Garden makeovers and renovations in Perth: before and after

A garden renovation in Perth is mostly about what sits under the surface: sandy soil, the watering roster and where the water actually goes. This post shows the before and after pairs from our garden renovation Perth jobs, explains what the pairs do and do not show, and sets out the soil, planting and watering steps Water Corporation recommends for a waterwise renovation. Where we do not have a source for a detail, we say so.

Before and after pairs from our residential jobs

Our residential landscaping page shows before and after pairs as sliders. The page does not name the suburbs or describe the changes in each pair, so we show the ones in this post as Perth homes.

Our Work also shows a backyard clean-up before and after, and a large pond job before, during and after. You can see our landscaping projects for the full set.

Custom garden makeovers: what a renovation can include

A renovation is not only new plants. A coastal Perth makeover featured by Complete Home, designed by Kerri Russell Garden Design, shows the range of work a renovation can cover. The old garage was replaced with a small shed beside the house, a new pergola and deck were added, and limestone walls and steps now divide the two levels and double as seating. The owners also installed an irrigation system, and the plant list leans toward water-wise choices such as Magnolia ‘Little Gem’, Dianella ‘Little Jess’, yuccas, agaves and Viburnum odoratissimum.

That makeover is a third-party project. Here is one of our own pairs for comparison: a sloping Perth garden before and after, now with stone-filled steps.

The Complete Home article says the project took longer than the owners expected, and that the garden was not expected to fully take off until the following spring. Plan for a season, not a weekend.

Another Perth makeover, profiled by Homebeautiful in August 2023, shows the same principle from the planting side. The designers prepared rich, well-irrigated soil before planting, chose trees that would not need much maintenance and used fairly advanced trees for an instant effect. The soil came first, and the planting followed.

Start with the soil

Water Corporation’s guidance on sandy soils is specific. For sandy, water-repellent soil, mix bentonite clay and organic compost or soil-wetting agents into the top layer, then water in the wetting agents until they foam. Clay soil needs organic matter and gypsum to improve drainage and aeration. Stony soil needs the large rocks removed first.

Old turf comes out too. Water Corporation says to remove the turf and topsoil to a minimum depth of 150 mm, and to do the work at the end of winter or the start of spring. Soil preparation is a separate job, done in autumn or spring, and it covers clearing weeds and debris, aerating compacted areas and testing soil pH.

Plan the planting before you buy

Choose the trees first, then the shrubs. Space each plant by its mature size, so a plant that grows one metre wide goes one metre apart. Dig each hole at least twice the diameter of the pot, and set the root ball level with the surface or slightly below it, so the surface forms a bowl that keeps water near the roots.

Water Corporation asks for a mulch layer of at least 50 mm of organic mulch, kept 50 mm away from stems and up to 500 mm from tree trunks.

What to check in a renovation quote

A quote that lists only “garden renovation” tells you very little. Water Corporation’s steps give you a checklist to compare quotes against:

• Turf and topsoil removal, with the depth stated (Water Corporation’s minimum is 150 mm).
• Soil preparation for your soil type: bentonite and compost or wetting agents for sand, organic matter and gypsum for clay, and rock removal for stony ground.
• Mulch: the depth stated, and whether it is at least 50 mm and kept clear of stems.
• Planting by mature size, with the spacing written down, and trees listed before shrubs.
• The watering plan, including the establishment period and when irrigation goes back on the roster.

If a quote skips any of these, ask why before you sign. See our landscaping projects for the kind of finished work to expect, and we are happy to walk through a quote line by line.

Water the renovation, then the lawn

Water Corporation’s guidance for a typical suburban block is two watering days a week in summer and once a week in spring and autumn. A new garden may qualify for a watering exemption during establishment, so the soil stays moist while the plants settle in. Once established, the garden follows the watering roster.

Water matters more here than in most places. Water Corporation’s low-maintenance guidance notes that Perth households use more than half of their total water on gardens, and that rainfall has fallen about 20 per cent since the 1970s. A renovation that gets the watering right saves water and saves work later.

Ideas on a budget

The cheapest renovations are the ones that protect the soil. Water Corporation advises improving the soil whenever you dig, so spend on the soil before the plants. Its low-maintenance guidance also suggests a “chunky mulch” to protect the garden from the sun, which is a low-cost step that pays back all year. At Complete Home’s coastal project, the owners kept costs down by doing much of the work themselves and hiring professionals only for skilled tasks, such as levelling the site with a bobcat. That approach suits a confident DIY owner, but get a written quote for anything with levels, drainage or irrigation.

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