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Landscaping, Irrigation and Pools

Gardens planted for the rainfall they will actually get — across South Africa.

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Landscaping, irrigation and pool services and coverage

Landscaping, Irrigation And Pool Contractors

Soil preparation determines what survives

Landscaping covers work that is part construction and part horticulture. Through our contractor network the scope includes landscaping, irrigation and swimming pools. Levelling, drainage, retaining and paving are building trades; planting, soil preparation and establishment are not, and few contractors are genuinely strong at both.

Soil preparation determines what survives, and it is the least visible part of a garden. Most disturbed building sites are left with compacted subsoil and construction rubble under a thin layer of topsoil, which drains badly and roots cannot penetrate. Breaking that up and improving it before planting costs far less than replacing plants that failed to establish in it.

Trees are the decision people regret most, and always in the same direction. A tree planted too close to a building, a boundary wall or a drain looks entirely reasonable at two metres and becomes a structural problem at ten. Root systems lift paving, block drains and damage foundations, and species with aggressive roots should be kept well away from anything built. Planting for the mature size rather than the nursery size is the single most valuable piece of garden planning.

Gardens are priced almost entirely by what nobody sees. Soil preparation, drainage, levelling and the depth of improvement all cost real money and leave no visible trace on handover day, while the plants that everyone notices are frequently the smaller part of the bill. We publish no rates because those proportions vary enormously between sites. Tell us about the space and what you want from it and we will match you with contractors covering your area.

Irrigation, Water Use And Restrictions

Zones grouped by water need, not by convenience

Irrigation should be zoned by water requirement rather than by geography. Lawn, established shrubs, new planting and pots all need different amounts and different frequencies, and a system that waters them together necessarily overwaters some and underwaters others. Grouping plants by need at design stage is what makes efficient irrigation possible afterwards.

Irrigation should be installed before planting rather than retrofitted into an established garden. Sleeving under paving and driveways has to happen before those are laid, and retrofitting means either cutting them open or routing around them awkwardly. Digging lines through established beds also damages roots on the plants you were trying to water.

Water availability shapes garden design more than any other factor. Municipal restrictions arrive periodically and a lawn-heavy design becomes both expensive and vulnerable the moment they tighten, while indigenous and water-wise planting handles dry spells without dying back. Mulching beds properly cuts evaporation substantially, and rainwater harvesting reduces dependence on municipal supply — though tank sizing needs to reflect actual rainfall patterns rather than optimism.

The question worth asking about a pool or an irrigation system is not what it costs to install but what it costs to run. Filtration, chemicals and electricity are ongoing, and irrigation adds to a water bill that restrictions may later constrain anyway. We publish no rates for either, because installation varies by site and running costs vary by usage. Tell us what you are considering and we will match you with contractors covering your area.

Establishment, Aftercare And Maintenance

New planting needs different watering to established

A garden is not finished when it is planted. New planting needs deeper, less frequent watering than established plants to encourage roots downward rather than keeping them at the surface, and the first two summers determine whether anything establishes properly. A design that looks complete on handover day and receives no aftercare will look considerably worse a year later.

Mulch does considerably more than it appears to. A proper layer on beds reduces evaporation substantially, suppresses the weeds that compete hardest with new planting, moderates soil temperature, and breaks down slowly into the soil. It is among the cheapest interventions in a garden and among the most frequently skipped, usually because it looks like a finishing touch rather than a functional layer.

Growth changes a garden, and designs that ignore it become maintenance problems. Shrubs planted at nursery spacing look sparse initially and crowded within three years; groundcover planted too far apart lets weeds establish in between; and lawn running right to a wall means edging it forever. Planting at the right density for what plants become, rather than for how the garden looks on completion, is what makes a garden get easier over time rather than harder.

Maintenance arrangements vary considerably between landscaping contractors, and it is worth establishing what happens after handover before you sign. Some include an establishment period with return visits and a replacement policy on planting that fails; others hand over and leave. Neither is wrong, but they are different offerings at different prices. We publish no rates. Tell us what you are planning and we will match you with contractors covering your area.

