Living Simply

Great place to buy indoor plants. Staff are very knowledgeable and friendly!

Gorgeous, tropical nursery. Beautiful plants and water features, great service, friendly & helpful team. Wish I had known it was here earlier, highly recommend!

The manager lady Steph is very helpful and helped me select a plant after I had no idea what I needed for a large empty space. Would definitely recommend her for top-notch horticultural knowledge!

This review is about the landscape design aspect of the business and not their shop.

I told Living Simply that I wanted a retaining wall instead of my sloping front yard, replacing all the river pebbles with grass, making it easy to mow. I explained that I have chronic back pain and it’s easier for me to mow than pull weeds out. I also wanted a mixture of flowers and veg in garden beds in the grass, but I was happy to do the planting side of things.

I explained to the landscape designer that I wanted:

• a pretty cottage garden with grass, flowers and vegetables and a pretty retaining wall (I was thinking a rock wall); • a hole in my deck for plumbing access in a specific area; • attractive lighting in my deck area.

I said I didn’t want another irrigation system, as my last one was expensive and had broken within 18 months. He convinced me to get one.

I was sent what I thought was an overview of works, along with a quote. The designer said that any extras could be added later on or changes could be made, etc. I couldn’t wait ‘til I could see the plans!

I was waiting on plans when I was told works were commencing – odd, as we’d not gone through options for the retaining wall. Ultimately they installed one I would not have chosen and neighbours expressed concern at the integrity of the build. My husband and I had to demand proper drainage.

On installation of the grass, I asked where all the garden beds would go. He said it would all be grass. I reminded him I needed garden beds. So, he left dirt around the edges so I could plant around the perimeter of the garden. There was no edging between the perimeter bed and the grass. He kept the leftover grass himself. He used Canberra Mix with clover – the clover has taken over the perimeter garden bed due to the lack of edging.

I had to stop him from cutting the hole in the wrong place in my merbau deck. He said “But didn’t you want a hole in your deck? What’s it even for again?” I pointed him back to a text message I’d sent him, with a photo showing exactly where it was needed. I reminded him it was a specific access-point for the plumber.

My existing planter boxes were rotting. The designer said they would build new ones. While the old ones looked like quality wood planter boxes, the new ones are obviously pine painted with decking oil. I still have bits of that decking oil on a window above one of the planter boxes and elsewhere…

Throughout the works it was clear to me the designer didn’t understand what I wanted when I said I needed a cottage garden that is “pretty”.

I asked what option he had come up with for the lights in the deck area. The quote had a significant amount set aside for the lighting. It turned out that the designer hadn’t thought of anything, but when I suggested something inexpensive, I found it would still cost a large amount - he said “and we get to pocket the rest!”. I said I no longer wanted lighting and they did in fact remove that cost from the amount I had to pay.

At one point the designer told me (in relation to my back garden) that I could have a sump or something installed. Because this wasn’t covered by my quote, I was told I could pay him personally. It would be around $50. On completion he charged me $200.

About a year ago, the automatic watering system broke. I contacted the designer, who said it was the solenoid and should be an easy fix. A few months ago, a plumber (who does outdoor works) advised it would have been an easy fix except it had been installed underneath one of the planter boxes. In order to fix it, I have to destroy the planter box (which has automatic watering within it), which is currently full of vegetables. I told the designer at the outset that irrigation systems are a waste of money and always break within 18 months, and this is EXACTLY what happened!

Other things also arose with my own work tools being misplaced, using my old pavers as ugly edging in a few areas, and issues with accounts (they ultimately got a good accounts person).

Friendly staff and a great range of indoor plants.