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LandscapingGarden Design &
Planting in Ottawa
A well-designed garden doesn't just add colour — it frames your home, creates privacy, and gives you a reason to spend time outside. The trick is choosing plants that look great together and actually survive an Ottawa winter.
Plants that belong here. Design that belongs to you.
Ottawa is hardiness zone 5a. That means winter lows of –29°C. Too many garden centres sell plants rated for zone 6 or 7 — they look great for one season and die over the winter. We only specify plants that are zone 5a hardy or colder. They'll survive.
But hardiness is the baseline, not the goal. A garden should have structure in winter, colour in spring, fullness in summer, and texture in fall. We layer evergreens, flowering shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses so something is always happening, in every season.
Your garden should also be yours — reflecting the architecture of your home, how you use your outdoor space, and how much maintenance you actually want to do. We design for your lifestyle, not a magazine cover.
From a single bed to a full property planting plan.
Custom Garden Bed Design
New beds or a rework of existing ones. We design the shape, the soil amendment strategy, and the plant palette — factoring in sun exposure, sightlines from key windows, bloom succession across the season, and mature size (not nursery size, which is always smaller than what you'll actually get).
Tree & Shrub Planting
Deciduous trees for shade and structure, evergreens for winter presence and privacy screening, flowering shrubs for seasonal colour. Every tree gets a proper planting hole (2–3x the root ball width, never deeper than the root flare), amended backfill, and a mulch ring — no volcano mulching.
Mulch & Soil Amendment
Ottawa soil tends acidic and clay-heavy. We amend with compost and organic matter to improve drainage and nutrient availability before planting. Premium hardwood mulch applied at 3 inches — enough to suppress weeds and retain moisture, not so deep that it smothers roots. Fresh mulch transforms the look of existing beds instantly.
Seasonal Colour & Containers
Annual flowers for high-impact colour through the growing season. Container arrangements for entryways, patios, and pool surrounds. We handle spring planting and fall cleanup — you just enjoy the view. Good for homeowners who want colour without committing to permanent beds.
How we take a garden from idea to reality.
On-Site Assessment
We walk your property with you — sun exposure, soil condition, drainage patterns, sightlines from key windows. We ask about how you actually use your outdoor space so the design works for your life, not just on paper.
Custom Landscape Plan
We deliver a planting plan with specific plant selections, material specs, and a timeline. You see every plant, every placement, and the full scope of work before we touch a shovel.
Expert Execution
Same crew, every day. We show up on time, prep the soil properly, plant at the right depth, mulch at the right thickness. No shortcuts — the details are what determine whether a garden thrives or struggles.
Final Walkthrough
We walk the finished garden with you to make sure every bed, every plant, and every edge meets your expectations. You also get a seasonal care guide so you know exactly what your garden needs month by month.
Real gardens, real results.
Rockcliffe Heritage Garden
Full garden redesign with a four-season planting plan for a heritage property. Perennial borders, ornamental grasses, and integrated landscape lighting created a garden with structure in winter, colour in spring, fullness in summer, and texture in fall.
“Same crew every day, showed up at 7:30am sharp. The garden looks like it belongs with the house.”
Patricia C.
Cumberland Raised Garden Beds
Custom raised garden beds with stone edging, premium triple-mix soil, and an irrigation rough-in. A complete planting plan for vegetables and cut flowers turned a bare corner of the yard into a productive kitchen garden that supplies the family through the growing season.
What grows well in Ottawa — and what doesn't.
Plants That Thrive in Zone 5a
Plants We Don't Recommend (Zone 6+)
These are sold at big-box stores every spring and die in most Ottawa winters. We'll steer you toward zone-appropriate alternatives that deliver the same look.
Winter burn — browns and dies back
Too tender — needs zone 6 minimum
Most varieties are zone 6+, winter kill
Dies to the ground in zone 5a
Common questions about garden design.
When is the best time to plant in Ottawa?+
Spring (May through mid-June) and early fall (September) are ideal. Spring gives plants the full growing season to establish roots before winter. Fall planting works well for trees and shrubs — the soil is still warm, root growth continues until the ground freezes, and there's less transplant shock than during summer heat.
What if I only want a small garden — not a full property design?+
That's most of our garden work. A single foundation bed along the front of the house, a privacy hedge along one property line, or a rework of the island bed in the front yard — we're happy to do exactly what you need and nothing more. There's no minimum project size.
Do you offer garden maintenance after planting?+
Yes. We can set up a maintenance schedule — spring cleanup, mulching, pruning, and fall cutback — so your garden looks intentional year after year. Or we can hand you a care calendar with what to do when and leave the maintenance to you. Your call.
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Ready to love your garden again?
Free on-site garden consultation with plant recommendations custom to your property. No obligation.