Garden Maintenance
Servicing the north of Sydney we currently work on over 150 properties performing regular garden maintenance. We cater to any frequency of service from a single one-off job too weekly and quarterly visits.
Garden maintenance services include:
- Hedge Trimming
- Garden Rejuvenation
- Tree Pruning
- Tree Lopping
- Mulching
Our team of reliable staff are trained in many aspects of garden maintenance including:
- Hedge Trimming
- Tree Pruning & Lopping
- High Pressure Cleaning
- Weeding
- Lawn Mowing
- Leaf Blowing
- Plant Selection
- Planting
- Fertilising
Gardening
Land Clearing
Hedge Trimming and Topiary
Mulching and Weed Mat
Weeding
Poison
Planting
Fertilising and Cultivation (soil Preparation)
Plants
Elite Scapes will help you select the right plant for the right aspect and micro climate. Having a reasonable selection of trees, shrubs, informal and formal hedges make up a well-balanced garden.
Sydney metropolitan undergoes very hot summers and mild winters with most precipitation falling in warmer summer months. It is important to incorporate this knowledge with aspect, slope, soil pH, soil type and moisture content to effectively achieve a happy healthy garden. Plants, which may be used, can range form cool temperate species to tropical species.
Some of these include:
Native Plants:
Native plants are fantastic for attracting native wildlife into your garden, as well as their resilient drought tolerant nature. So if you find you go away a lot and want a garden, which will look after itself, native plants are the way to go. Natives must be common to your area for best results. Species are known for spectacular flowering events and marvelous foliage.
Common Natives found in backyards include:
Acacia (Wattle)
Acacia attracting native birds into your garden range from small shrubs to taller trees. They provide privacy and shade
Eucalyptus (Gum Trees)
Grow tall and are widespread through Australia. They are great for shade trees and attracting wildlife into your garden. They are extremely tolerant as they developed waxy leaves to prevent water loss. Once established they can tolerate drought periods as root system systems are long and deep.
Grevillea
Bottle Brush
Kangaroo paws
Banksia
Formal Hedges:
Formal hedges are small leafed evergreen plants, which are planted in close proximity to one another. There dense foliage is regularly pruned leaving little room for flower and fruit development. Formal Hedges are commonly used as fencing or used to boarder garden beds.
Shrubs for a formal hedge.
§ Marraya paniculate and cvs -(Orange Jessamine, Chinese box)
Growing no higher than 7m the Marraya is perfect for ornamental hedges thanks to the diverse range of soils from which it is cultivated. This hardy nature allows the Marraya to withstand hot summer months often recorded within metropolitan Sydney. When aloud the Marraya has beautifully scented white flowers blooming throughout the year.
§ Buxus microphylla var. japonica – (Japanese box hedge)
Native to Japan this evergreen grows approximately 2-3m tall with small leaves growing between 10-2mm making it perfect for a formal hedge. Leaves are notched at the tip ranging from a shinny bright green to a much darker shade. Japanese Box will tolerating short periods of drought, frosts and neglect but grows best in full sun.
Photinia Glabra cvs (Small Leaf Photinia)
Native to Japan this long-lived evergreen shrub reaches a height of 5m and a width of 4m wide. Favouring sun filled positions it will tolerate short periods of drought and is quite tolerant to frost and neglect. Photinia will tolerate most soils with reasonable drainage. Perfect for replacement hedges blocking out noise and creating a privacy screen for your yard.
Coprosma repens (Looking glass Plant)
Native to New Zealand this evergreen shrub reaches a height of 2-3m and width. They are very long lived with leaf colouration varying from green to a pale yellow at times. Coprosma love full sun light and will tolerate small periods of neglect and drought. When well watered this species can be resistant to fire.
Euonymus japonicas cvsn- (Japanese Spindle Tree)
Native to parts of Asia, this evergreen shrub reaches 4m in height and width. The leaves are small coloured with a deep glossy green preside and a pale underside. The spindle tree is dense with flowers that go unnoticed in warming months. It is reasonably slow growing however is long-lived growing well in sun filled spots particular westerly aspects. The spindle tree is fantastic for Topiary.
Rhododendron karume hybrids – (Kurume Azalea)
Native to Japan, the azalea is a relatively fast growing shrub reaching heights of 2m. Leaves and flowers are quite small making this shrub perfect for Formal Hedging. Generally the flowers are brightly coloured, blooming in spring and summer months. They are primarily used as a screening device and to give your garden some colour. They are suitable for Metropolitan gardens as they can tolerate mild frosting events and require low intensity sun plus shade.
