When you decide to invest in your home’s landscape, it’s not just about aesthetics and immediate gratification. You’re looking for something that stands the test of time, a long-term transformation that adds value to your property and life. One crucial aspect that homeowners often overlook is whether the landscaping company they hire offers warranties or guarantees. This subject is particularly pertinent if you’re in Perth, where the landscaping business has been thriving.

A Brief Look at the Landscape in Perth

Before delving into the specifics, let’s set the stage. Perth is a city blessed with an ideal climate for outdoor living. It’s no wonder that companies like Principal Landscapes have found their niche here. This multi-award-winning company specializes in integrated pool landscaping and residential landscape design, bringing the unique vision of Managing Director Cullen Long to life. From his early days of crafting dry-stone walls with his parents to leading one of Perth’s most reputable landscaping companies, Cullen’s journey embodies the spirit of innovation and quality.

The Industry Norm

Typically, warranties and guarantees in the landscaping industry can differ from one company to another. They may cover various aspects, such as plants, hardscapes, and artistry. These are designed to protect the client from any potential issues that might arise post-completion. While some companies might offer a 1-year limited warranty on plants or a 5-year warranty on hardscapes, the details and duration can vary.

So, you’ve finally decided to transform that dull stretch of dirt and grass into a backyard paradise. Good choice! In Perth, we are blessed with a climate that lures us outdoors for most of the year. And there’s no better way to enjoy it than in a landscape custom-designed by the experts, like Principal Landscapes, where we specialize in “Designing Nature, Crafting Lifestyle.”

Before diving into the transformation’s heart, a well-prepared yard lays the foundation for a smooth process and a better result. Here’s how to get your yard ready for a makeover and why choosing a local, award-winning company can make all the difference.

Do Your Homework

Before you make the first cut or pull the first weed, decide what you want your outdoor space to be. Whether it’s a place for family barbecues, a peaceful garden retreat, or a lavish entertainment hub, your design will govern Everything from the choice of plants to the type of paving stones.

Clean the Slate

Remove all the unnecessary items from your yard. This includes obvious debris and old installations that won’t be part of the new design. By giving your landscaping team a clean slate, you’re speeding up the process and potentially saving yourself some money.

An important consideration for anyone who undertakes a landscape design, be they a professional landscaper or a homeowner wishing to update their garden, is the location they are in, or rather what the climate is at that location.

It stands to reason that a landscaped garden designed in Perth, Scotland is going to be a lot different to one designed in Perth, Western Australia. Differences include Perth in Scotland having around 2 – 3 inches of rain every month whereas Perth, WA  has 7 months with less than 2 inches of rain and several close to zero.

This is one reason why you will find that there are landscape designs created and adapted specifically to suit climates that are predominately hot, dry and sunny, and conversely landscape designs that are suitable for areas where rainfall is plentiful, even if sunshine and warm days are not.

Of course, if we are to believe all the news stories about global warming and accept the evidence that many areas are seeing their average and peak temperatures increasing annually, then the time may come when more landscape designs suit the conditions we currently see in areas such as Western Australia rather than what is found in Scotland, although, even there the high-temperature record was broken yet again this year.

However, this is not an article about weather per se, but how to design landscaped gardens in a specific climate, and in this case we are looking at drier climates as experienced in many parts of Australia such as the aforementioned WA, and indeed most other states in Australia which are generally considered to be drier than many other parts of the world. Specifically, we are going to look at the types of lawns that are suited to the drier conditions found in those locations.

When considering landscaping for your property, one of the more significant features that you may wish to discuss with our landscape design team is retaining walls. Whether you are considering one retaining wall or more, they require careful thought to ensure that they are both structurally sound and add to rather than subtract from your garden’s aesthetics. Let us explore what those retaining wall considerations are.

Location

It is first important to know that there is more than your preferences to consider when choosing the location of any retaining wall within your landscaping design. This is especially true if your garden borders a neighbouring property and your wall could, in effect, be facing their property as well as yours. As such you should discuss the wall with them in advance as well as any other neighbouring properties to ensure there are no objections.

In addition, you will likely be required to comply with local building regulations that may be a factor in determining where you can locate a retaining wall if it is going to be higher than 1 metre. Other issues which may affect where you can locate the wall are nearby public utilities such as drainage systems.

Type

There are four main types of retaining walls, although variations of them can be created meaning that your choices are considerable. The four types are Anchored, Cantilever, Gravity, and Sheet.

• Anchored: These, as their name suggests, are anchored directly to the ground using cables. Rarer than the other types, they are often used for difficult or awkward spaces and scenarios.
• Cantilever: These are normally made from stone or concrete and are normally strengthened internally by steel bars. Often configured in an L-shape, they are extremely strong and ideal if you wish to create taller walls.
• Gravity: The name for these walls is derived from the fact that they are used to stop soil movement within a landscaped garden. They are made from concrete or stone blocks and are the perfect type if you want a short wall.
• Sheet Piling: This is a simple wall constructed using a thin sheet of either timber or steel at its core and these are placed into the ground. They work well in small spaces, but on occasion may require some anchoring.