Garden design
A plan drawn for your block, your budget and how you live.
- Site visit and measure-up
- Layout, levels and plant list
- Staged plans if you want to build in parts
Landscape design and construction, Brisbane north
Backyards you’ll actually use.
Garden design, paving, retaining walls, turf and lighting across Brisbane north and Moreton Bay. One crew builds it, from first sketch to final mulch.
- 4.9 from 86 Google reviews
- QBCC licensed landscaper
- Drought-tough plant choices
Illustrative photo
What we build
Everything from the back step to the back fence.
Most backyards need three or four trades. We do it as one job, with one crew and one quote, so nothing falls between the cracks.
Paving and patios
Pavers, stone and exposed aggregate that stays put.
- Compacted road base
- Falls away from the house
BeforeAfter
Illustrative photos. Drag, swipe or use the arrow keys.
Drag to see the difference
From dust bowl to outdoor room.
A tired Albany Creek backyard, redesigned and built in three weeks.
- Week 1Old lawn and weeds out, levels set, drainage in.
- Week 2Paved entertaining area, garden edges and irrigation.
- Week 3Turf, planting, mulch and a full clean-up.
Free tools
Plan your yard before we even visit.
Three quick tools we wish every customer had. Work out your numbers, then send them to Dave with one tap.
How much turf, soil and mulch?
Measure the area in metres. Odd shapes: break them into rectangles and add them up.
m
m
What are you doing?
Your area
96 m²
0m² of turf to order (incl. cuts)
0m³ of turf underlay
0m³ of garden soil
0m³ of mulch (0 x 50 L bags)
Approx. soil weight: 0. That’s why bulk delivery usually beats trailer runs.
How we worked it out (typical figures)
- Turf: area plus 5% for cuts and edges.
- Soil and underlay: area x depth, plus about 10% for settling.
- Garden-bed soil and mulch use your “share of area” slider.
- Bagged mulch is often sold in 50 L bags, so 20 bags = 1 m³.
- Soil weighs roughly 1.3 to 1.6 tonnes per m³, more when wet.
Do I need approval for my retaining wall?
Three questions. Based on the general Queensland rule for small retaining walls.
0.2 m3 m
Is it within 1.5 m of a building or another retaining wall?
Will anything heavy sit on the high side? (driveway, parked cars, a pool, a shed, a house)
What are you leaning towards?
Likely no building approval needed
Good to know
- In Queensland, a retaining wall is generally exempt from building approval when it is no more than 1 m high, is not within 1.5 m of a building or another retaining wall, and carries no extra load above it. See the Building Regulation 2021 (Qld).
- Walls outside that rule usually need an engineer’s design and approval from a building certifier.
- Council overlays, easements and boundary walls can add extra rules. Your council or a private certifier has the final say.
- Before any digging, lodge a free request with Before You Dig Australia.
Illustrative photoWhat will grow in my yard?
Tough, widely grown plants for south-east Queensland gardens. Pick your light and your look.
How much sun does the spot get?
What look do you like?
What do you need it to do?
Full sun · Aussie native
Before you buy
- Sizes are typical at maturity and vary with soil, water and pruning.
- Water new plants well for the first few months, even the tough ones.
- Check your council’s weed list before planting anything new, for example Brisbane City Council’s weed identification tool.
Our gardens
Recent jobs around the north side.
Illustrative photos on this example site. On your real website, these are your own jobs.
How it works
Four steps, no surprises.
You deal with Dave from the first visit to the final walk-around.
Free site visit
Dave walks the yard with you, measures up and asks how you want to use the space.
Design and clear quote
You get a drawn plan and a line-by-line quote, so you know what you’re paying for.
One crew builds it
Our own crew does the earthworks, walls, paving, turf and planting, and cleans up every afternoon.
Handover
A walk-around, watering notes for your new plants, and a garden you can actually use.
Reviews
Straight from the backyard.
4.9
86 Google reviews
Sample reviews
★★★★★
“The backyard went from dust bowl to the best room in the house. The kids live out there now.”
★★★★★
“Clear quote, finished on time and the crew cleaned up every afternoon.”
★★★★★
“Great plant advice. Everything survived our first summer without a problem.”
★★★★★
“Dave explained why our old wall kept leaning. The new one has proper drainage and hasn’t moved.”
★★★★★
“We sit out under the garden lights most nights now. Wish we’d done it years ago.”
Illustrative photoAbout Canopy
One crew, start to finish.
Dave designs every garden and his crew builds it. No subcontractors you’ve never met.
We pick plants that suit south-east Queensland, so your garden looks good without constant work.
QBCC licensedLandscaper
4.9 stars86 Google reviews
Brisbane northand Moreton Bay
Dave HarlowLandscape designer
Is the site visit really free?
Yes. Dave comes out, walks the yard with you and talks through ideas. There’s no charge and no pressure to go ahead.
Can we do the backyard in stages?
Yes, and plenty of people do. We draw the whole plan first so each stage fits the next, then build the parts you’re ready for.
Who actually does the work?
Our own crew. Dave designs the garden and his crew builds it. No subcontractors you’ve never met.
How long does a backyard take?
It depends on the job. The Albany Creek backyard in our before-and-after took three weeks. You’ll get a timeframe with your quote.
Will the plants survive a Brisbane summer?
We choose plants that suit south-east Queensland, so they cope with our heat and dry spells once established. New plants still need regular watering for the first few months.
Does my retaining wall need council approval?
Small walls often don’t, but height, distance from buildings and anything heavy above the wall all matter. Try our free retaining wall checker, then we’ll confirm on site.
Do you clean up as you go?
Yes. The crew tidies up every afternoon, so you can still use the house and driveway while we work.
Which suburbs do you cover?
Brisbane north and Moreton Bay, including Albany Creek, Aspley, Bridgeman Downs, Everton Hills, Warner and North Lakes. If you’re close by, give us a call.
Book a free site visit
Let’s walk your yard.
Tell us a bit about the space and what you’d like. Dave will call to book a time.
0400 XXX 000Call or text Dave
Mon to Fri, 7am to 4pmSite visits during work hours
QBCC licensed landscaperBrisbane north and Moreton Bay
Suburbs we cover
- Albany Creek
- Aspley
- Bridgeman Downs
- Everton Hills
- Warner
- North Lakes