Landscaping in Clematis

Clematis is tiny: a pub, a hall, a couple of shops, a CFA station and a Puffing Billy stop that was once called Paradise Valley. Much of its old farmland went under Cardinia Reservoir. What's left is a scattering of homes on hilly, treed blocks between Emerald and the reservoir. Lovely to live on, and full of slopes, long driveways and run-off. Up here the hard landscaping has to do two jobs: make the place easier to live with, and stand up to a lot of rain.

Puffing Billy steam train full of passengers pulling out of Clematis station past tall gum trees

Photo: Takeshi Aida, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Japanese maple planted in a white pot beside a new lawn and rock border

Jobs that suit Clematis properties

  • Driveway drainage and retaining. Long, steep driveways are common here, and they channel a lot of water. We can retain cut batters and build drainage so the driveway and garden don't wash out.
  • Terracing behind the house to get some usable flat ground. See our retaining walls.
  • Steps and paths between the house, sheds and garden, built for wet and leafy conditions.
  • Decks to create outdoor living space on sloping ground.
  • Planting and mulching to stabilise banks and keep weeds down.

The small timber Clematis station building beside the Puffing Billy Railway track in Clematis

Photo: Effluvium1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Good to know: fire planning

The local CFA brigade covers a big area, including much of Cardinia Reservoir, and has fought major fires including Ash Wednesday. If you're planning decks, structures or planting near the house, check your property's bushfire overlays on VicPlan, and read the CFA's "Landscaping for Bushfire" guide. It explains how to place plants, mulch and garden features so they don't carry fire to the house.

Browse our services, our Dandenong Ranges page and the gallery.

Nearby: Emerald, Menzies Creek and Avonsleigh.

Front yard with charcoal block garden bed edging, planting and stepping-stone paving

FAQ

Water pours down our driveway every storm. Can you fix it? Usually. A mix of drains across the driveway, retaining on the cut side, and planned outlets can tame it. We'll look at it in the wet if we can.

Our driveway is steep and narrow. Is that a problem? Usually not. We'll check access when we visit and plan the job around it.

Is Clematis in your service area? Yes, and quotes are free.

Clematis project? We're often booked a month or two ahead, so it pays to get in touch early. Call 0466 211 273 or contact us.