy and even have a healing effect when designed thoughtfully. We take pride in designing gardens that become mindful outdoor spaces, healing gardens or even therapeutic landscapes. See our Portfolio for some of our projects.
Therapeutic, healing or inspirational gardens are outdoor spaces that are designed especially for people with needs. These needs can be emotional, physical and/or mental. Hospital gardens are perhaps the best known ‘healing gardens’. However, residential gardens and public spaces can be designed to offer a place of solace and healing too.
Scientific research by Roger Ulrich and others has proven that green spaces positively influences the healing and recovery process. With rising levels of depression, anxiety, dementia, autism, the need to connect to nature is greater than ever before!
At Living Senses we believe in and promote the healing effect of gardens and nature in general.
If you would like to learn more about healing gardens and our Eco-Therapy services, sign up for our Workshops!
As qualified designers, we have experience in what works, what has the most visual impact, and what will be easiest to maintain. We have experience in designing different styles of gardens, from cottage, urban lush, productive, perennial, therapeutic, formal gardens etc. All designs are made in close collaboration with you, making sure you’ll love it! With our landscaping experience your new garden will also be achievable for DIY build, your budget, climate and soil conditions.
Due to the nature of the different projects, landscapers often don’t have the time or design background to sit down with you for a number of times. We believe it’s important that you are getting exactly what you want.
A masterplan design enables you to compare quotes from landscapers on exactly the same thing. Quite often landscapers prefer to work from these pre-designed plans and offer you better deal!
Yes, absolutely! It gives you the chance to meet the designer and discuss your ideas with an expert.
This ‘Meet & Greet’ is free of charge with no obligation. It usually takes 30 minutes. Weekdays and weekends in daylight hours are available. Contact us via phone or email to book a time for your ‘Meet & Greet’.
You can also opt in for a Garden Consultation. For a fee of $250 Kate, the owner will come to you for approx. 1.5 hours. As an experienced horticulturist, designer and landscaper, she’ll share invaluable tips and tricks to make your garden flourish. The consultation fee will be deducted if you decide to move ahead with our design and/or landscaping services.
Throughout the years we’ve designed spaces ranging from small courtyards up to large country gardens. We have worked on both residential gardens and public spaces that our clients treasure.
We believe that every garden can be made special and meaningful. A small space can make a big impact and look larger if designed well. A large garden can be divided into smaller ‘garden rooms’ for intimacy. We’re here to assist you no matter the size of your garden!
Design costs may vary due to the complexity of your site (e.g. slope, existing plants and features). However, different price ranges are available for the service packs on offer, such as planting suggestions for existing garden beds up to to full masterplan designs. This allows you to choose a service that suits your needs and budget.
Our clients have saved a lot of money by us sourcing plants and materials at wholesale prices (usually 25-50% cheaper than Bunnings Garden Centre and other major retailers). You can also use your garden design to get competitive and comparable quotes from landscape contractors.
Have you ever had plants die after you put them in the ground? With a professional site & soil analysis and planting plan, any future investment in plants won’t go to waste!
You can expect an open and transparent approach from us. Our aim is to make the process work for you and your budget. We support and look after our locals, pensioners and community organisations. Clients who provide house plans get a discount too.
Don’t hesitate to contact us today on 0437 138 219 to book in your free 30 min ‘Meet & Greet’ meeting!
Of course! We’re available 6 days a week, most days of the year. We often meet clients on weekends or after work hours. The 30 min free ‘Meet & Greet’ and site survey are best booked in daylight.
Contact us on 0437138219 for more information
The majority of our projects are located around the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. But we have also completed projects in Caulfield, Hawthorn, Sandringham, Mornington Peninsula and Apollo Bay (Great Ocean Road)
Please leave your details on the Contact page and we’ll contact you asap.