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Every landscaping project a new challenge. Design, Planning and Construction. Country properties to city gardens. Landscape solutions for a changing climate.
I’ve included this section for anyone who is curious about my
background. Its relevance to who I am now as a designer and builder
of gardens in Australia is an interesting question. I have included
it as passing interest and for my father who had a career in
horticulture and enabled me as a child to be immersed in a wonderful
world of living things.
Roy Roberts was born in England.
His childhood experiences at Knebworth house in England formed an
appreciation for the living world, gardens and landscapes.
Roy’s father was head gardener at Knebworth, which at the
time was a private residence. The house and grounds including
extensive gardens, woodlands, parklands, glasshouses and walled
gardens were maintained by sixteen staff.
‘My father taught me my first botanical name at the age of
five, Liriodendron tulipifera, a useful start since it is a tree
grown here in Victoria!’ says Roy.
Roy’s other childhood experiences included spending time in
his Grandma’s art studio. She was an art teacher in Northern
England.
Roy describes living environments and landscapes as large-scale
living sculptural art; a type of art that when all around us makes us
feel something, rather than art that tries to tell us something.
After traveling overseas Roy returned to the U.K. to work in the
plant industry for two years prior to moving to Australia in
1992.
Recognising the importance of more relevant knowledge in a new
country and climate Roy completed an Advanced Certificate in
Horticulture whilst working full-time in the retail plant
industry.
Six years in the retail plant industry in Victoria gave Roy an
excellent grounding in plant identification and plant health issues
relevant to this part of Australia.
Returning to his passion of design he started his own business in
1998 with 2008 set to be his tenth as a landscape designer.
ABOUT US
Who we are
Roy Roberts Landscapes is a landscape and garden design business
specialising in landscape projects of all sizes.
Roy Roberts has been part of the horticulture and landscape
industries for over 17 years overseas and in Australia.
He started in business being devoted entirely to design and has
built a viable business doing what he enjoys best and that is
creating outdoor environments and planted landscapes that capture the
very best possibilities of every site.
“Almost all of our work has been through recommendation. An
expanding client base has provided us with some great landscaping
opportunities in the past few years.”
Each project gets the creative treatment and that is evident in
the finished landscape, two having been featured in Shepparton
Homescapes magazine.
Take the time to browse through the portfolio to see a selection
of the broad range of landscapes we have designed.
What we do.
We provide three distinct services:
- Landscape design
- Landscape construction
- Specialist garden maintenance.
Each has its own set of skills. Each has a separate fee
structure.
Where we work.
We travel Victoria wide with the bulk of our design work being
centred in the Shepparton region extending up to Southern N.S.W. and
south to Melbourne.
THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
We specialise in constructing landscapes we have designed and
planned.
The landscape construction is quoted and when approved allows us
to implement the design to a level of detail and accuracy that the
design demands.
Our team offers:
- Excavation
- Soil preparation
- Site drainage
- Edging systems
- Gravels, crushed rock
- Paths and paving
- Concretes
- Retaining walls, steps
- Garden structures
- Screens
- Planting
- Irrigation systems and controls
- Mulches
- Accents and features
CONTACT ROY ROBERTS LANDSCAPES
Roy Roberts
‘The Vines’ 11 Service Road
Kialla West
Victoria 3631
Australia
Phone: 03 5823 2845
Mobile: 0407 568 515
Email: roy@royrobertslandscapes.com.au
THE DESIGN PROCESS
In essence the design process involves gathering as much
information about the site and requirements for the project as
possible and then providing concepts and design solutions either
directly on the ground, marked out with pegs and survey paint, or on
paper as plans and sketches.
Typical design works include the following:
- A consultation to create a detailed set of design criteria
listing allfunctional, practical, aesthetic and budget
requirements of the proposed project.
- A site analysis with reference to existing building, existing
plant material, soil type, levels, grades, available water,
surrounding buildings, fences and features.
- The creation of ideas, concepts and design solutions.
- Site Measurements including dimensions, levels and
grades.
- Preparation of sketches.
- Preparation of scale drawings.
- Plant selection and planting plans.
- Preparation of irrigation plans.
Projects may be several acres in extent, typical residential
blocks, courtyards, patios or feature areas. Often they fall into one
of the three categories listed below.
