Landscape Planting

Services

Planting and growing conditions

Trees, lawns and flowers

Trees, shrubs, turf, ground cover and flowers are arranged for the purpose and character of each space.

Trees, shrubs and flowers arranged together

Soil improvement

Drainage and soil conditions guide the preparation of a healthy planting foundation.

Special environments

Rooftops, indoor spaces, artificial ground and slopes require attention to growing conditions and structural loads.

Arrows showing planting loads on a rooftop structure

Establishment and recovery

Monitor moisture and growth to support establishment and recovery of transplanted trees. Provide watering, nutrition, pest and disease management, and pruning according to plant condition.

New roots extending from a root ball into surrounding soil

The planting process

Site assessment

Review sunlight, wind, drainage and soil before deciding on improvements.

A soil sample collected with a trowel into a container

Plant inspection

Check size, form and health against the planting design.

A measurement arrow showing tree height from the trunk base

Ground preparation and planting

Prepare the planting area and depth for the root ball and ground conditions.

A root ball placed in a planting hole, shown in section

Watering

Supply water during planting and help the surrounding soil settle.

Water supplied around a newly planted tree

Tree support

Choose suitable support to limit wind movement during establishment.

Mulching and finishing

Use suitable mulch to manage moisture and weeds, then finish the surrounding area.

A mulch ring with clearance around the trunk

Choosing plants for the purpose

Screening and boundaries

Choose species and planting distances for the height of the views to screen and the available boundary width. Consider the mature height and spread of species such as arborvitae, evergreen spindle and eastern white pine.

Roadside greenery

Choose species, planting density and spacing with room for pedestrians and growing trees. Assess the local adaptability of dawn redwood, eastern white pine and evergreen oak; noise reduction varies by site.

Representative forms of dawn redwood, eastern white pine and evergreen oak beside a road, with spacing arrows

Rooftops

Pines, winged spindle, boxwood and nandina are examples to assess against soil depth, load and drought conditions.

A measurement arrow indicating soil depth above a structural slab

Planting beside residential walls

Room to grow

Set clearance distances and planting positions to allow room for mature branches and roots around walls and neighbouring boundaries. Provide access and maintenance routes for pruning and care.

A tree moved away from a position close to a wall

Light and shade

Check wall orientation and shade. Nandina, yew, hydrangea and boxwood also need assessment for local soil and climate.

Sunlight and light-green shade cast by a wall