Thoughtful garden design, grounded in horticultural expertise & joyous focus
Garden design options
FULL Concept design
Softscape & hardscape
For clients planning a full garden transformation and wanting a clear, creative and practical roadmap before construction begins.
This package looks at the garden as a whole, how it flows, how it feels, how it will be used, and how the planting, materials and layout can work together to create a space that feels joyful, functional and deeply connected to its site.
We combine horticultural knowledge with design thinking to create gardens that are beautiful, buildable and grounded in real plant performance. The result is a clear plan that can guide you, a landscaper, builder, or confident DIY client through the next stage.
The price is starting points and reflect a small garden with straightforward conditions. After the site visit, you will receive a tailored flat free quote which will be assessed depending on factors such as garden size, sloping terrain, existing vegetation complexity, council or heritage constraints, sourcing complexity or specialised planting.
Included in all designs
✔ Concept plan
✔ 1–2 perspective drawings
✔ Materials and layout plan, including material list and construction notes where appropriate
✔ Planting plan with plant list, quantities and planting details
✔ Handover notes for plant establishment and maintenance
✔ Full site analysis, including measurements, simple soil observations and research on council overlays, flood maps and relevant site constraints.
Optional design add-ons
✔ Irrigation plan
✔ Lighting plan
✔ Permit assistance
Installation options
✔ Bed preparation/soil amendment
✔ Plant procurement/sourcing
✔ Plant installation
✔ Irrigation installation
✔ Garden bed installation
✔ Landscaper recommendations and quote support
All plans are computer-produced, scaled, and delivered digitally and in print.
PLANTING only DESIGN
For those who have the hardscape sorted, but needs help with plants selection for the garden beds.
Includes: scaled plans with plants, and plant maintenance manual.
What it is
Ideal for new garden beds or existing areas that need a more substantial planting redesign. We’ll create a cohesive planting scheme suited to your site, style and practical needs, rather than leaving you to work out quantities and locations yourself.
What’s included
- Site visit and assessment
- Measurements of the planting area
- Planting plan showing exact plant locations
- Plant selections and quantities
- Recommended spacing
- Plant schedule with key information
- Suitable substitutions
- One round of revisions
Scope
The starting price covers one defined planting area of up to approximately 25-30 m². Larger areas, multiple separate garden beds or particularly complex planting schemes will be quoted according to scope.
This service focuses on planting rather than major changes to paths, paving, structures or the overall garden layout. For larger changes, our Full Garden Design service may be more suitable.
Balcony OR Courtyard Design
Design including plants, pots, and furniture recommendations for small spaces with mostly solid ground.
Includes: detailed scaled plans and plant maintenance manual.
What it is
A focused design service for balconies, courtyards and other compact outdoor spaces with mostly solid ground like concrete or decking for example. We’ll help make the most of the space with plants, pots and a layout suited to your conditions and how you want to use it.
What’s included
- Site visit and assessment
- Simple scaled layout plans
- Exact plant selections, quantities and locations
- Pot and planter recommendations
- Potting mix and soil recommendations
- One round of revisions
Scope
The starting price covers one small balcony or courtyard of up to approximately 25 m².
Larger spaces or projects involving significant built elements, paving, custom structures or other landscape construction may require a larger design package.
Structural engineering, balcony load assessments, waterproofing and building or owners corporation approvals are not included.
NATIVE Nature Strip Design
For people who want to replace a plain nature strip with a colourful, biodiverse planting suited to their local conditions.
Includes: detailed scaled plans and plant maintenance manual.
What it is
A small planting design specifically for your nature strip, taking into account local conditions, practical access and council requirements.
What’s included
- Site visit and measurements
- Review of relevant council nature strip guidelines
- Planting plan with exact plants, quantities and locations
- Plant schedule
- Soil preparation recommendations
- Establishment and maintenance guidance
- Recommended nurseries and sourcing options
- One round of revisions
Scope
This service is currently available for nature strips in Darebin and Merri-bek. Other council areas may be available by enquiry.
The design will follow the relevant council guidelines, but any required permits or approvals remain the property owner’s responsibility.
Design consultation
For people who needs professional design and horticultural advice without needing a complete garden design.
Includes: site research, 1.5 hour visit, post appointment report
What it is
A collaborative consultation where we walk through the garden together, answer questions, explore options and help create a clearer direction. This is a good fit if you’re happy to take things from there yourself but want some expert input first.
