Garden beds, planting and softscaping in the City of Melton
Updated November 2026
Garden beds are where a yard gets its character, and where most of the soft landscaping budget goes. In the City of Melton that can mean starting from bare fill on a new estate, or lifting and replanting a garden that has been in since the 1990s. We pass your request to a local landscaper who works your suburb. We are a referral service, not a landscaping business.
What a new garden bed involves
- Marking out and removing turf, weeds and rubble
- Improving the soil, or bringing in a garden mix
- Edging, in steel, timber, brick or stone
- Plants, from tube stock to advanced trees
- Mulch and, ideally, drip irrigation underneath
National 2026 guides put a new garden bed with soil, edging, plants and mulch at about $45 to $165 per square metre ex GST. Plant size is the biggest single factor. See the cost guide.
Soil on the basalt plains
The City of Melton sits on the basalt and alluvial plains of Melbourne's west. The basalt clays found north and west of Melbourne shrink and swell with the seasons. In a garden bed, that is a reason to improve the soil rather than plant straight into clay, and to keep beds drained so water does not sit against the house. Ask the landscaper what they will do with the existing soil.
Plant choice
Ask for plants that suit your aspect, the space and the water you are willing to give them. Think about how big a tree will get before planting it near the house, paving, a pool, or pipes.
Water
Your water comes from Greater Western Water. Check Greater Western Water's current guidance on outdoor water use rather than relying on a watering timetable from a website. A drip system under the mulch puts water where the roots are. See irrigation and drainage.
Trees
Check with your council before removing or heavily pruning a tree. Street trees on the nature strip belong to the council. The landscapers we refer will tell you if a permit is likely.
No registration needed
Planting, garden beds, mulch and garden maintenance are soft landscaping. They are not registered building work in Victoria. Raised beds built from masonry or sleepers, walls and paving are structural work, explained on the structural landscaping page.
Frequently asked questions
Does planting need a licence?
No. Planting and garden beds are not registered building work in Victoria, and there is no landscaping licence.
Can I remove a tree on my property?
Check with your council first. Tree controls vary, and a tree may be protected by a planning control even on private land.
Tube stock or advanced plants?
Tube stock is cheap and establishes well but takes time. Advanced plants give an instant result at a much higher price. Many gardens mix the two.
How deep should mulch be?
Ask the landscaper for your plants and soil. Mulch keeps moisture in and weeds down, but should be kept clear of stems and the house.