Inheriting a garden? We help you understand it.
You've just bought a property with an established garden. Before recommending an ongoing program, we assess what's there, identify what's worth keeping, and help you make confident decisions.
Well Tended provides new property garden care for owners of recently purchased residential properties in Melbourne's inner east: Toorak, South Yarra, Armadale, Malvern, Hawthorn and Kew. We assess inherited gardens, identify their established features, and design ongoing care programs around what's there. New clients begin with a complimentary on-site consultation. Call 03 9961 6078, Monday to Friday.
Understand the garden before changing it.
An established garden takes decades to mature. Box hedges, espaliered fruit trees, mature wisteria, formal rose collections, the established camellia along the side fence: each of these took the previous owner years to develop. Most are worth keeping, but you need to know what you have.
We start with a full assessment. What's planted, what's in good condition, what's in decline, what was newly added and won't last, what's heritage and unrepeatable. From there you can make confident decisions about what to invest in and what to let go.
Know what you've inherited. Then decide.
What new-property care covers.
The first engagement is an assessment, not a maintenance visit. Standard inclusions:
Garden inventory
- Identification of all significant plants and features
- Notes on condition, age, value and replaceability
- Photographic documentation of key elements
- Identification of any heritage or hard-to-replace plants
- Plan view of what's where
Health assessment
- Plant health screening: disease, pest, nutrition
- Soil and irrigation assessment
- Identification of structural issues like tree health or root problems
- Notes on anything in decline or needing urgent attention
- Realistic prognosis for each significant element
Ongoing care plan
- Written maintenance program tailored to what you've inherited
- Suggested visit rhythm and seasonal priorities
- Replacement planting recommendations where needed
- Clear scope and cost
- Transition straight into a recurring program when you're ready
New owners with established gardens.
New-property care is for owners who've just settled on a property with a garden worth understanding.
Heritage property buyers
Victorian terraces, Federation homes, Edwardian gardens with original plantings. The garden is part of the property's character and needs to be understood, not replaced.
Owners of substantial properties
Large grounds with formal hedges, mature trees, established lawns. The previous owner's investment is real value; we help you protect it.
First-time garden owners
You haven't had to maintain a garden like this before. We help you understand what you have and what it takes, without pressure to commit to anything.
From settlement to settled garden.
Three steps from your first call to a clear ongoing plan.
Settlement consultation.
We visit the property after settlement (or with the vendor's permission before, if useful) and walk the garden with you. No obligation, no on-the-spot commitment to ongoing work.
Written assessment.
Within a week or two you receive a full written assessment: what you've inherited, its condition, what needs immediate attention, what can wait, and recommended next steps.
Ongoing care.
If you choose to engage us for ongoing maintenance, we transition straight into a recurring program built around what's there. If you'd rather DIY, the assessment is yours to use however helps.
Questions about new property care.
Common questions from new owners about understanding and looking after an established garden.
Do I need to do this before I settle, or after?
Either works. With the vendor's permission, we can assess the garden before settlement to feed into your decision-making. Most clients prefer to wait until after settlement and have us in during the first month or two.
What if the garden has been neglected by the vendor?
Common, and not a problem. The assessment includes a recovery plan: what's salvageable, what isn't, and what it would take to bring the garden back into shape. From there you can decide how much to invest.
Is the assessment included if I sign up for ongoing maintenance?
Yes. The consultation visit is complimentary in both cases. The written assessment with recommendations is included as part of starting a recurring program. If you'd like the written assessment without committing to ongoing work, we charge a small fee for it.
Can you identify older plants I don't recognise?
Yes. Plant identification is part of what a qualified horticulturist does. If you have a mature plant you're not sure about, we'll identify it, tell you its rough age, what care it needs and whether it's worth keeping.
What if I want to change the garden completely?
We can help with that too, though our specialty is maintenance rather than landscape design. If you want a redesign, we'll often refer you to a designer we trust and continue with maintenance once the new design is established.
Serving Melbourne's inner east
Your new garden, understood and cared for.
Start with a no-obligation consultation. We'll walk the garden with you, talk through what you've inherited, and put together a written assessment that gives you a clear picture before you commit to anything ongoing.
Request a garden consultationOr call 03 9961 6078 · Monday to Friday · 7:30 am to 5:00 pm