Design and build
A planting and layout plan for your yard, then the construction to match it.
- Patios, paths and stone steps
- Retaining walls and terracing
- Planting plans and installation
- Lighting and irrigation
Gardens built for this coast, and looked after all year.
Patios, stone steps and planting designed for wet winters and dry summers, then cared for on a schedule that follows the seasons.
Walk through a finished garden
Select a marker to see what was built and why it was chosen for this site.
Japanese maple
Planted at the top of the slope so its colour reads from the patio in autumn, with taller conifers giving it afternoon shade.
Panicle hydrangeas
White summer flowers that hold their shape into fall. Pruned in late winter so they bloom on new growth.
Natural stone steps
Large slabs set on compacted base so they stay level through freeze and thaw. Each riser is kept under 18 cm for an easy climb.
Low-voltage path lights
Warm, downward light at each turn of the path, on a timer, so the steps are safe after dark without lighting up the neighbours.
Site boulder
Kept from the original excavation instead of hauled away. Moss and lichen took hold in the first wet season.
Sword ferns and hostas
Shade-tolerant planting under the trees. Native sword ferns need little water once established.
Cedar privacy fence
Horizontal boards with a cap rail, left to weather to silver. It screens the neighbours without blocking the water view.
Flagstone patio
Irregular stone on a gravel base with a slight fall away from the house, so winter rain drains into the beds instead of pooling.
AI-generated illustration of a fictional project, used to demonstrate the interaction.
What your garden needs now
The ground is waking up. This is the time to clear, feed and plant before the dry months.
Spring cleanup
Cut back last year’s perennials, clear winter debris and edge the beds.
Planting
Shrubs and perennials go in while the soil is moist and cool.
Mulching
A fresh layer holds moisture through summer and keeps weeds down.
Dry months on the coast. Care shifts to water, mowing height and keeping things tidy.
Irrigation checks
Adjust timers and repair heads so water goes to roots, not paths.
Mowing and edging
Lawns kept a little longer in the heat so they stay green with less water.
Summer pruning
Shape hedges after their spring flush and deadhead to keep flowers coming.
The rain is back. Clear the leaves, plant for next year and get drainage ready for winter.
Leaf cleanup
Lawns, patios and gutters cleared before wet leaves smother and stain them.
Fall planting
Trees, shrubs and bulbs root in warm soil and cool air, ready for spring.
Irrigation shut-down
Systems drained and blown out before the first hard frost.
A quiet season above ground. A good time to prune, fix drainage and plan new work.
Dormant pruning
Fruit trees, roses and hydrangeas shaped while the structure is easy to see.
Drainage fixes
Find where water sits after heavy rain and give it somewhere to go.
Design for spring
Plans and quotes done now, so building starts as soon as the ground allows.
The care calendar
When each job happens through the year on central Vancouver Island. The current month is highlighted.
| Task | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring cleanup | ||||||||||||
| Planting | ||||||||||||
| Mowing and edging | ||||||||||||
| Pruning | ||||||||||||
| Mulching | ||||||||||||
| Irrigation checks | ||||||||||||
| Leaf cleanup | ||||||||||||
| Drainage and storm checks |
Two ways to work with us
Ongoing care
Regular visits from the same small crew, on a schedule set around your garden.
- Mowing, edging and bed care
- Seasonal pruning
- Leaf and storm cleanup
- Irrigation start-up and shut-down
Build a care plan
Choose how often you’d like a visit and what should happen on it. We’ll lay out a year.
15 visits a year
On a live site this summary is sent with the booking request, so the first conversation starts from your plan.
Before you book
Do you work in my area?
Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, Royston, Union Bay and Merville. Campbell River for design and build projects.
Do I need to be home for visits?
No. We need gate access and to know where the water and power are. You get a short note after each visit.
Can you take over a garden someone else built?
Yes. The first visit is a walk-through to learn the planting and irrigation before we set a schedule.
What happens to green waste?
It goes to a local composting facility. Leaves can be left in your beds as mulch if you prefer.
Book a garden walk
Forty-five minutes in your yard to talk through what you want and what the site needs. On a live site, this button opens the booking form.
Start with a care plan