Shade is the constraint
Under a mature canopy there is not enough light for most lawn and a lot of standard planting. Pretending otherwise is why so many gardens here have a bare patch under the trees. We build for the light the space actually has.
Cheltenham 2119 · Hornsby Shire Council
Landscaping Cheltenham
Cheltenham is almost all houses on big leafy blocks, and the canopy over them is the whole point of living here. Building a garden under it means working with the shade and the roots rather than against them.
- 15+ years across Sydney
- Rated 4.9 on Google
- Licensed and insured team
- Free on-site quotes
What we build here
Building under an established canopy
Cheltenham sits about 18 kilometres north-west of the city in Hornsby Shire, sharing its postcode with Beecroft. It is almost entirely residential, with 95.7 per cent of dwellings separate houses, no shopping centre of its own, and 19th century homes on tree-lined streets running down toward Devlins Creek.
Roots you cannot cut through
Established trees have root systems running right through where people want paving and walls. Working around them properly, rather than cutting through and hoping, is the difference between keeping the tree and losing it in three years.
Big blocks, long projects
These are generous gardens by Sydney standards, and a full rebuild is a staged job. We set it out in phases with a price against each so you can do it over time if you would rather.
What we build
Our landscaping services in Cheltenham
Most Cheltenham projects combine three or four of these across a large, shaded and often sloping block.
Retaining walls in Cheltenham
Walls to hold a fall and create level terraces on a sloping block. Near established trees we set the footing to work around the root zone rather than cutting straight through it.
How we build retaining wallsPaving in Cheltenham
Terraces, paths and entertaining areas paved to a level, free-draining finish. Under a canopy we allow for leaf litter and damp in the base and the surface choice, because shaded paving behaves differently.
How we approach pavingTree pruning and trimming in Cheltenham
Thinning and lifting canopies so light reaches the garden below, which on a block like this does more for the planting than anything else. Hornsby Shire controls significant pruning of many trees and we check first.
See our pruning and trimmingMulching in Cheltenham
Mulch at a depth suited to shaded beds. Heavy mulch under a canopy that already drops litter holds the ground too wet, so we match the grade and depth to the position.
More on mulchingTurf laying in Cheltenham
Lawn on the parts of the block that get genuine light, over prepared and graded soil. Where there is not enough sun we will say so rather than laying turf that thins out in a season.
How we lay new turfHedge trimming in Cheltenham
The long boundary runs these larger blocks have, cut to a clean line. Length rather than height is usually what makes a Cheltenham hedge job.
How we trim hedgesWeeding in Cheltenham
Beds, paths and paving joints cleared back, roots included. Toward the creek end there is steady pressure from regrowth, so regular passes work better than one big clear.
More on weedingRubbish and land removal in Cheltenham
Cleared growth, leaf litter, old paving and green waste taken away. A large block generates real volume and we size the removal honestly in the quote.
See our rubbish removalTree lopping and removal in Cheltenham
Removing a tree that threatens the house or has failed. Hornsby Shire controls removal and significant pruning of many trees here, and we check what is allowed before quoting.
About our tree lopping work
Working in Cheltenham
What changes a Cheltenham quote
The trees and the slope do most of the work on a Cheltenham price.
- How much light the space gets. Shade decides what can be planted and whether lawn is viable at all. We assess the light before recommending anything, because that is what makes a garden here succeed or fail.
- Root zones. Paving and walls near established trees have to be set out around the roots. That takes more care and sometimes a different construction method, and it goes in the quote.
- Slope. A lot of these blocks fall away toward the creek. Terracing turns that into usable space, and the grade sets how many levels and how high the walls go.
- Size of the block. These are large gardens, so a full rebuild is often staged. We price it in phases rather than presenting one number you have to take or leave.
- Tree approvals. Hornsby Shire controls removal and significant pruning of many trees in this area. We check before quoting, not after.
How it runs
How a Cheltenham landscaping job runs
Three steps, a fixed written price, and the site left clean.
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Tell us about the block
Call or send photos showing the trees and the fall. On a shaded block that is what tells us most before we visit.
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Free on-site quote
We assess the light, the root zones, the slope and the access, then put a fixed written price and a staged plan in front of you.
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We build it and clear out
One crew from start to finish, all cleared growth and old material removed, and the paths and driveway swept down.
Terry and his team are fantastic to work with.
The team have been very professional with their work, communication and they were also fast paced.
They use very high quality materials and workmanship is flawless.
Around Cheltenham
Other areas our Cheltenham crew covers
Cheltenham sits in Hornsby Shire with Beecroft, Thornleigh, Normanhurst, Pennant Hills and Epping around it.
- Gardener Cheltenham
- Landscaping Beecroft
- Gardener Beecroft
- Landscaping Thornleigh
- Gardener Normanhurst
- Landscaping Epping
- Gardener Epping
- Landscaping Carlingford
For upkeep rather than a build, see our garden maintenance in Cheltenham or everything we do across Hornsby Shire, and browse every Sydney suburb we service.
Cheltenham questions
What Cheltenham homeowners ask us
Nothing grows under our trees. What can we do?
Two things, and usually both. Thinning and lifting the canopy lets considerably more light down without losing the tree, and then the planting underneath is chosen for shade rather than hoped into it. Lawn is the one thing that generally will not work, and we will say so.
Can you pave near a big tree without killing it?
Yes, if it is set out around the root zone rather than cut through. That sometimes means a different base construction or shifting the paving a metre. It costs a little more and it is why the tree is still there in five years.
Our block falls away at the back. Is it usable?
Usually, with terracing. Retaining walls and stepped paving turn a fall into a series of level areas. How many levels depends on the grade, which we measure properly when we quote.
Can we do the work in stages?
Yes, and on a block this size it is often the sensible way. We set out the project in phases with a price against each, so you can do the structure now and the planting later.
Do we need approval to prune or remove a tree?
Often yes. Hornsby Shire controls removal and significant pruning of many trees here. We check what is permitted before quoting so nothing stops half way through.
Do you cover Beecroft, Thornleigh and Pennant Hills?
Yes. We work across Cheltenham 2119 and the surrounding Hornsby Shire suburbs including Beecroft, Pennant Hills, Thornleigh, Normanhurst, West Pennant Hills and Epping.
Free, no obligation
Get a quote for your Cheltenham landscaping
Send us the basics and we will come out, assess the light, the trees and the fall, and give you a fixed written price. The visit costs nothing.
- Free on-site quote anywhere in Cheltenham 2119
- Built for shade and established root zones
- Staged pricing on larger projects
- All cleared growth and old material removed
Prefer to talk it through? Call 0451 267 287.
Request your free quote
Ready to rebuild your Cheltenham garden?
Whether it is a bare patch under the canopy or a slope at the back you have never used, we will come out and price it properly.