The best landscape design in Gisborne covers two quite different trades that often get lumped together. A landscape architect draws the plan and handles consent scale work; a landscape contractor builds it. Some firms here do one, some do the other, and a couple do both, so the first thing worth working out is which you actually need. Wolfe Landscape Architects and Vista Landscapes sit at either end of that split.
1Wolfe Landscape Architects
Wolfe Landscape Architects is a landscape architecture studio in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, founded by Sarah Wolfe in 2016. It is design rather than construction, and the portfolio runs well beyond private gardens into parks, playgrounds, hospitals, schools and revegetation work.
Services
- Landscape architecture and design
- Public space, park and playground design
- Commercial and institutional sites
- Revegetation and planting plans
- Large scale residential
Highlights
- The only qualified landscape architecture studio on this list
- Work includes Campion College, the Aerodrome revegetation site and the Midway Community Hub
- Design approach built around preserving the existing landscape rather than replacing it
- Founded in 2016 and based in Gisborne rather than servicing it from elsewhere
Location & Contact
Name: Wolfe Landscape Architects
Address: 42 Moana Road, Okitu, Gisborne
Phone: 021 103 9453
Website: wolfela.com
2Vista Landscapes
Vista Landscapes is a small Gisborne landscaping team working on bespoke outdoor spaces, with the emphasis on close collaboration rather than a standard package. It is the option for a residential project where you want the same people involved from the first conversation to the last plant.
Services
- Landscape design and construction
- Bespoke outdoor living spaces
- Planting and garden establishment
- Residential property landscaping
Highlights
- A small team, so the people quoting are the people on site
- Personalised attention and close client collaboration as the stated method
- Bespoke work rather than a fixed product range
Location & Contact
Name: Vista Landscapes
Address: Gisborne
Phone: 021 108 5573
Website: vistalandscapes.co.nz
3Sustainable Scapes
Sustainable Scapes covers residential, commercial and development work across Gisborne, taking projects from site clearing through to the finished outdoor space. That span makes it the practical choice where the ground itself needs work before anything can be planted.
Services
- Landscape construction
- Site clearing and preparation
- Residential landscaping
- Commercial and development site work
Highlights
- Handles the full span from bare site to finished space, so no second contractor for groundwork
- Works on development projects, not just private gardens
- Sustainability is the stated approach rather than an add on
Location & Contact
Name: Sustainable Scapes
Address: Gisborne
Phone: 020 4091 4516
Website: sustainablescapes.co.nz
4Silver Fox Gardens
Silver Fox Gardens works across Gisborne on gardening and landscaping together, which suits a property that needs ongoing care as much as a one off build. It also does vegetable gardens as a distinct service, which none of the others here list.
Services
- Landscape gardening
- Regular garden maintenance
- Vegetable garden design and installation
- Seasonal garden clean ups
Highlights
- Vegetable gardens as their own service rather than an afterthought
- Ongoing maintenance as well as build, so the garden does not decline after handover
- Seasonal clean ups, which matter on the East Coast after a hard winter
Location & Contact
Name: Silver Fox Gardens
Address: Gisborne
Phone: 020 423 1872
Website: silverfoxgardens.co.nz
5Tree & Garden
Tree & Garden services Te Tairāwhiti and Waikato, combining arboriculture with earthworks, landscaping and project management. If your site has trees that need assessing or removing before landscaping starts, this is the one that covers both sides of that job.
Services
- Arboriculture and tree work
- Earthworks and excavation
- Landscaping and landscape supplies
- Arboricultural consultation
- Project management
Highlights
- Qualified arboriculture alongside landscaping, which is an unusual pairing
- Earthworks and excavation in house
- Offers consultation and project management, not just the physical work
- An 0800 number and coverage across Te Tairāwhiti
Location & Contact
Name: Tree & Garden
Address: Gisborne
Phone: 0800 777 083
Website: treeandgarden.co.nz
How to Choose the Right Landscape Designer in Gisborne
- Work out whether you need a designer or a builder. A landscape architect produces a plan and can handle consent scale work; a landscape contractor constructs it. Asking a contractor for a design, or an architect for a crew, wastes everyone’s time.
- Deal with the ground first. If the site needs clearing, levelling or tree work, choose someone who does that in house rather than coordinating two trades yourself.
- Ask who maintains it afterwards. A garden that nobody looks after for two years is a different garden. Some firms here offer ongoing maintenance and some do not.
- Think about the East Coast climate honestly. Sun, wind and dry summers punish the wrong plant choices, and a local designer will steer you away from things that will not survive.
- Get the quote split into design, groundwork, hard landscaping and planting. Those are four different costs and lumping them together makes a quote impossible to compare.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gisborne Landscape Design
What is the difference between a landscape architect and a landscape contractor?
A landscape architect is a qualified designer who produces plans and can work at consent and public project scale. A landscape contractor builds the space. Wolfe Landscape Architects is the architecture studio here; the others are contractors, some of whom also design.
Do I need a consent for landscaping?
Usually not for planting and paving, but retaining walls above a certain height, decks, structures and work affecting drainage or earthworks often do. Gisborne District Council handles consents for the region, and it is worth asking before the design is finalised rather than after.
Who should I call if the site has trees in the way?
Tree & Garden combines arboriculture with landscaping and earthworks, so tree assessment, removal and the ground work can be handled together. Removing established trees may also have council rules attached depending on the tree and the site.
When is the best time of year to landscape in Gisborne?
Autumn and early spring suit planting, because roots establish before the dry. Hard landscaping can be done year round, though a wet winter slows earthworks. Booking in winter for a spring build is usually easier than trying to start in November.
Can these firms handle commercial or development work?
Yes. Sustainable Scapes works on commercial and development projects, and Wolfe Landscape Architects has worked on parks, playgrounds, hospitals and educational facilities. Not every landscaper takes work at that scale, so ask directly.
Will someone maintain the garden after it is built?
Silver Fox Gardens offers regular maintenance and seasonal clean ups alongside its landscaping. Most design and build firms do not, so if you want ongoing care, raise it at quoting stage rather than assuming.
How long does a landscaping project take?
A small residential garden can be days to weeks. Anything with earthworks, retaining or a design phase runs to months, and a consent adds more. Ask for the timeline broken into design, groundwork and planting so you can see where the time actually goes.
What should a landscaping quote include?
Design, groundwork, hard landscaping and planting as separate lines, plus who is supplying materials and plants. Landscape supplies can be a significant part of the cost and are sometimes quoted separately, which makes two quotes look very different when they are not.