Native Garden Design Perth
Garden Design Perth
At Landscape by Design, we specialise in creating gardens that celebrate Australian native blooms, shrubs and greenery. Each design is tailored to the site, balancing colour, texture and seasonality, while building a landscape that’s naturally resilient, visually engaging and perfectly suited to the local soil and climate. Whatever your native landscaping needs, our Perth team have years of experience and knowledge in this area and can help you create an incredible space relying on the natural flora and fauna.
Native Plant Expertise
WA natives chosen for your soil and aspect — westringia, kangaroo paw, banksia, grevillea.
Water-Wise & Low Maintenance
Drought-tolerant planting, mulch and drip irrigation that sip water rather than guzzle it.
Wildlife-Friendly
Nectar, shelter and habitat that bring birds, bees and butterflies back into your yard.
One Team, Concept to Care
Design, build and establishment handled by the same crew — no chasing between trades.
Beautiful native gardens are designed, not guessed.
At Landscape by Design, we specialise in creating gardens that celebrate the natural beauty of Australian native blooms, shrubs and greenery. Working with local plants rather than thirsty imports, each design is tailored to the site — balancing colour, texture and seasonality — while building a landscape that’s naturally resilient, visually engaging and perfectly suited to the local soil and climate. Whatever your native landscaping needs, our Perth team have years of experience and knowledge in this area and can help you create an incredible space relying on the natural flora and fauna.
Western Australia is home to many native plants found nowhere else — many species catalogued by groups like the Wildflower Society of WA — and the right ones will outperform other plants in your garden for decades.
Garden design that respects local conditions.
Perth has a Mediterranean climate — hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters — and the soil across most of the city is sandy, free-draining and low in nutrients. Garden design that ignores the local climate tends to fail. Exotic plants imported from cooler, wetter parts of the country struggle once summer hits, irrigation runs straight through the sandy soil before plants can use it, and ongoing maintenance becomes a constant chore. South-west WA also holds an incredible diversity of native species — one of the richest wildflower regions on earth — so there is no shortage of tough, beautiful plants suited to exactly these conditions.
Native garden design in Perth flips that. The right plants — westringia, kangaroo paws, banksia, grevillea, scaevola and dwarf eucalypts — are drought tolerant and water wise, evolved for the sandy soils and dry summers found from the major rivers — the Swan and Canning — up into the Darling Range. They thrive on less water, shrug off strong winds, draw birds and wildlife into your outdoor space, and look stronger year after year.
We know the right plants to attract wildlife.
A well-designed native garden landscape does more than just look good — it plugs your block back into the local ecosystem. We select plant combinations that provide nectar, shelter and habitat for native wildlife, supporting local biodiversity right down to the insects. Clever, well-thought-out landscape design encourages native fauna to flourish in your outdoor space, and it is one of the simplest ways to attract birds, bees and butterflies back into your yard.
A garden full of life is more inviting, more interesting, and feels grounded in the place it actually sits.
Sustainable, low maintenance landscape designs.
Native garden design in Perth should be sustainable, water wise and easy to live with. We focus on species and layouts that reduce water demands, thrive in local soils, and limit the need for ongoing intervention.
The result is a genuinely low maintenance Australian native garden — drought tolerant species that require minimal maintenance, layered ground covers that suppress weeds, and structure trees that filter wind and protect the smaller plants beneath them.
We tackle both classic and modern gardens.
Whether you want a traditional bushland feel, the relaxed look of cottage gardens reimagined with natives, or a contemporary native garden with clean lines and geometric structure, we adapt our approach to suit your vision. From natural, layered plantings to tighter modern layouts, we tailor native landscape design to match your home and lifestyle — no thirsty exotic plants required.
Both styles work beautifully in Perth gardens — the choice depends on the architecture of your house and how you want the outdoor space to feel.
Read what Perth homeowners say about working with the Landscape By Design team.
A Perth native plant palette with structure, colour and rhythm.
Trees & structure plants
Tuart · Banksia attenuata · Peppermint · Lemon-scented gum
The upper canopy in a native garden. Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) is a Perth local — drought tolerant once established, it shelters smaller plants from strong winds and sun, attracts birds, and grows well across most Perth suburbs.
Mid-height shrubs
Westringia · Grevillea · Hakea · Lemon myrtle · Dwarf banksia
The workhorses of every native garden landscape we design. These large shrubs bring dense foliage and striking flowers for months at a time, recover well from light pruning, and need very little water once established.
Flowering plants & feature accents
Kangaroo paw · Dianella · Lomandra · Grass tree
Seasonal colour and sculptural movement without the demands of exotic plants. Used in odd-numbered groups they deliver year round interest and visual appeal across the garden beds.
Ground covers
Myoporum · Scaevola · Pigface · Creeping boobialla
Hold the design together. They suppress weeds, soften edges, and tie everything from gravel paths through to the lawn into a single, coherent space.