What’s included
- Up to 90-minute site visit
- Advice on layout, planting, materials, functionality and other garden design questions
- Discussion of plant and material options where relevant
- Follow-up PDF summarising the key points from our visit
- List of plants, materials or products discussed
- Any questions we need to double-check after the visit added to your follow-up notes
Scope
This is an advice-based service rather than a completed design. It doesn’t include measured or scaled plans, detailed planting layouts, quantities, extensive plant research or construction documentation. If you need us to work out exactly what goes where, one of the design services below will be a better fit.
Veggie Garden Set-up
For people who want to start growing food and need help choosing the right location, set-up and plants for their space.
Includes: 1 hour site visit, plant recommendation list, site preparation advice
What it is
A practical consultation to help you get your veggie garden off to a good start. We’ll look at your space, growing conditions and what you actually want to eat, then give you a personalised plan for getting started without overcomplicating it.
What’s included
→ Up to 60-minute site visit
→ Advice on the best location for your veggie garden
→ Recommendations for types of beds, containers or growing areas
→ Assessment of sun, microclimate and existing conditions
→ Crop and edible plant suggestions suited to your garden and local climate
→ Soil preparation and fertilising advice
→ Basic watering and irrigation recommendations
→ Seasonal growing guidance
→ Opportunity to ask questions about getting started
→ Personalised follow-up PDF combining general growing guidance with recommendations specific to your garden
Scope
This is designed to help you confidently establish and manage a home veggie garden rather than provide a detailed productive-garden design.
It does not include a scaled planting plan, detailed week-by-week crop scheduling, construction drawings for raised beds, detailed irrigation design or ongoing crop planning. Larger edible gardens, orchards or more complex productive landscapes can be quoted separately.
PLANT SUGGESTIoN Add-on
For design or garden maintenance clients who needs simple plant recommendations for smaller areas. List only.
Includes: plant list with brief descriptions & design explanation
What it is
We’ll assess your existing planting and recommend suitable additions or substitutions based on the conditions, existing garden and the look you’re after. This is ideal if you don’t need an entirely new planting scheme, just some thoughtful help improving what’s already there.
Add-on doesnt include a visit so serivce must be to existing client where garden is being visited already.
What’s included
- Assessment of existing planting and growing conditions
- Recommendations for filling gaps and replacing selected plants
- Personalised follow-up plant list
- Up to 15 plant recommendations
- Notes on why each plant has been suggested and where it could work
- Suitable substitutions where useful
Scope
This service provides plant recommendations rather than a detailed planting plan. Exact quantities, measured spacing and mapped plant locations are not included. If you want us to design an entire garden bed or planting area, choose Planting Design instead.
What working with Joyscapes can look like
Every garden project is different. Some clients come to us just for a clear planting plan, while others want support from the first site visit through to sourcing, planting and aftercare. Here’s how a full Joyscapes project can unfold, with options to choose the level of support that suits your garden and budget.
1 – FREE DISCOVERY CALL
Getting to know each other
We chat about your garden to figure out your needs, what services suits you the best and if we’re a good match.
✔ 15 min online call
✔ Get to ask all your questions
2 – SITE VISIT
Exploring you and your needs
We visit your garden to assess light, soil, access, existing plants, site constraints and how you want to use the space.
✔ Detailed questionnaire sent in advance
✔ 30–60 min chat about your garden needs
✔ 1-2 hours measuring your site, taking soil samples, pictures
3 – Research & design
Thourough research & design to avoid issues down the line
You can rest assured that at Joyscapes, we take your project seriously!
Our checklist for each design is long to make sure your dream garden will work long-term in terms of construction quality, correct plants, layout and actual practical usage .
What we research for every site:
✔ Council regulations
✔ Overlays
✔ Flood maps
✔ Before you dig reports
✔ Services
✔ Soil analysis
✔ Layout considerations
✔ Site & micro-climate specific plant research
✔ And more!
4 – Design presentation
Understanding the vision
For us, good design isn’t just about creating beautiful gardens – it’s also about making sure you leave the process feeling understood, involved and genuinely excited about the outcome.
Each design presentation includes explaining the ideas, decisions and details behind the proposal so you can fully understand how the garden works and why certain choices were made. That way, when it comes time for your included revision round, you can give informed feedback and feel confident refining the design into something that fits you perfectly.
5 – Revisions & final plans
Clear documentation to guide the project through
After your feedback, the design is refined and finalised into clear, scaled plans. These documents contain everything a landscaper or contractors need to understand the design and bring the garden to life.
