What do you recommend to clients who ask for a more sustainable approach to landscaping?

This is a column by landscapers, for landscapers. In it, you’ll find knowledge, views and insights from professionals just like you, who are currently working in the industry

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LAND DESIGN HQ

Interviewee: Shaun Eckhoff - Director

Location: Bay of Plenty

Staff: 2

I have a sustainability policy, which means we’ll always try to re-use materials wherever possible. Often, if the job is a renovation or upgrade to a residential area, we’re able to do that. If we can’t, I’ll ask the client for permission to take the unwanted, old material off-site, so I can store it at my yard and use it on another project.

For example, I’ll often re-use timber offcuts on playground jobs – especially for sandpit frames – after sanding the edges and applying a stain.

I also do something similar with tiles or pavers, even broken ones, as you can reuse them for crazy paving in early childhood playgrounds or for textured pathways. When you think hard about it, there’s always a way you can re-use material.

I don’t get a lot of requests from clients asking for sustainable design or implementation. People are more concerned about the cost of projects – but re-using materials is an easy way to be more environmentally friendly at no additional cost!

Additionally, we recycle all our concrete waste, which is processed at a recycling centre and made into a re-useable and economic aggregate material, which is then used on new projects.

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BOTANIC LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Interviewee: Paul Roper-Gee – Director

Location: Christchurch

Staff: 3

Sustainability is becoming standard practice – but there’s still room to do better, and we’re learning all the time.

For us, it starts with reducing hard landscaping wherever possible, as that’s where most of a project’s embodied carbon sits. We lean toward soft landscape designs, which naturally brings environmental benefits and suits our style of work.

Where hard surfaces are needed, we’ll often opt for gravel over paving and use stabilised systems such as Stonelock, which lets you create gravel paths that are firm underfoot. This has sustainability benefits, as gravel allows water to flow through it and back into the groundwater supply. We’ve also worked with permeable pavers and are keen to explore permeable concrete.

Planting is site-specific. We look at the soil, choose species that thrive locally and avoid water-hungry plants.

Not every client comes in asking for a sustainable garden, but we make it part of our process regardless. It’s about listening, responding to the site and building with long-term environmental impact in mind.

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VOILA LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Interviewee: Colette Pitu – Landscape Designer

Location: Waikato

Staff: 1

I’m passionate about sustainability and I believe that, as climate change becomes more obvious, interest in sustainable design will increase.

For now, there are practical steps I like to take in my projects. For example, permeability is key – I prefer to steer away from concrete, which has a high carbon footprint, and opt for local materials, such as Waikato Gold gravel, permeable pavers or permeable concrete. Reusing materials already on site can make a big difference, too.

When it comes to timber, I’ll always try to choose durable, sustainably sourced options – ideally NZ-grown and FSC or PEFC-certified, like Abodo, Accoya, or NZ Natural Timber.

I like to say to my clients “think of the garden as part of a broader ecosystem: plant for wildlife, avoid chemicals, and select species suited to local soil and climate conditions”.

I’ve recently started a Permaculture Design Course with Resilient Living in Matakana and I’m learning so much. One great tip I’ll now include in my designs is planting beneficial species under fruit trees, such as daffodils, chives, echinacea, dill and borage. These support pollination, pest control and natural fertilisation.