Need a complete makeover of your garden and outdoor area?

Then you are very likely going to need the services of a local landscaper. Their expertise and experience can help add value and pleasure to your home and ensure that you and your family enjoy your outdoor spaces.

Thanks to our (mostly) great Aussie climate, spending time outdoors is high on the list of anyone with outdoor space - and the trend is to have these areas designed around our lifestyles.

Read on to discover

• What do garden landscapers do?
• Is a landscaper and gardener the same?
• How much do landscaping services cost near me?
• What questions should I ask landscapers before hiring them?

Let’s start by understanding what sort of jobs landscapers take on.

What do landscape gardeners do?

Landscaping is any activity that involves altering your backyard or outdoor areas to improve and/or make it more useful. You may also be wondering if a landscaper and gardener are the same? Landscapers tend to be involved in more structural projects, while gardeners are there to take care of maintenance and upkeep, as well as new planting.

This is a snapshot of what landscape gardeners do and the process involved.

Softscaping + hardscaping

Soft and hardscaping are the nuts and bolts of any landscape gardeners day-to-day job. Softscaping includes any work that involves laying soil, mulch, turf, flower beds or new trees and shrubs.

Hardscaping is the work that comes after that; installing or adding all the ‘hard’ elements like driveways, paving, retaining walls, patios, decks and water features like ponds.

Landscape design

Some landscapers also have the skills to draw up a design of your project, so you have an idea of what it will look like. Depending on the size of the project, you may need council approval.

Landscape design includes flora choice and layout, as well as elements such as paving, pathways, water features, walls and other innovations. Landscape gardeners will have extensive knowledge about the right plants for your outdoor area, including the size plants will grow to, the colour variations throughout the seasons and the suitability of certain species to your space.

Some landscape gardeners are on the more practical side, and will contract the design to a landscape architect, and focus on the actual construction phase.

Landscape construction

Once the landscape design has been finalised, the landscaper will start work. If it's a new property, the landscaping will be designed from scratch. Existing spaces can be renovated or enhanced. Depending on the project, this could involve the use of heavy machinery, particularly if earthworks or excavations are needed.

How much do landscaping services cost near me?

Hourly rates for landscape gardeners can vary widely from $50 per hour to $250, reflecting either experience or the complexity of the job. Expect to be quoted a flat fee for a project, which can be broken down into labour and materials.

Want an idea what some common landscaping projects could cost? Depending on where you live and the scope of your project your job could cost:

• $2,500-$3000 for installing new garden lighting and laying fresh turf
• $3,000+ for a new retaining wall and planting
• $4,000-$10,000 for a complete backyard makeover, including new trees, plants, and lawn

If you are on a tight budget and want to control your landscaping costs, avoid these projects as they can get expensive very quickly:

• Installing a swimming pool, though this job is generally done by a dedicated pool builder
• Excavation, as removing large amounts of dirt and rock is expensive and you need special equipment
• Installing a new concrete driveway, as pouring concrete is labour intensive and time consuming

What questions should I ask landscapers before hiring them?

Now that you have a good idea of what a landscape gardener could cost, you need to ensure that you find the right one for your project. These are some questions to ask when you start getting quotes from local landscapers:

• Can you provide an expected timeline and written quote?
• Can you provide references?
• When can you start work?
• Are you insured?
• Do you have the proper qualifications and licensing?

Before you make the decision to hire a landscape gardener be sure to compare at least three quotes. The best way of finding out the cost of your landscaping job is to get quotes from local landscapers. This will give you a sense of what market rates currently are.