Depending on the project needs, you may receive:
✔ Simple perspective drawing
✔ Planting plan with plant list and quantities
✔ Materials and layout plan
✔ Notes on finishes, dimensions and construction details
✔ Irrigation, lighting or bed preparation guidance where needed
6 – Landscaper & PERMIT ASSIST
Extra support from plan to build
Your final plans are prepared so they can be used to seek quotes and guide the build as is. But if you’d like extra support, we can help bridge the gap between the design and the on-site decisions that come up during construction.
This might include helping:
✔ Applying for council reports
✔ Finding the right landscaper or contractors for your build
✔ Reviewing and tweaking plans
✔ Review quotes
✔ Onsite visits during the build
7 – PLANT procurement
Sourcing quality plants
Plant sourcing is be time-consuming and plant quality, size and substitutions can make a big difference to the final result.
With wholesale nursery experience, we know and have accesss to quality suppliers tp source healthy plants, choose suitable sizes, and make smart substitutions when needed, so the planting still feels true to the design.
8 – PLANT INSTALLATION & BED PREPARATioN
Setting the garden up to thrive
Planting is more than putting plants in the ground. Good soil preparation, correct spacing, thoughtful placement, planting depth and watering-in can make a big difference to how well a new garden establishes.
We can assist with bed preparation and planting so the design is carried through carefully on site, giving the garden the best possible start from the ground up.
9 – Garden care & handover manual
Helping the garden grow into the vision
A garden doesn’t become established the day it is planted. The first year is when watering, weeding, pruning and small adjustments make the biggest difference.
Most Joyscapes designs include a personalised handover manual, giving you clear guidance on how to care for your garden with confidence.
For clients who want extra support, we also offer discounted seasonal maintenance and check-up visits to monitor plant performance, guide formative pruning, adjust care, and help the garden grow into the original design vision.
Where to go from here?
BOOK A Discovery call
All designs start with a free, non-committal discovery call to make sure we’re a good fit.
This is not a design consultation, but a relaxed 15-minute video chat to:
✔ Discuss your project
✔ Ask questions
✔ See whether Joyscapes is the right fit for your garden
FAQ
Who and where do you service?
✔ Melbourne Metropolitan area and surrounds
✔ Small to large residential properties
✔ Balconies, courtyards, front gardens, backyards and similar
✔ Urban and suburban areas
Note: As providing excellent service is alpha omega for us and that we have not accumulated the appropriate expertise yet, we do not service properties in bushfire areas and large acreage.
How long does the design process take?
Timeframes vary depending on the project scope and current availability.
Once your design work begins, most projects take approximately 2–4 weeks. Start dates are confirmed after the site visit and may depend on our current project schedule.
Do I need a site survey before start?
For simple, flat sites, Joyscapes will perform necessary measurements during the site visit.
More complex or sloping sites may require a professional feature survey before design documentation is finalised.
Can I DIY the construction?
Yes. We can adjust the documentation provided to be suitable for DIY implementation, just let us know during the discovery call.
Will I need additional consultants?
Some projects may require additional consultants such as surveyors, structural engineers or arborists. If needed, this will be discussed early in the design process. Clients engage consultants directly.
Does Joyscapes provide installation?
We offer:
✔ Plant installation services
✔ Bed preparation (soil and mulch installation)
✔ Irrigation system installation
✔ Simple garden edge installation and similar
For other hardscape construction (paving, retaining walls, decking etc.), we know a range of trusted landscapers and can help you find a good match and set you up with them.
What affects the design cost?
Every garden is different, so pricing will depend on factors such as:
✔ Garden size
✔ Project scope – number and complexity of desired items in garden
✔ Level of support and services needed
✔ Complexity of site – challenging micro climates, sloping…
After the site visit, you’ll receive a clear proposal outlining the recommended deliverables and flat-fee quote.
Do you design to a specific budget?
We design in alignment with your intended investment range. While final construction costs depend on contractor pricing and site conditions, we aim to guide material and layout decisions to suit your budget. If build quotes come back higher than expected, the design can be adjusted.
How many revision rounds are included?
To keep pricing fair and transparent, all design packages include one revision round. For most projects, this provides enough opportunity to refine the design while keeping the process moving forward efficiently.
If additional revisions are needed, they can absolutely be added at our hourly rate,allowing clients who want more exploration and refinement the flexibility to do so without increasing the base price for everyone.
Of course, if revisions are required due to an error or oversight on our side, these are completed at no additional cost.