The basics of garden design and landscaping

For many new Stockland residents, creating a garden is a key part of the dream home experience. We’ve got some landscaping ideas to help you make the most of it. 

The importance of landscaping

Landscaping can add an extra dimension to your home. As well as the garden being a place for the kids to play, it’s also somewhere you can let your creative side shine. 

Whether you want to highlight an entry or pathway, create an area for outdoor entertaining, plant trees for impact or bring colour to your community by having flowers everywhere, landscaping will let you do that – and more. 

Top tips for landscaping

1. Before you start, choose the theme you want for your garden and stick to it. You could have different themes in different areas (like the front and back yards), but they need to work together. 
   
2. Roughly sketch out where you want the different components (such as the use of edges and borders or raised garden beds) to go. 
   
3. Review your plans to ensure the elements are nicely balanced and work well together. 
   
4. Cost out your plans and revise if necessary, to ensure you stick to your budget. 
   
5. Know how tall your plants will grow before you plant – or you may spend several weekends up a ladder! 
   
6. Keep it simple – when it comes to garden design, less is often best! 

General landscaping ideas

A classic, minimalist garden looks great and can work well even if you’re landscaping on a budget. 

Pavers, pebbles, stone, wooden accents, sculptures, water features and grass are just some of the materials you can utilise within your garden, depending on the space you have to work with.

For smaller areas with minimal grass, make the most of the available space by placing sculptures in amongst plants and flowers to enhance the feel of your garden, without taking up too much room. 

Adding pavers, either as a walkway through your garden or from your back door to a tranquil seating area can really bring together the overall vibe of your garden.

Low-maintenance garden ideas

Having a low-maintenance or self-sufficient garden is very popular. It’s particularly good if you don’t have the time to look after a yard or simply don’t want to worry about it. Our top tips are: 

1. Use Australian native plants. They are equipped to handle the local conditions and rarely need pampering.
2. Keeping lawn areas to a minimum. This not only makes much less work for you, but also requires less water. 
3. Consider a  contemporary style. This gives a clean and minimal look,  and  requires far less effort than a cottage-style garden. 
4. Aim for a seamless indoor-outdoor connection with no changes to levels. The easier it is to get outside, the more your backyard will feel like another room in the house. 
5. Add climbing plants. They look great, provide added lushness and are easy to maintain.

The last word

By developing and sticking to a clear plan, landscaping can create an outdoor oasis for any budget.