Case study · Carlton North, Inner North
Carlton North Garden Overhaul
A small, stony backyard turned into a bluestone courtyard garden
Project Overview
This compact Carlton North backyard, roughly 5 by 9 metres, had tired ground full of stones, gravel, old cobblestones and pieces of concrete. The brief was a practical, good-looking outdoor space that made the most of every square metre, reusing the old bluestone already on site wherever possible.
We scraped back and cleared the old ground, imported quality soil, and built a circular bluestone crazy-paved patio on a reinforced concrete slab as the centrepiece. A curved timber batten bench wraps around the patio, and bluestone steppers lead from the rear gate to the patio and on to the deck.
Old bluestone blocks from the site became curved garden edging. Cypress posts with rebar mesh form a climbing trellis along the boundary, and a channel drain along the deck carries water away to the existing drainage. New low-maintenance planting, including a Waterhousea screen along the rear, went in on drip irrigation run from a tap timer. The small front garden was also cleared, replanted and finished with a feature Crepe Myrtle.
The build took around two and a half weeks in August 2025.
Project Progress
- Before
- During
- After
Challenges
The only way in was a 900mm rear gate off a narrow laneway, so machinery was out of the question. The ground was full of stones, gravel, cobblestones and concrete, and once digging began the team found roots from a neighbour’s palms sitting about 350mm above the planned ground level along one boundary. The client also wanted to reuse the old bluestone found on site.
Solution
Everything was dug out and brought in by hand through the rear gate, and we kept in close contact with the client and neighbours so the laneway stayed clear. Rather than cut into the palm roots, we worked with them, using a slightly raised bed edged in reclaimed bluestone to cover them and tidy the boundary. The old bluestone was laid with extra care so it looks great while staying safe and level.
Planning something similar?
Tell us what you have in mind and we'll arrange a time to see the garden and put together a clear, detailed quote - free of charge.
Mon–Fri 7:30am – 5:00pm · Based in Bentleigh