Plan a backyard renovation in this order: understand the site, decide what stays, fix levels and drainage, place the main outdoor living area, then build the planting around it. Choosing furniture and finishes first is the most common way a backyard ends up looking assembled rather than designed.
Step one: read the site honestly
Where does water sit after heavy rain? Where does the afternoon sun land in February? Which neighbouring windows look in? Where is the shelter, and where is the wind?
These answers usually place the terrace, the lawn and the screening for you before any style decision is made.
Step two: decide what stays
Mature trees, a sound retaining wall, a usable slab or established hedging are assets. Keeping them saves money and gives a new garden maturity from day one.
We assess health, root zones and construction access before recommending removal of anything established.
Step three: resolve levels and drainage
Almost every disappointing backyard has a levels or water problem underneath it. Getting falls, retaining and drainage right is what makes the finished surfaces last and the lawn survive winter.
Step four: place the outdoor room, then plant around it
- Position the main terrace for sun, shelter and its relationship to the kitchen or living room
- Keep circulation generous and direct so paths get used as intended
- Use structural planting and screening to give the space walls
- Leave room for a canopy tree, which is what makes a young garden feel settled
- Set irrigation and lighting before surfaces and mulch go down
Common questions
Do we need a plan for a small backyard?
Small spaces are less forgiving, not more. Every square metre is visible, so layout and proportion matter more, not less.
Should the pool go in before the landscape?
Yes, if a pool is planned. Pool excavation needs access and creates spoil, so the surrounding landscape is designed with it and built after it.