Sheoak Design

Sheoak Design is at full capacity for the remainder of 2026 but we are still onboarding new clients for January 2027 projects.

You can still book a Vision meeting or Initial onsite consult but works won’t start until next year and you’ll go on the waitlist.

I’m looking forward to some new projects in the new year ✌️✨

Can you believe the sunsets lately? Or that 2027 is just around the corner?! 🤯🫠😵‍💫

Who says a small backyard means compromising on what you actually want?

Not this family. They came to us with a modest backyard, young kids, and a genuine wish list: more time spent entertaining at home, a pool, and a garden that felt considered but not crammed full just for the sake of it.

A few of the moves that made it work:

🌱 Trimming back the existing deck to create a more intimate outdoor dining space, leaving more room to play with

🌱 Fitting a pool into the footprint without it dominating the space

🌱 Bridging the indoor and outdoor living spaces so the connection to the garden doesn’t stop at the back door

Good design isn’t about how much space you’ve got, it’s about how cleverly you use what you have.

Book a vision meeting via the link in my bio or DM me to discuss your creative ideas for your garden✌️

Did you know that landscape council plans are now mandatory within the Mornington Shire?

Neglecting to have one ready can cause costly hold-ups in your build.

I have a council plan submission form on my website, spend a couple of minutes filling it in, upload a pdf of your plan and a couple of photos of your property and you’ll have a quote within 48 hours.

If you go ahead with the quote I’ll already have most of what I need to get your plan done.

I’ve made it as easy as possible.

“Nicholas was an absolute pleasure to deal with putting together a council landscape plan for us. He gave us the opportunity to provide input on key features and ideas before working his magic to develop a plan that met our desires and councils requirements. I could not recommend Sheoak Design more highly.”

- Simone, Merricks

FAQ: Can you design around a specific style I love, even if it’s not your usual look?

Absolutely, that’s the fun creative part!

Every client brings something different to the table, a Pinterest board, a holiday photo, or just a feeling they’re chasing more than a fixed style they can name. My job isn’t to hand you “a Nick garden,” it’s to translate your vision into something that works on your site, because loving a look and knowing whether it’ll survive your soil, aspect and rainfall are two very different things.

A few styles I’ve worked across in the last three months:

🌱 Modern formal English and Hamptons
🌱 Contemporary native and built for the birds
🌱 Mediterranean water smart
🌱 Tropical (with a necessary Victorian twist)

Whatever the style, the technical side is where I come in, plant suitability, layout,
drainage, and making the most of your block, so your vision actually holds up once it’s in the ground.

What’s the style you keep coming back to? Book a Vision Meeting via the link in my bio and bring it along.

What happens when a client already knows exactly what they want in a garden? Glorious collaboration!

This freshly completed design for a retired, bird-loving couple in Mount Martha came together that way, genuine back and forth from start to finish. They knew what plants they loved but they needed guidance on the technical details, plant suitability, layout, lighting, irrigation and making the most of their land.

The vision: a natural, layered garden that suits the home’s contemporary architecture, built around timber, stone, water and weathered steel, and designed to feel timeless rather than trend-driven.

A few things I’m excited to see built:
🌱 A natural rock water feature, positioned to be seen from inside the house
🌱 A raised herb garden for hands-on growing and the fresh scent of herbs while dining outdoors (hint - they also help keep the mozzies away!)
🌱 A true outdoor living room extension, a pergola on the north-facing deck with retractable shade, made for entertaining and tying the indoor to outdoor spaces
🌱 Less lawn, more plants with a diverse, low-water mix of natives and exotics to bring the birds in and create year round visual interest
🌱 The northern slope reworked into planted terraces for privacy, stability and views beyond the neighbours

All designed with grandkids, birdwatching, and outdoor living front of mind. The design is still on paper for now, but the bones of something special are there.

Thinking about your own garden? Book a Vision Meeting via the link in my bio or message me for details.

Ever wonder why some gardens explode with growth in spring and others limp along?

Often it comes down to little bit of care and attention at this time of year. End of winter is the sweet spot for fertilising, right before plants shift into active growth.

🪲 Roots are waking up and ready to take up nutrients

🪲 Feeding now fuels strong spring flowering and foliage

🪲 Conditions the soil to hold moisture and nutrients through the warmer months ahead

I’m a big fan of Neutrog’s Seamungus for this job, an organic pelletised fertiliser that is a good all rounder and can be used on natives too. Neutrog gives the soil a real boost, not just the plants. I’ll also use Go-Go Juice and Seasol Power Feed.

Are you aware that Sheoak Design also offers maintenance packages on the Mornington Peninsula? Solis Management is another arm of Sheoak Design. We focus on regenerative garden care principles to nourish your property to it’s full potential.

DM me for details or to arrange a site visit and quote of your home or holiday house

Is a landscape plan really necessary for your project?

I’d say yes, and it’s not about replacing your landscaper. It’s about setting them up to do their best work.

A plan works through the tricky stuff before the build even starts:

✨ Maps drainage and services so nothing gets discovered mid-dig

✨Flags any surprises early, before they become hidden costs on site

✨Confirms paving and garden bed sizes against the final layout for good proportions

✨Enables the curation of well thought out zones that flow into one another in a way that reflects the way you use your space rather than it feeling like they’ve been plonked down haphazardly

✨A considered plan has the potential to save you a lot of money and grief if mistakes are made or your outdoors space requires reworking because it doesn’t match what you envisioned

Handing your landscaper a plan means they’re building to a clear brief, not problem-solving as they go. This benefits everyone involved for a smoother build, fewer surprises and a result that matches what you pictured.

Think of the plan as the first step that makes your landscaper’s job easier, not an extra one.

Book a Vision Meeting via the link in my bio or message me for details ✌️

Can a garden be sophisticated and still survive a backyard game of cricket?

That’s exactly the brief for this one. The vision blends Modern English and Hampton style with a genuinely family-friendly layout, elegant on the surface but built to be lived in and enjoyed by a growing family. I would perhaps call it ’soft’ formal.

A Hampton-style front fence with hinged gates and elevated garden beds sets the tone at the entry. From there, a U-shaped driveway gives the kids room to ride bikes while keeping the planting low-maintenance and lush. The crescent-shaped, batted garden bed and rockery creates presence at the property entrance.

This property has lots of different levels, typical for Mt Eliza, we went with symmetrical steps that start at the front gate, go through the house and all the way down to the tennis court on the lower level, lending the design that formal structure. But then I softened it with our plant choices.

Out back, terraced lawns cascade from the new pool right down to the tennis court, tying the different levels of the property together. The planting scheme leans into Modern English and Mediterranean influences, giving year-round colour and structure once it’s all in the ground.

Still early days in construction, but the bones are exciting. Watch this space as it takes form 🌱

“Nick was the perfect fit to design a stunning landscape around our newly built home! We wanted to soften the appearance of our newly build modern home in Mount Eliza, and include a pool while keeping the overall hard costs down. Nick drew up the prefect plan, and gave us excellent insider tips for building the landscape ourselves. Throughout the process Nick very professional, and accommodating to making alterations. We also found that Nick has an amazing creative flair, and picked some of the most durable and fashionable plants around. Very happy with the result! Would 100% recommend Sheoak Design to anyone who needs a plan for a beautiful Peninsula garden!”

— Tara, Building Dreams Group, Mt Eliza
👷🏻‍♀️BuildingDreamsGroup