Landscaping & Building in Toorak

Gardens in Toorak carry a particular set of demands. Block sizes are generous by Melbourne standards, but many are tightly framed by neighbouring estates, established canopy trees and the suburb's signature high hedges and rendered front walls — so privacy, screening and a sense of arrival are usually central to any brief. Established Toorak gardens also tend to come with mature plantings worth protecting: heritage oaks, elms, magnolias and decades-old hedging that good design works around rather than removes. Our design and planning approach starts with what's already there — the existing trees, levels, sightlines and the home's own period or contemporary language — before a single line goes on paper.

Heritage, overlays and council in Stonnington

Toorak falls within the City of Stonnington, and a meaningful proportion of the suburb sits within heritage overlays or contains individually significant homes and gardens. That has real consequences for landscaping work. Front fencing, gates, driveway materials, significant trees and any work to a building's exterior can all be affected, and removing or even substantially pruning a protected tree may need a planning permit. Pools, pavilions, large retaining structures and outdoor rooms can also trigger building and planning approvals depending on siting, height and proximity to boundaries. We handle this the proper way — checking the relevant overlays, advising early on what's likely to need a permit, and preparing the documentation Stonnington will want to see, so a project doesn't stall halfway through.

The land itself shapes the work too. Parts of Toorak fall gently toward the Yarra, and sloping or terraced sites are common — which is where considered landscaping and well-engineered retaining come in, both to make the garden usable and to manage drainage through Melbourne's wet winters and increasingly dry summers. The reactive clay soils across much of the inner south-east move with the seasons, so paving, plinths, pool surrounds and walls all need to be built on properly prepared foundations if the finish is going to stay true. Ed grew up working land on a Cuban farm, and that respect for soil, water and longevity runs through how we build here — we lean on hardy, often native and drought-tolerant planting, recycled and reclaimed materials where they suit, and structures made to last.

The projects we're asked for in Toorak

• Full estate garden design and staged transformations, formal or contemporary
• Pool surrounds, pool-house and cabana builds, and resort-style entertaining terraces
• Pavilions, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and covered outdoor building work
• Hedging, screening, mature-tree planting and feature paving in stone and porcelain
• Heritage-sensitive front gardens, driveways, gates and rendered walls
• Ongoing garden maintenance and specialist tree lopping and care for established canopies

The common thread is finish. Toorak clients notice the joins, the levels, the way a hedge is squared and the way stone meets water — so we plan generously, set out carefully and don't rush the detailing.

Why Toorak chooses Eden

From our Greensborough base in Melbourne's north-east, Eden runs Toorak projects with one in-house team across design, building, landscaping, maintenance and tree work — so there's a single point of accountability rather than a chain of subcontractors blaming each other when something slips. That continuity matters most on high-finish estate work, where the people who designed the garden are the same people who build it and the same people who come back to maintain it. We also keep a 24/7 line open for established gardens that need it — a fallen limb, a storm-damaged tree, a failed retaining wall — through our emergency response.

If you'd like to talk through a Toorak garden, pool surround, pavilion or estate transformation, get in touch with our team and we'll arrange a time to walk the site, understand the brief and set out the right approach for your property.

• One coordinated team — design, build, landscaping and maintenance under one roof.
• Local to the north-east — based in Greensborough, ~33 km away.
• Registered & insured, with full-time qualified staff.
• Sustainable by default — native planting and recycled materials.