Just built a new house?
If your house is already built or nearing completion we design on
site. Working on the property allows us to gather a huge amount of
information from the site, the house and yourselves.
Once we have sifted through all the information the ideas really
start to come to life. Getting feedback on ‘broad brush’
ideas on site allows me to hone in on what will become the final
solution.
Having a project designed?
If your project is not yet under construction we design on paper
and in consultation with yourselves and your architect or builder.
Getting us involved at this stage allows the project to be viewed
from a landscape designer’s perspective. Ideas and plans
prepared now allow for better integration of works during
construction and the possibility of a more cohesive design linking
inside and out.
Looking to renovate a treasured garden around a period or older
home?
The character of older homes should be reflected in their gardens.
Plant selection and planting style are particularly important.
Existing plant material can be a real asset or a liability depending
on what and where it is. We are able to make use of our plant
identification skills not just to recommend new plantings, but also
to identify existing plant material on site. This enables us to merge
older parts of the garden with new or create a new garden with an
old-fashioned style and ambience.
FEE STRUCTURE
Like any other building project landscapes typically involve large
volumes of materials, equipment and labour. This adds up to a
significant investment.
The time and money spent at the design stage is not simply about
artistic flare but also about getting best value for your
construction dollars.
Design fees
Due to the diversity of projects we choose to charge an hourly fee
that reflects our business costs.
- Hourly fee – contact us for our current hourly fee.
- Travel fee – based on distance.
- Plan copies - at cost
- Survey paint, stakes and survey tape – at cost
Plans may be drawn to different levels of detail and in some
circumstances efforts can be concentrated on concept ideas only. It
is your choice as to how you use our time but remember a complete
range of design services is always available.
Construction fees
Free fixed price quotations are provided based on scale plans.
Landscape maintenance
To ensure ongoing satisfaction and success qualified landscape
maintenance is available. Fees for ongoing maintenance are discussed
on a site-by-site basis.
PHOTO GALLERY
Roy describes himself as a ‘site inspired designer’. His
broad appreciation of diverse natural landscapes and garden styles
has resulted in the creation of a broad range of landscapes all quite
different and yet with one common thread, all are site inspired.
The site, he says, is its people, the buildings, the land, the
surroundings and the climate. “We design in response to all
these things along with an almost sub conscious feeling for what
feels right.”
Click on the photo gallery to view 10 different projects, some
several acres in extent others typical residential blocks,
courtyards, patios and feature areas.
Portfolio A
Location: Kialla, Shepparton
Works: Design (Design drawn after construction of the
house). Construction. Plant selection
Photos: Under construction / 18 months later
Size: Residential block.
The soft curved lines of the exposed granite concrete merges with
the driveway and flows through the garden towards the timber decking
and front door.
A blue sky shows hardly a hint of rain in summer as is normal in
northern Victoria beyond the Great Dividing Range.
A careful selection of Australian and non-native plants such as
Cotyledon, Carex, Leucodendrons, Eremophillas and Banksias combine to
form a low water use scheme.
"The intention with the planting scheme will be to place the house
within a full and abundant living environment of semi-natural
appearance. Natural in so much as the planting scheme is less geared
towards traditional gardens of hybridized plants and manicured
maintenance and instead a scheme creating echoes of a natural
environment through the use of plants that appear to be more natural
than garden-like in character and yet in a scheme that is garden-like
due to a deliberate use of highlighted contrast of textures and
colours.
The plant selection will make use of plants of low water
requirement and low overall environmental impact. This has obvious
environmental benefits but also reflects a harmony with the broader
environment so as to generate a relaxed comfortable feeling".
Above is an extract from the outline written when the site was
simply an empty block with a new house and nothing more. The
photographs show the project 18 months after planting.
Portfolio B
Location: Kialla, Shepparton
Works: Design (Design drawn prior to the start of building
construction) Periodic garden maintenance
Photos: Landscape five years old
Size: Double block
An elegant 'classic' garden of green hedges and flowers.
A formal style to the road guards the private gardens behind the
wall.
An archway of crepuscule roses and clematis leads through to a
gravel path and seat placed beneath silver birches.
Hedged off with Myrtus the pool area opens out with reflections of
cumquats in glazed pots. From the house feature urns are lit at night
against a backdrop of dark Junipers, now clipped as a formal hedge
above fence height.
