Garden Enhancement
Right Plant, Right Place, Every Time
It sounds simple, but getting plant selection right is where most gardens go wrong. We match every new addition to your garden's real conditions, not the label on the pot.
What You Get
Professional Planting & Soft Landscaping that gets results
Right plant, right place. It's the first thing they taught us at Burnley, and after 27 years it's still the principle that matters most. Every plant we recommend is matched to your garden's actual conditions: the soil, the light, the exposure, the microclimate. Planting recommendations often emerge during our monthly care visits as we get to know your garden intimately, noticing gaps, seeing opportunities, knowing what will thrive in a specific spot because we've watched it through the seasons. For gardens in Melbourne's eastern suburbs that need a fresh start, our Initial Clean Up (ICU) can include replacing plants that are past their best.
Expert plant selection advice
Sourcing from quality nurseries
Proper planting technique for each species
Soil preparation and amendment
Initial care and establishment guidance
Guarantee on plant establishment
Why It Matters
Why do some new plants fail while others thrive in the same garden?
I can't count the number of gardens I've taken on where someone has planted a beautiful magnolia two metres from the house, or put a sun-loving grevillea under a mature canopy where it'll never see direct light. The most common reason new plants fail is simply being the wrong plant for the spot. A shade-loving species planted in full afternoon sun will struggle no matter how well you water it. A plant that needs free-draining soil placed in Melbourne's heavy clay will develop root rot within months.
This is where monthly visits give us an enormous advantage. I'm not guessing about your garden's conditions from a single walk-through. I've watched the light patterns shift through the seasons, I know which corner stays damp through winter and which bed bakes in January. That observation, built up over months, is what makes the difference between a plant that thrives and one you're replacing next year.
Plant selection for Melbourne's eastern suburbs needs to account for heavy clay soils, variable rainfall, frost pockets in valley locations, and summer heat that can be intense even in leafy suburbs. Beyond the practical considerations, good plant selection considers the existing garden style, the architectural character of your home, and the long-term growth habit of each species. A plant that looks perfect in a nursery pot might grow to overwhelm its space within a few years if its mature size isn't properly considered.
Our Process
How it works
Consultation
Discuss your vision and assess site conditions.
Selection
Choose plants suited to your garden's environment.
Preparation
Soil prepared and planting locations marked.
Installation
Professional planting with proper technique.
Why Choose Us
Why homeowners trust ABS
Local Climate Knowledge
We know which species perform well in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, including the clay soils, frost pockets, and summer heat.
Horticultural Training
Formal qualifications mean our plant recommendations are based on science, not just what looks good in a pot.
Establishment Guarantee
Plants installed as part of our monthly program are monitored and cared for through their critical establishment period.
Right Scale, Right Spot
We always consider mature size and growth habit so plants work in their space for years, not just months.
Quality Nursery Sourcing
We source from reputable wholesale nurseries, not retail garden centres, with better stock quality at better prices.
Design Sensibility
Plant choices consider colour, texture, and form in context with your existing garden and home architecture.
Client Stories
What our clients say
"We've used Anthony and his team for several projects over many years – from a large scale re-design and remodelling and replanting, to everyday garden care and maintenance. His service is great and we're very happy to recommend him."
Andrew & Caroline
Surrey Hills
"I have been impressed by the high quality of your work, your friendly and very prompt service and your reliability… I would give you and your workers a star rating of 5 out of 5."
Jill
Hawthorn East
"We were attracted not only to the house but also to a small but special garden with many unusual plants… we have been very happy to have Anthony and Sam keeping a watchful eye and giving the garden whatever TLC is needed. They are reliable and we have confidence in the care they take."
Sue
Kew
"Anthony and his team are a pleasure to have around. They are all absolute gentlemen and they do a wonderful job. Reliable and diligent."
Suzie
Malvern
"ABS Horticulture have been caring for our townhouse garden for many years… We have introduced some of our friends to ABS and they too have expressed satisfaction with ABS capable design and maintenance work."
