Melbourne Landscape Design -
Award-Winning, Built to Last
David Claude Landscape Design brings 30+ years of landscape architecture to Melbourne's north-east - from steep-block solutions in Greensborough to premium garden design across Nillumbik, Banyule and Manningham.
What brings difficult sites to us
Most garden design problems in Melbourne's north-east trace back to the same handful of root causes - the ones generalists sidestep.
Slopes that defeat generalists
A sloping Melbourne block is not a harder version of a flat one. Levels, drainage, retaining and access interact in ways that cascade - most firms quote it flat and struggle on site.
Drainage that fails in winter
Melbourne's clay soils and sloping topography make drainage the hidden success factor. Get it wrong and you see the result three seasons later as a failed wall or a flooded terrace.
Trades with no single owner
Separate landscape designers, pool builders, retaining contractors and civil engineers - each doing their part, none owning the whole outcome. Gaps appear at every handover.
Permits and overlays
Retaining walls above set heights, significant earthworks and Significant Landscape Overlay sites all typically require council approval. Most permits are manageable - but only when someone knows what to apply for, and when.
Gardens that sit beside the house
An outdoor space that is physically adjacent to the architecture but never quite connected to it. Levels, threshold details and material decisions left unresolved at the design stage.
"Every plot of land has a story. Our work is to listen for it, then build the garden around what is already there."
For thirty years we have designed and built gardens across Melbourne's north-east - on steep blocks in Eltham and Research, river-valley slopes along the Plenty corridor, and established properties in Ivanhoe and Heidelberg. Every project integrates architecture, terrain, drainage and horticultural planning as one decision rather than four trades.
From first site walk to final stone placement, every stage is handled by the same team that drew the plan.
Consultation, concept, documentation, construction, handover - one voice, one design intent, one accountable point of contact. That continuity is why our retaining walls stand straight and our gardens look established three years in.
Specialist Design and Construction Services
Eleven connected service lines - from garden design and pool landscaping to retaining walls and irrigation - coordinated under one design-build practice for period homes, modern builds and acreage estates alike.
Garden Planting & Softscaping
Planting plans, soil preparation, turf and mulching — designed for Victorian climate conditions.
Explore arrow_right_altPaving & Driveways
Natural-stone and exposed-aggregate paving, driveways and paths — detailed for Melbourne conditions.
Explore arrow_right_altPool Landscaping & Surrounds
Coping, paving, planting and compliance around swimming pools — designed as part of the whole garden.
Explore arrow_right_altRetaining Wall Construction
Structural and decorative retaining walls in timber, concrete sleeper, rock, and rendered masonry.
Explore arrow_right_altSloping Block Landscaping
Engineered landscape design for steep, difficult, and sloping sites across Melbourne's north-east.
Explore arrow_right_altA specialist, not a generalist.
Most landscape firms either design or build. David Claude Landscape Design does both - which is why difficult sites come to us after other firms have walked away.
Steep blocks, pool landscaping, retaining walls and terracing projects form the core of our work. We hold LIAV industry awards, a Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Gold Medal, and thirty years of quiet references from Doncaster to Diamond Creek.
About the practiceEngineered terracing, retaining and drainage on gradient sites other landscapers avoid - Research, Warrandyte, Eltham, Lower Plenty.
Concept, documentation, council coordination, construction management - under a single landscape architect with a single accountable point of contact.
Horticultural expertise in drought-tolerant natives paired with hardy exotics, on soil we have actually prepared. Gardens that settle rather than fail in their second summer.
From first walk to handover
- 01
Consultation
On-site walk, brief discussion, honest feasibility read within the first hour. Bookings typically available within 7 days (2026 availability).
- 02
Concept
2D plans showing zones, levels, planting structure and material direction.
- 03
Documentation
Construction drawings, planting plans and permit coordination.
- 04
Build
Construction management under the same designer who drew the plan.
- 05
Handover
Walk-through, care notes and establishment-period support.
Let's shape your
outdoor sanctuary.
Consultation within seven days. Bring photos, survey and a sense of how you want to live outside - we'll take it from there.
Book a ConsultationThirty years of quiet references
"David transformed a block we had resigned ourselves to being unusable. The terracing, drainage and planting now feel like they have always been there."
"The one thing that stood out was how calmly David handled the permit and engineering coordination. We just had to sign things."
"Our pool surround is the reason the house feels like it has a garden rather than a backyard with a pool in it."
"We interviewed three firms. David was the only one who asked about how we actually live in the space rather than starting with materials."
"Three years on, the planting looks established, the retaining walls are dead-straight, and the drainage has never been an issue. That is rarer than it should be."
Landscape Design Across Melbourne's North-East
Searching for a landscape designer near you? We work the suburbs we know - from Greensborough and Templestowe to Warrandyte and Donvale. Thirty years of local knowledge in the terrain, overlays and soils that matter.
Common Landscape Design Questions
How long does a full landscape transformation take? add
Do you work outside Greensborough? add
Do you offer design only, or only full design-build? add
What does a typical landscape design project cost? add
Can you actually get machinery onto a very steep site? add
Do I need council permits for my landscape work? add
Ready to start?
Initial consultation within seven days. We cover Nillumbik, Banyule and Manningham.