Outdoor Services We Cover

Everything from garden beds to fully automated irrigation and pool installations.

Landscaping & Garden Design
Planting

Landscaping & Garden Design

Soft and hard landscaping — planting, lawn, paving and garden feature installation.

Lawn Hard Landscaping
Irrigation Systems
Drip

Irrigation Systems

Drip, pop-up and micro-spray systems with programmable controllers.

Pop-Up Automated
Swimming Pool Construction
Gunite

Swimming Pool Construction

New gunite, fibreglass and precast pool installations with pump and filtration.

Fibreglass Filtration
Pool Renovations
Resurfacing

Pool Renovations

Resurfacing, new coping, pump replacements and automation upgrades for existing pools.

Coping Automation
Retaining Walls & Steps
Retaining

Retaining Walls & Steps

Garden retaining walls, steps and terracing in brick, stone and concrete.

Steps Terracing
Design for five years ahead

Your garden, designed to last

Great landscaping is designed for what the garden will look like in five years — not just on handover day.

A well-designed outdoor space adds significant value to any property and transforms daily life. Whether you want a low-maintenance water-wise garden, an automated irrigation system, or a new pool for the family, the right contractor makes the difference between a space you use every day and one that becomes a burden.

Our outdoor contractors combine design skill with installation quality — and they think about what the garden will look like in five years, not just on handover day.

Water availability and restrictions shape garden design more than any other factor. Indigenous and water-wise planting handles dry spells and municipal restrictions without dying back, while a lawn-heavy design becomes expensive to keep alive and vulnerable the moment restrictions tighten. Irrigation should be zoned so that beds, lawn and pots run on separate schedules rather than everything getting the same water. Ask how the design performs in a dry summer, not just how it looks on installation day.

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Areas We Cover

Find our verified contractors across all major areas and suburbs in your province.

Eastern Cape

No areas listed yet.

Free State

No areas listed yet.