Aucuba japonica and cvs (Japanese Aucuba)
Also native to Japan this shrub reaches heights of 3m and 4m in width. Flowers are not decorative and have relatively small green leaves. These evergreens are long lived however grow quite slowly. This shrub must be placed in a shady area, as full sun tends to burn the leaves. They can tolerate drought when in this environment. Can be used in any shaded area.
Informal Hedges:
Informal hedges are generally larger leafed evergreen trees or shrubs. They are commonly used as living walls to separate sections of garden or for a screening effect for Privacy and to minimise noise. They are not pruned as regularly like the formal hedges but are kept in a neat and tidy order.
Shrubs for informal hedges.
Viburnum odoratissimum (Sweet Viburnum)
An evergreen shrub or small tree, sweet viburnum reaches heights of 5m by 5m. Leaves are dark green with tubular white flowers in spring. This evergreen can tolerate varied soil formations however is dependent on watering, as it is not tolerant to drought periods. Uses for this plant include textured hedges for blocking of noise and to create a privacy screen, used instead of fencing.
Bauera rubioides, Dog Rose
Native to Australia, Dog Rose reaches heights of 1m and 2m wide. It is essential to keep this shrub in shaded moist areas, as it does not tolerate hot dry conditions. It is known to recover from drought; provided it is watered in time and small amounts of the plant have survived. This plant will survive relatively long when experiencing the favoured requirements.
Aucuba japonica and cvs, Japanese Laurel
AS FORMAL HEDGES
Hebe diosmifolia cvs (Garden Beauty)
Garden beauty originates in New Zealand and grows into a small neat evergreen shrub 50cm in height and 1m in width. Leaves are particularly small with pale violet flowers. Originating form New Zealand it is frost tolerant and is common to coastal environments. This shrub must be planted in a sunny position offering some shade for those very hot days in the summer months. It is used as a low growing hedge mainly for decoration or ground cover.
Prostanthera spp, Mint Bush
Native to Australia this tall evergreen shrub reaches average heights of about 5 m high. It has relatively small leaves and flowers. The flowers are a white to pink bell shapes with a sweet sent. However when it is not flowering the shrub gives of a menthol fragrance. It is tolerant to several environmental conditions such as full sun and frost. Common uses for this shrub include hiding a fence or wall, or for privacy and noise reduction.
Rapiolepsis spp and cvs, Indian Hawthorne
Small, flowering shrub around 2m in height reaching 5m in extreme circumstances. Flowering usually occurs in spring in large clusters of beautiful white heads covered with small green waxy leaves. Indian Hawthorne is salt and frost tolerant. The shrub is happy in full sun except in hot areas where it should then be in a semi-shaded position. It generally tolerates most soil conditions, preferably well-drained soil. It may be used as a small hedge
Rhododendron Large Leaf Hybrids.
Origination from the Himalayas this evergreen shrub varies between 1 and 4m in height and width. They grow into dense dome shaped hedges. They support dark green leathery leaves with a range of different flower types. They are slow growing and living long. They require cool micro climates in hot areas with shade over the hottest part of the day. The shrub is frost and shade tolerant requiring regular water as they are not drought tolerant. Used in place of fencing to gain privacy and to block noise.
Trees
· Trees for courtyards small residential gardens.
1. Acer palmatum and cvs, Japanese maple
2. Eucalyptus, dwarf pink flowering gum
3. Lagerstroemia indica and cvs
4. Magnolia little gem
5. Magnolia x soulangiana
6. Sapium sebiferum, Chinese Tallow Wood
7. Plumeria acutifolia
Annuals
Perennials
- Ground Cover
- Climbers
- Ferns and Palms
- Cycads
- Herbs
- Fruits
- Vegetables
Vegetables are categorised into 4 planting groups.
- Tropical
- Subtropical
- Temperate
- Cool
In the Sydney metropolitan area we have a temperate climate so the best growers will be
- Basil
- Parsley
- Coriander
- Pumpkin
- Climbing Beans
- Chillies
- Sweet corn
- Watermelons
However care must be taken, as there are plenty of grubs out there that will love to get stuck into your veggie and herb patches.