Moving to the rear a bold urn is contrasted with delicate
aquilegias and ferny leaves of Gleditsia 'Ruby lace'
Beyond the pool a delicate iron outdoor setting is nestled amongst
the reds of burgundy iceberg roses.
Portfolio C
Location: Kialla, Shepparton
Works: Design (Design drawn after construction of the
house). Construction. Plant selection
Photos: Under construction / recently completed
Size: Residential block.
The strong architectural style of the home, with dominant
rectangles exaggerated by the lack of shadows from eaves and feature
triple windows set the tone for the garden design.
Low water use is achieved by the minimal use of lawn and with the
use of drippers throughout the mulched gardens. The small flat
rectangular area of lawn looks comfortable and relaxed. The eye is
drawn across the lawn to three rendered concrete blocks that tie in
with the materials used in the house construction.
The slope down to the road is highlighted by large exposed
rocks.
The photos show the project recently planted with Lomandras,
Cycads, Liriopes and a low hedge of Euonymus.
Portfolio D
Location: Shepparton
Works: Design (Pre-existing older home). Construction.
Plant selection
Photos: Before. Two months after construction
Size: Town house courtyard.
Limited space and a lack of any pre-existing garden made this
tiled area hot and unwelcoming.
Tile and concrete cutting along with the construction of planter
boxes and installation of drippers and cool dark green foliage
transform the area.
Portfolio E
Location: Numurkah
Works: Major remodelling including addition of fencing,
gate, paving and plants.
Photos: Three years after remodelling.
Size: Residential block.
Behind the front gate and brush fencing lies a hidden garden.
Protected from the wind the front garden is now a place to relax
amongst contrasting foliage and flowers and the scent of gardenias,
roses and port wine magnolias.
Portfolio F
Location: Kialla.
Works: Plant selection
Photo: Three years after planting.
Size: Acre block.
This garden is testament to the owner's vision of a sub-tropical
style garden in the temperate and frosty winter climate of the
area.
From a plant selection point of view this represents a challenge,
but one that seems to have paid off!
The light soil type allowed the planting of some advanced
specimens.
Portfolio G
Location: Toolamba
Works: Design (Design drawn after construction of the
house). Plant selection
Photos: Three years after planting
Size: Several acres.
Large properties provide opportunities that residential blocks
cannot, opportunities to work with the topography, soil and surrounds
on a much broader scale. Large majestic trees can be recommended
that can provide real returns on the investment over the years. A
well considered plan cements the whole thing together, the people the
buildings and the surroundings.
There is something very different about large properties, partly
its about the long views, big trees, the wind and the air, but there
is also something about seeing the sunrise over the property and
seeing it sink to the west. It's about a sense of scale and
proportion, and perhaps a lack of colour bond fences!
Portfolio H
Location: Shepparton
Works: Design (Design drawn after construction of the
house). Construction. Plant selection
Photos: Under construction / Planting completed / Two years
later
Size: Residential block.
Small sites provide special opportunities. In this instance the
brief requested that we include a Japanese influence. The most
appealing feature of that style is that it generates a peaceful and
contemplative mood. It does this by allowing the eye to rest
comfortably on ever-smaller portions of the garden with equal
interest in contrast to many other gardens where one item is allowed
to dominate. 'Slow' tightly curved paths, mounded gardens and screens
all help to achieve this.
What appears in the photograph as lawn is Pratia ground cover,
giving the area a moss-like appearance.
Portfolio I
Location: Numurkah
Works: Design. Construction. Plant selection
Photos: Three years after remodelling
Size: Residential block.
Cutting through the eucalypts the granitic sand path leads down to
a peaceful area away from the house.
Rustic seating made from timber cut from trees on the block
provides a resting spot overlooking the water
Eucalypts under planted with Strelitzias and Acacias provides an
interesting combination.
Away from the water the garden is glimpsed through giant
Echiums.
Portfolio J
Location: Kyabram
Works: Design, remodelling and maintenance.
Photos: Established garden
Size: Residential block.
The addition of brick paving and a timber bench seat gives the
area a sense of purpose.
One off artistic peaces can be made to set the mood of an
area.
The addition of shaded areas provides a great spot to read, or
relax in the open air.