Gauteng

  • CBD : Our contractors service Braamfontein, Ferreirasdorp, Jhb Cbd, Johannesburg Central, Johannesburg City Centre, Jozi Cbd, Marshalltown, Mayfair, Newtown Jhb, Parktown, Rosettenville, Turffontein
  • Centurion : Our contractors service Bronberrik, Celtisdal, Centurion, Centurion East, Centurion West, Clubview, Die Hoewes, Doringkloof, Elardus Park, Eldoraigne, Hennopspark, Highveld, Irene, Kosmosdal, Louwlardia, Lyttelton, Lyttelton Manor, Nellmapius, Pierre Van Ryneveld, Raslouw, Rietvalleirand, Rooihuiskraal, Rooihuiskraal Noord, Sunderland Ridge, The Reeds, Valhalla, Wierda Park, Wingate Park, Zwartkop
  • East Rand : Our contractors service Alberton, Bassonia, Bedfordview, Benoni, Boksburg, Brackenhurst, Brakpan, Daveyton, Edenvale, Germiston, Isando, Jet Park, Kempton Park, Linmeyer, Midlands, Midstream, Nigel, Pomona, Putfontein, Rynfield, Springs, Thembisa, Tsakane, Vosloorus
  • Pretoria Central : Our contractors service Arcadia, Brooklyn, Capital Park, Colbyn, Danville, Daspoort, Eloffsdal, Gezina, Groenkloof, Hatfield, Hercules, Hermanstad, Les Marais, Loftus, Lukasrand, Menlo Park, Monument Park, Mountain View, Muckleneuk, Nieuw Muckleneuk, Philip Nel Park, Pretoria Cbd, Pretoria Central, Proclamation Hill, Rietondale, Riviera, Roseville, Salvokop, Sunnyside, Trevenna, Villieria, Waterkloof East, Waterkloof Ridge, West Park, Wonderboom, Wonderboom South
  • Pretoria East : Our contractors service Brummeria, Constantia Park, Die Wilgers, Eersterust, Equestria, Erasmuskloof, Faerie Glen, Garsfontein, La Montagne, Lynnwood, Lynnwood Glen, Lynnwood Manor, Lynnwood Ridge, Menlyn, Meyerspark, Moreletapark, Murrayfield, Pretoria East, Pretoriuspark, Silverton, Wapadrand, Waterkloof Glen
  • Pretoria North : Our contractors service Akasia, Annlin, Chantelle, Clarina, Doornpoort, Dorandia, Florauna, Heatherview, Hesteapark, Karenpark, Klerksoord, Magalieskruin, Montana, Montana Park, Montana Tuine, Ninapark, Onderstepoort, Pretoria North, Sinoville, Suiderberg, The Orchards, Theresapark, Wolmer
  • Pretoria West : Our contractors service Amandasig, Atteridgeville, Elandspoort, Erasmia, Kirkney, Kwaggasrand, Laudium, Lotus Gardens, Pretoria West, Saulsville
  • The North : Our contractors service Bryanston, Diepsloot, Douglasdale, Florida, Fourways, Honeydew, Hyde Park, Jhb North, Johannesburg North, Lone Hill, Midrand, Morning Side, Northcliff, Parkhurst, Randburg, Rivonia, Roodepoort, Rosebank, Sandton, Steyn City, Weltevredenpark, Wilro Park
  • The South : Our contractors service Ennerdale, Glenvista, Jhb South, Johannesburg South, Lenasia, Mondeor, Robertsville, South Johannesburg, Southern Johannesburg, Soweto, Tshepisong
  • The Vaal : Our contractors service De Deur, Evaton, Heidelberg, Meyerton, Sasolburg, Sebokeng, Three Rivers, Vaal Park, Vaal Triangle, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging
  • West Rand : Our contractors service Carletonville, Glenharvie, Krugersdorp, Magaliesburg, Randfontein, Ruimsig, West Rand Jhb, Westonaria

Also covering

  • Pretoria Far East
  • Pretoria Far North
  • Pretoria Far North East
  • Pretoria Far North West
  • Pretoria Far South East
  • Pretoria Far South West
  • Pretoria Far West

KwaZulu-Natal

  • Dannhauser : Our contractors service Dannhauser, Hattingspruit

Limpopo

No areas listed yet.

Mpumalanga

No areas listed yet.

North West

No areas listed yet.

Northern Cape

No areas listed yet.

Western Cape

  • Atlantic Seaboard : Our contractors service Atlantic Seaboard Cape Town, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, Clifton, Fresnaye, Green Point, Mouille Point, Sea Point, Three Anchor Bay
  • Cape Flats : Our contractors service Cape Flats Cape Town, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Khayelitsha, Macassar, Manenberg, Mitchells Plain, Philippi
  • Eastern Suburbs : Our contractors service Eastern Suburbs Cape Town, Gordons Bay, Somerset West, Strand
  • Northern Suburbs : Our contractors service Bellville, Blue Downs East, Bonteheuwel, Brackenfell, Durbanville, Eerste River, Goodwood, Kraaifontein, Langa Cpt, Northern Suburbs, Northern Suburbs Cape Town, Parow, Tyger Valley
  • Peninsula : Our contractors service Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay, Kommetjie, Lakeside Cpt, Muizenberg, Noordhoek, Simons Town, South Peninsula, St James
  • Southern Suburbs : Our contractors service Athlone, Bergvliet, Bishopscourt, Claremont, Constantia, Kenilworth, Newlands, Plumstead, Rondebosch, Southern Suburbs Cape Town, Wynberg
  • West Coast : Our contractors service Big Bay, Blouberg, Bloubergstrand, Melkbosstrand, Milnerton, Parklands, Sunset Beach, Table View, West Beach, West Coast Cape Town