There is more to gardening than just sticking some plants in the ground and hoping for the best, and if you are really serious about planning the perfect garden it could be best to call in an expert.
Tim Davies of Tim Davies Landscaping says that with everyone leading busy lifestyles, hiring a professional landscape designer can save time and money.
‘The idea is to do it once and do it properly,’ he said.
‘Once you have your garden landscaped properly, you shouldn’t have to touch it for at least five years, other than normal day to day maintenance.’
Your landscape designer should also be a horticulturist so you will have a well-planned garden with trees and plants suitable to your area.
‘Because of Perth’s sandy soil and more arid weather conditions, we tend to use a different palette of plants to the east coast,’ said Mr Davies.
‘Water restrictions are also a consideration and irrigation design is critical.’
While Mr Davies’ company does a broad range of work from residential projects, to sub-divisions and display homes, he says the most popular style of garden at the moment is the contemporary style, in accordance with the current trend for contemporary architecture.
‘A garden should definitely reflect the style of the house, so that together they create a nice balance,’ he said. ‘Of course, at the end of the day it comes back to the client and their tastes, we just try and steer them in the right direction.’
With more than 25 years experience in the industry, Mr Davies has seen landscaping trends come and go – latest trend being water tolerant plants and native gardens.
‘We are definitely using more succulents for colour than we were five to eight years ago,’ he said.
‘Native gardens are certainly more popular, but it is a myth that they are zero maintenance.
‘In some cases you need to prune natives even more than exotics to keep them neat and compact because they tend to spread themselves out.’
One trend that has become a bit passé is the water feature such as a pond or fountain, with people looking for more original ways to incorporate water into their gardens.
‘Natural swimming pools are really going to take off I think, because they are a great idea,’ said Mr Davies.
‘They’re more like a pond than a traditional pool because they incorporate water reeds, plants, fish and frogs. They use no chemicals and are almost no maintenance.
‘People tend to think of natural swimming pools more for rural areas, but I know someone who has recently got one in Maylands and it’s lovely.’
For more information on Tim Davies Landscaping go to www.tdl.com.au
Amy Henderson
