Landscaping in Camberwell, Melbourne
The suburb of Camberwell or Postcode 3124, part of the City of Boroondara.
Camberwell sits about 10 km east of the CBD, in the heart of Boroondara. The streets here are old — the suburb grew up around the railway in the 1880s, and most of the homes that line them are Victorian or interwar. Heritage-listed streetscapes are common. So are mature English trees: elms, oaks, and plane trees that have been growing for a century or more.
That tree canopy shapes everything about how gardens work here. Established root systems compete with new planting. Shade patterns shift through the seasons. The soil in much of Boroondara is heavy clay — it drains slowly, compacts easily, and needs proper preparation before turf or garden beds will perform well long-term.
The gardens that work in Camberwell tend to reflect the neighbourhood: structured but not fussy, with planting that earns its place. Lilly pillies and Murraya for screening. Ornamental pears and Japanese maples for seasonal colour. Native groundcovers under the canopy where lawn won't thrive. And always, good drainage underneath it all.
Mario has worked on both ends of the spectrum here — established heritage homes where the landscaping needs to respect what's already there, and new builds where everything starts from bare soil and needs to be done right from the ground up.
Recent Projects in Vermont South.
Derby Street, Camberwell — Two New Builds on a Sloped Block
The builder brought Mario in to complete the landscaping on two new homes in Camberwell — both high-end new builds on a block that ran uphill from front to back.
The landscape plan was already drawn up. Mario's job was to execute it properly, from the ground up.
First came the structure. The slope needed steps — two or three cuts down through the property — plus stepping stones and pebbles through both side passages. All the garden beds were built out before a single roll of turf went down, so nothing had to be disturbed later.
The planting was substantial. Both properties needed a full privacy screen, so around 200 Syzygium (Neighbours Be Gone lilly pillies) went in across the two sites. Fast-growing, low-maintenance, and already two to three times their original size six months on.
For the lawn, Mario brought in 10 cubic metres of soil per property, rolled it level, applied lawn starter, and scored the surface before laying turf so the roots made direct contact with the soil beneath. Once the turf was down, he rolled it again to push out any air pockets — then kept both properties on a strict watering schedule for the first two weeks.
The finishing details: Corten steel edging throughout, hardwood sleeper retaining walls at the front where the garden steps down, and paving across both front yards.
Three to four weeks. Two properties. One person.
Our Landscaping Services in Camberwell
Whatever your Camberwell garden needs, Mario covers it:
Backyard Makeovers — full transformations, from tired yard to a space you actually want to use
Lawns & Turf Maintenance — soil prep, new turf, and the rolling and watering routine that makes it actually take
Retaining Walls & Paving — solid, well-built structures that suit Camberwell's sloped blocks
Trimming & Pruning — hedges, shrubs and established trees kept neat, with care taken around mature canopy
New-Home Landscaping — starting with a blank block? Mario gets your new build's garden done right from day one
Garden Beds & Planting — from mass planting like the Derby Street lilly pilly screens to detailed garden bed construction
Why Camberwell Homeowners Choose Mario
Local knowledge — we know Camberwell, the City of Boroondara's tree protection rules, and what works in these heritage streets and clay-heavy soils
Straight to Mario — you deal directly with the owner, not a call centre or a subbie
Honest value — fair pricing, and no job too big or too small
Reliable and tidy — we turn up, do the work properly, and leave the place clean
Ready to Get Started?
Call Mario today on 0418 328 672 for a free on-site quote — most enquiries get a call back within the hour. Prefer to write? Fill in the quick quote form and Mario will be in touch.