Soil, water and irrigation make the native garden last.
Most Perth blocks are pure sand. Whatever the soil type, water disappears below the roots before plants can use it, and good drainage quickly turns into no water retention at all. Soil preparation matters more than people expect and pays dividends for years — before planting, we add compost, aged organic matter, a wetting agent and a slow release fertiliser so the sandy soil holds enough soil moisture and nutrients to give the garden a real chance.
Mulch is the next big lever. A 75mm layer of mulch protects the soil, suppresses weeds, slows evaporation, and slowly improves the soil as it breaks down. Combined with drip irrigation under the mulch, water gets to the roots where plants can use it — not into the air, and not below the root zone.
For most native gardens we design, the reticulation runs once or twice a week in summer and barely at all through the cooler months. The combination of native plant choice, soil preparation, mulch and irrigation is what makes a native garden look its best in spring and still look composed in the worst week of summer.
The highest-leverage move on the street.
A native front yard is one of the highest-leverage garden design moves in Perth. Westringia, kangaroo paw and a single feature tree create year-round colour and structure with minimal maintenance. It lifts the whole house from the street.
Where outdoor living actually happens.
The backyard is where outdoor living happens, so native garden design here works alongside paving, decking and a place to sit. A backyard that pairs native beds with a paved entertaining area, a feature tree or two, and a simple water feature gives Perth families somewhere to actually use the garden, not just look at it.
Native gardens for tight spaces.
Native gardens absolutely work in small spaces. Layered planting in tight beds, a sculptural grass tree as a focal point, gravel paths between them and well-chosen flowering shrubs around the edge turn a small courtyard into the kind of space that feels much bigger than it is.
Hard landscaping that belongs beside native plants.
Natural materials sit beside native plants better than glossy, manufactured finishes. Limestone, weathered timber, gravel, exposed aggregate paving and natural stone all age well in the Perth climate, and they share a palette with the native plants themselves. Combine them with carefully placed retaining walls, paths and a quiet water feature and the garden feels like one composed picture rather than several disconnected zones.
One team manages and builds your whole garden.
Every project we run goes through one team and one process — a rarity in the Perth landscaping industry — so you do not chase between designers, trades, and council. We handle project management, supplier scheduling and local council guidelines as standard, source stock from specialist native nurseries, and work with trusted contractors who have built dozens of native gardens with us across the Perth metro area. From the initial concept through construction and into ongoing garden maintenance services, the same people own the build.
You also work with professional landscapers who actually know native flora and Perth gardens. The plant list, the soil prep, the irrigation choices, the way the design is laid out for visual appeal across the seasons — these are not afterthoughts. They are the entire process.
One team. One process. Concept to finished landscape.
Initial consultation
We review the site, how you use the space, your preferred garden style and budget.
Design & plant selection
Careful plant selection comes first: the layout, plant palette, soil prep, irrigation and material choices are designed together. We choose plants suited to your aspect and soil.
Construction management
We manage suppliers, trusted contractors, scheduling and council approvals where required.
Establishment & care
The finished garden is set up with mulch, irrigation and a practical maintenance rhythm.
Native garden design Perth, answered.
Which native Australian plants are best suited to Perth’s climate?
The most reliable choices are drought-tolerant WA natives suited to sandy soil and hot, dry summers: westringia, kangaroo paw, banksia, grevillea, hakea, dianella, lomandra and dwarf eucalypts such as Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala). These water-wise species need little watering once established and attract birds and wildlife.
Can you create a native garden that suits small spaces?
Yes. Native gardens work beautifully in courtyards and small yards. We use layered planting in tight garden beds, a sculptural grass tree or feature plant as a focal point, gravel paths and well-chosen flowering shrubs around the edges to make a compact space feel far larger than it is.
How does a native garden benefit local wildlife?
Native plants provide nectar, seed, shelter and habitat that exotic plants cannot, reconnecting your block to the local ecosystem. The right combinations attract birds, bees, butterflies and beneficial insects, supporting local biodiversity while keeping the garden low maintenance.
Are native gardens low maintenance?
Once established, native gardens are among the lowest-maintenance options in Perth. The plants are drought tolerant and matched to local soils, so with good soil preparation, a 75mm mulch layer and drip irrigation they need only occasional pruning and minimal watering, mostly through the hottest summer weeks.
Can you handle irrigation for my garden?
Yes. Every native garden we design includes a tailored irrigation plan. We install drip irrigation under the mulch so water reaches the root zone instead of evaporating, and set the reticulation to run once or twice a week in summer and barely at all through the cooler months.
How do I get started with my native landscaping project in Perth?
Start by requesting a quote or booking an initial consultation. We review your site, soil and how you use the space, then design the layout, plant palette and irrigation together. One team manages everything from concept through construction to establishment.