Gilbert
Glen Iris
"The ABS team have looked after our garden for the last two and a half years. They have helped keep the old girl under control and the transformation of the back garden has been amazing."
Anita
Kooyong
"We are completely satisfied with the work done by Abs. We have a large yard with a huge gum that drops constant litter across our garden. Sam and Anthony are incredibly professional and nice…and they care about the end result!! Always discrete and always leave the property in impeccable condition. We have a monthly maintenance which has reinvented our garden! No need to worry about the right time to fertilise or prune, just sit back and enjoy!"
Donagh
Melbourne
"Very happy with these guys. After a year or so of having them look after my place I wanted to revamp my garden completely, they chose the best plants and flowers for the area, their attention to detail is superb and my place looks amazing!"
Pip
Melbourne
"Anthony and Sam have done a great job maintaining and improving my garden over the past couple of years. Highly recommended."
Sue
Melbourne
"ABS Horticulture has been looking after our garden for over 10 years. In that time, Anthony's team have proven to be reliable, skilled and prompt with their services. The staff are always polite and their workmanship is top notch, whether it is lawn care, pruning, or shaping our numerous bay trees and hedges. I love coming home from work on the day ABS have serviced our garden, it always looks great."
Tom
Elsternwick
Helpful Resources
More About Planting & Soft Landscaping
How Much Does Garden Maintenance Cost in Melbourne? (2026 Pricing Guide)
Transparent pricing guide for garden maintenance services in Melbourne. Understand what affects costs, what services include, and how to budget for professional garden care.
What Does a Garden Maintenance Service Include? (Complete Breakdown)
Complete breakdown of what professional garden maintenance services include. Understand exactly what tasks are performed and what results you can expect.
How Often Should Garden Maintenance Be Done? (Monthly vs Fortnightly)
Monthly garden maintenance suits most established Melbourne gardens. Here's how to decide between monthly and fortnightly based on your garden type, plants, and seasons.
Monthly Care
What to expect as a client
Plant recommendations that come from knowing your garden through the seasons, not a quick look and a guess, but real observation built up over monthly visits.
Species selected specifically for Melbourne's eastern suburbs conditions, with clay soil tolerance, frost resilience, and the ability to handle our summer heat.
Every planting hole prepared properly with amendments matched to the species going in. We don't just dig and drop.
Correct planting depth and technique for each species, with staking and protection where the plant needs it to establish well.
Follow-up monitoring at every subsequent monthly visit. We check how new plants are settling, adjust watering, and step in early if something needs attention.
Honest advice about mature sizes and growth rates, because your garden needs to work in five years, not just on planting day.
Ongoing vs One-Off
Plants installed as part of ongoing care get the aftercare they need to establish
Here's what typically happens when planting is done as a standalone job: the installer leaves, and everything that determines whether those plants actually establish (watering frequency, pest monitoring, staking, follow-up feeding) falls entirely to you. When planting is part of our monthly care program, we're back regularly to check on new additions, adjust watering, and intervene early if something isn't settling in. I've watched a newly planted daphne go from looking stressed to absolutely thriving, simply because we caught a drainage issue on the next visit and moved it two metres along the bed. That kind of responsive aftercare is only possible when you see the garden every month. We also recommend plants progressively as we learn your garden through monthly visits, rather than trying to specify everything at once. Each recommendation is based on real, observed conditions, not assumptions from a single site visit.
The monthly difference
One-off care
Monthly program
Transparent Pricing
Simple, fair pricing, no surprises
Our planting & soft landscaping service is priced based on the scope of work. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote tailored to your garden.
Free
Initial Quote
No obligation site visit
Fair
Transparent Pricing
Clear quotes, no hidden fees
Flexible
Payment Options
Bank transfer, easy & convenient
Get Started
Ready to transform your garden?
Book a free 15-minute call. We'll discuss your planting & soft landscaping needs, answer your questions, and provide a no-obligation quote.
No pressure. No obligation. Just a conversation about your garden.