A step-by-step guide to new build landscaping   

Ricky D'Alesio

Senior Designer

Extend the elegance and style of your home to the garden! Here’s How

A beautifully designed garden does more than just soften the exterior of your home – it creates a lovely spot to entertain or relax, for your kids and pets to play, and for the whole family to enjoy an indoor-outdoor lifestyle.

But if you’re designing your front and back yards from scratch, it can be challenging to know where to start. To help make the process easier, here are some practical landscaping tips on how to choose the right plants and layout, and what to consider when planning your outdoor spaces.

Assess your climate and site 

The first things to consider for your landscaping project are your climate, the slope of your site and your soil type. Seek advice from a local garden centre about which plants will thrive in your backyard and offer the look and maintenance characteristics that suit you.

Consider who will use your garden

Dream landscaping ideas are great to have. But it’s also important to be practical. Do you have young children and need open space for them to play? Are you looking to add a treehouse or trampoline? Will you want to dine outdoors and therefore need a flat area for a table and chairs? Do you have a young, playful pup and require extra-hardy plants? Answering these questions will help you plan the dream garden to suit your needs and steer you towards the right plants.

Think about upkeep

Consider how much garden maintenance you’re prepared to do for your landscape design. If you prefer to spend your weekends relaxing rather than tending to the garden, opt for elements such as synthetic grass and paving paired with low-maintenance garden plants and decorative screens, so your garden looks great (and is ready for guests) without a lot of upkeep.

If you only have a small lawn area, you may be able to use zero-maintenance synthetic grass. But it must be allowed by the developer and installed correctly with a crushed-rock base and white sand raked into it to help it stay in position. If in doubt, check with your developer.

Pick a theme 

Committing to an overall style for your garden can help unify the space and will guide your plant and material selections while generating landscaping ideas. Design themes can be as simple as using consistent shapes or forms throughout your yard or as complex as creating a Japanese relaxation garden or a Palm Springs-inspired garden.

Work with the design of your home

Unsure how to pick a garden theme? Your home’s architecture is a great place to look for cues. Aim to complement the lines, colours and style of your facade with your landscaping so that your garden feels like a natural extension of your home.

Give your outdoor areas the same attention as your indoor ones

To get the most out of your garden, think of it as another room of your home. Just as a house has well-defined and carefully planned spaces, so should your outdoor area.

Ensure the space caters to all your outdoor activities, from shading above your entertaining area and access to plumbing and electrics if you wish to install an outdoor kitchen to paved areas where you can set up a comfortable outdoor sofa and armchairs.

Focus on plant scale and position

Getting the scale and pacing of your planting right will give your front and back gardens a pulled-together look.

Create a backdrop to your landscaping, and boost privacy, with trees, fencing or decorative screening. Ensure the colours and patterns harmonise with your home’s facade and the surrounding planting.

For an aesthetically pleasing look, put taller plants behind smaller ones to create layers. 

From there, plan your lower-level planting; consider how smaller plants will be grouped and arranged, and how and where you will use groundcovers and hardscaping such as paving and decking.

When it comes to plant positioning, think long-term; there should be enough room between the plants to accommodate their mature size and form a healthy garden.

Don’t forget the details 

Any well-designed garden will have a focal point or a series of focal points that are easily viewed from inside or from your outdoor living space. Not only does it give your eye somewhere to naturally fall, but it allows you to highlight a particular area of your yard. This could be anything from a water feature or a decorative planter to a feature tree.