From garden idea to an agreed landscaping plan
In short
Find a Perth landscaper by separating garden care, planting design and construction in your brief. Ask how the design will suit your site's soil, sun and watering needs, then check wall and tree requirements with the council for your address. Compare written quotes for the same work, including preparation, irrigation, waste removal and plant establishment. Choose on relevant completed work and clear responsibilities as well as the total price.
Step 1
Match the company to the work you need
Write down what you want to use the garden for and which tasks will get it there. Ask each business whether it offers design, installation or ongoing care, and which parts it would subcontract. A planting refresh and a retaining wall need different experience.
Turn your garden idea into a useful enquiry
| Your project | Experience to ask about |
|---|---|
| Refresh beds, mulch, prune or maintain a lawn | Garden maintenance and planting, including whether visits are one-off or recurring. |
| Redesign planting and watering | Garden design, plant selection for your site and irrigation planning. |
| Build paving, steps or retaining walls | Landscape construction, drainage and coordinating any engineering, approvals and specialist trades. |
Step 2
Ask how the garden will work with its watering needs
Water Corporation's Perth garden guidance brings together locally suited plants, healthier soil, efficient irrigation and hydrozoning. Hydrozoning means grouping plants with similar water needs so one part of the garden does not receive extra water just to keep another plant alive.
Ask the landscaper to explain the proposed plant groups and how they suit the sun and shade on your property. Have the quote name the soil preparation, mulch and irrigation work rather than leaving these under a general planting allowance. Ask how the new garden will be watered while plants establish and how you will maintain it afterwards.
Step 3
Resolve wall and tree requirements before clearing the site
Check with the council responsible for your address about retaining walls, changed ground levels and tree work. Planning approval and a building permit are separate checks. Agree who obtains any required plans, engineering and permissions before setting a construction date.
For example, the City of Joondalup says a retaining wall needs to meet all its listed conditions to avoid a building permit: it must be no higher than 0.5 metres, must not involve additional building work to protect adjoining land, and must not adversely affect neighbours in a way requiring consent. Planning requirements also apply. Treat a small wall near a boundary as a question for the council, rather than assuming its height settles approval.
Show trees to retain on the plan and ask your council whether proposed work on private trees needs permission. Street trees require a separate check: in Joondalup, only the City or its authorised contractors can prune or remove them. A landscaper's plan to widen access does not authorise street tree work. These are Joondalup examples; confirm the rules for your own council area.
Step 4
Give companies the dimensions and access details
Include photos of the whole garden and the route for bringing in equipment and materials. Describe visible problems such as ponding water or a leaning wall, and let the contractor assess the cause. Share existing plans and known services before excavation is priced.
Ask for examples of completed work like yours and a reference you can contact. Confirm the business name on the quote, relevant insurance and who will carry out each task. For construction or specialist work, check which WA registration or trade licence is required for that scope rather than relying on the business calling itself a landscaper.
Step 5
Compare a written scope and agree the handover
WA Consumer Protection recommends getting at least three written quotes. Check whether a quote or design visit has a fee before booking it. Give each company the same brief and distinguish an estimate, which is an approximate cost, from a quote for an agreed scope.
Compare excavation, removal of unwanted soil, paving base, drainage and irrigation alongside visible finishes. Ask for plant species, quantities and supplied sizes. Confirm GST, exclusions, allowances and payment stages. Agree how additional work will be priced and authorised before it happens.
At handover, walk through the completed work and get the watering settings, plant care instructions and any agreed plant replacement terms in writing. Record any unfinished items and when they will be addressed. Keep the accepted scope and approved changes for later reference.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- Water Corporation: waterwise garden design guide
Perth garden planning, locally suited plants, soil, hydrozoning and efficient irrigation.
- City of Joondalup: retaining walls and site works
Separate planning and building checks, including the conditions for a retaining wall permit exemption within Joondalup.
- City of Joondalup: tree maintenance and removal
Authority for street tree pruning and removal in Joondalup; not a Perth-wide private tree approval rule.
- WA Consumer Protection: estimates, quotes and deposits
Written quotes, estimates, quote fees, GST, licence checks and permission for extra work.
