Landscaping in Monbulk

Monbulk is nursery country. Nursery production and flower growing are the town's two biggest industries, and you're never far from a grower. So Monbulk people tend to know their plants. What they call us about is usually everything else: turning a sloping block into usable garden space, building beds that last, and getting water to drain away properly.

A row of shops along the main road through Monbulk township in the Dandenong Ranges

Photo: Matthew Paul Argall from Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Front garden with stepping-stone path through gravel, native grasses and a feature tree

Building the bones of a Hills garden

The plants are the fun part. The structure underneath is what lets them thrive:

  • Terraced garden beds. Retaining a slope into level beds gives plants flat, well-drained soil and makes them easy to tend. Timber, concrete sleeper, block or rock, all with drainage behind them. More on retaining walls.
  • Raised veggie and cutting-garden beds at a comfortable working height.
  • Steps and paths wide enough for a barrow, safe in the wet.
  • Decks and paved areas so you have somewhere flat to sit and enjoy the garden.
  • Planting, mulching and irrigation, so new plants get a good start.

St George's Anglican Church, a cream weatherboard church with a small spire, behind a garden in Monbulk

Photo: Matthew Paul Argall from Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The name says "hiding place in the hills"

Monbulk is believed to come from a Wurundjeri word for a hiding place or sanctuary in the hills. Many Monbulk blocks back onto bush or farmland, and the town has a long bushfire history. Check your property's bushfire and vegetation overlays with a free VicPlan report before you plan big changes near the house, and see the CFA's "Landscaping for Bushfire" guide for plant placement.

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

Nearby: The Patch, Macclesfield and Sassafras.

Sandstone-look block steps with rock boulders and lawn at a new home entrance

FAQ

Can you build terraced beds on a steep slope? Yes. Terracing with a series of lower walls is one of the most common Hills jobs we do.

Can you fix beds that turn to mud in winter? Usually. Raised beds, better soil and drainage underneath make a big difference. Drainage is something we do a lot of.

Do you service Monbulk? Yes, and site visits and quotes are free.

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