Award-winning since the 1990s
Bespoke landscape architecture, design and construction for Melbourne's north-east — including the steep sites generalists won't quote.
The Challenge
Melbourne's north-east is beautiful terrain — and some of the most demanding residential ground in Australia. These are the problems we've built 30 years of practice around solving.
Steep gradients in Warrandyte, Eltham and Diamond Creek require cut and fill engineering, tiered retaining and drainage logic — not a planting plan and some gravel. Most firms walk away. We take the job.
Poor drainage on steep sites creates wet patches in winter, erosion in summer and hydrostatic pressure that destroys retaining walls within years. Getting drainage right from the design stage prevents all of it.
A garden that doesn't flow from the house — no covered transition, no sight-line continuity, no privacy — is a missed opportunity at every level of a premium home. We design inside-out, from the first conversation.
When the designer, the builder and the council-permit consultant are three different firms, design intent erodes at every handoff. Our integrated studio — one team from concept to handover — keeps it intact.
The Vision
"Every plot of land has a story. Our work amplifies that narrative through innovative, organic design."
A garden is more than its plants. It is an extension of the home and the architecture it surrounds. Our sage-led approach brings a grounding calmness to every project, on flat blocks and steep ones alike.
The Process
From the first charcoal sketch to the final stone placement, our process is meticulous and collaborative.
We blend traditional craftsmanship with high-tech visualisation so every detail is settled before the first spade hits the ground. The build team and the design team are the same team — design fidelity is preserved end to end.
What We Build
End-to-end design and build for steep, difficult and sloping residential blocks across Melbourne's north-east.
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Premium pool surrounds, coping, fencing and integrated poolside gardens — including pools on steep blocks.
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Engineered retaining walls in bluestone, natural stone, concrete sleeper and rendered masonry.
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Premium paving and driveway construction in bluestone, sandstone, exposed aggregate and gravel.
View Work arrow_right_altWhy Choose Us
Geotechnical-aware design, tiered retaining, ag-line drainage, switchback driveways. The work generalist landscapers won't quote.
One studio handles concept, council permits, build supervision and handover, so design intent survives every contract drawing and every load of material.
Westringia, Correa, Lomandra, Eucalyptus and Banksia palettes that suit Melbourne's climate and read formal or naturalistic as the brief calls for.
Banyule, Nillumbik and Manningham permits, BMO defendable-space planning and AS1926.1 pool barrier compliance — handled by us.
Multiple Landscaping Victoria industry awards. Featured in Australia's Best Gardens and Outdoor Design & Living. A historical MIFGS Gold Medal.
We've worked the steep blocks, the heritage gardens and the acreage estates of this region since the 1990s. The portfolio speaks for itself.
How We Work
Paid on-site consultation. We walk the block, take measurements, listen to the brief and read the slope.
2D concept showing zones, hardscape, planting and circulation. Sketches and renders where they help.
Construction drawings, planting plans and council submissions. Engineering coordination where required.
In-house build supervision, hardscape and planting installation, walkthrough and handover.
Portfolio
Testimonials
"David and his team transformed our impossibly steep block in Eltham into three terraced garden rooms with bluestone walls and a pool. Engineering, council permits, planting — they handled all of it without losing the design intent."
"We engaged David Claude after another landscaper walked away from our Warrandyte block. The drainage and retaining work was meticulous, and the native planting palette has matured beautifully through three summers."
"The pool surround is genuinely stunning. Frameless glass, honed bluestone coping, salt-tolerant planting — and it passed AS1926.1 first inspection."
Service Areas
From our base in Greensborough we serve the Shire of Nillumbik, the City of Banyule and the City of Manningham — spanning Eltham, Diamond Creek, Warrandyte, Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Templestowe and the surrounding suburbs.
Got Questions?
Design fees are project-based and staged across consultation, concept plan and construction documentation — typically 5–12% of the construction value depending on complexity. Fees are billed against milestones, not hourly.
Yes — steep, sloping and difficult sites are our specialty. After 30+ years of work in Eltham, Warrandyte and Diamond Creek, we coordinate the geotechnical, retaining, drainage and council permits other firms decline.
Yes. We provide an integrated design + construction service — one team manages concept, council permits, build supervision and handover, so design fidelity is preserved across the build.
Yes — we routinely design BMO-compliant landscapes for Warrandyte (Manningham) and bushland Eltham (Nillumbik), including defendable-space rings, fire-resistant planting palettes and hardscape buffers.
Yes. Hard construction (retaining, paving, decking, drainage) is covered for structural defects. Plantings carry an establishment guarantee subject to the agreed maintenance schedule. Specifics are in your contract.
Yes. We design pool surrounds to AS1926.1 — coping, planting and structures all sit outside non-climbable zones, and we coordinate with a registered pool-safety inspector for the certificate of compliance.