Nanaimo landscapers that makes dreams come true!
Creative By Design Landscaping has been leading the way among local landscaping companies. With our creative landscape designs, exceptional craftsmanship & affordable prices, our landscapers have design & built beautiful yards with paving stone patios, and more for over 15 years. We provide everything you will need, from the initial drawings to the finishing touches. We pride ourselves on creating unique and amazing results for the residents of Vancouver Island, including Crofton, Chemainus, Ladysmith, Duncan, Maple Bay, Nanoose Bay and Shawnigan Lake.
Lets discover the potential in your yard
Our Services include:
Consultations, Design, Paving stone patio’s & Driveways, Flagstone, Irrigation, Evergreens, Garden shrubs,
trees & plants, Turf Installation, Water-features, Drainage, Retaining walls, Fences,
low-voltage lighting, Maintenance services, Lawn care etc…
Our professional and certified team will help you create the perfect landscape drawing from the ground up. Our landscapers work directly with you from start to finish.
*Please click on our Design Build Page to see costs.
We are your one-stop shop for all aspects of landscaping construction, from patios, driveways, water features and planting beds.
Make your garden beautiful with roses, perennials and annuals. We also offer irrigation for healthy plant roots.
K Jensen
Okay, so you have a landscape job that needs to be done. It involves brick and stone work, a gate, some trees and sod replacement. But, you are nervous about who to call. We have all heard the horror stories about other people getting abused regarding pricing and workmanship. I need to tell you there is a landscape company who will treat you fair and provide quality service. Their quote was fair and concise compared to other estimates, and it involved a more creative concept. Call Creative By Design , they are reliable, thorough and conscientious, you wont be disappointed!
B Luft
I hired this company in to complete my backyard walkways, brick-edging, flower beds and deck repair. They provided a prompt quote, started work immediately and worked continuously until the job was complete. I appreciate how conscientious they were and how they took pride in their work. They exceeded my expectations, I would definitely recommend this company to anyone!
A Gravelle
Creative By Design planned and provided practical advice on all facets of the landscape from stonework and soil through to plants, irrigation and lighting. Between their skilled labour and knowledgeable staff, they executed all tasks in a highly professional manner with meticulous attention to detail. I am very comfortable and pleased with the results.
V Gooch
Creative By Design exceeded our expectations on the install and design of our landscaping. We would highly recommend them in the future.
G Mcgregor
I met Creative By Design by living next door to a large installation they had been working on. I was able to get to know them on a weekly basis. They are very professional and seemed to really care about their clients and the end product. They were prompt and had reasonable quotes. They were very pleased and so I contacted Creative By Design to come and spruce up my landscape. I was equally pleased with the final result and would highly recommend them.
T Eklund
When we decided to redesign our outdoor space, we put a lot of thought into choosing our landscaping company. We wanted someone local, creative and experienced who could complete the process from design to installation without us dealing with multiple contractors. We are so thrilled that we chose Creative by Design, and we will have them back next year to do another project! Phil was easy to work with, responsible, dedicated, and with outstanding attention to detail. From the initial consultation to the end of the project, Phil captured our vision and brought it to life. The quality of the materials and installation process gives us great confidence, and the price was fair without any surprises on our final bill. We absolutely recommend Phil and Creative by Design to anyone looking for high-quality landscaping.
M Bancroft
Phil has just finished a small retaining wall for us which was a bit of a challenge as it was on quite a slope. We are extremely happy with his exceptional work & attention to detail. He has very good communication skills so the job went smoothly. We would definitely recommend Phil & Creative by Design Landscaping!!
B McCollum
We had been through a horrific house building process that left us with extreme distrust for contractors and tradesmen. However, we still needed to complete our extensive landscaping. Due to our previous experiences, we felt jaded and skeptical about hiring someone to complete the job. We cautiously interviewed many companies before meeting Phil from Creative by Design Landscaping. Meeting Phil was simply refreshing, he was honest, knowledgeable and had competitive rates. After hiring him, we came to understand what a hardworking, trustworthy and caring person he is. Our job was very complex as there were many elevation changes. Our vision on how we wanted to finished project to look and Phil offered ideas and suggestions along with drawings on paper, on how we could bring our ideas to life. As the work progressed we added elements that the team approached and executed with expertise including Stonework, concrete stairs, implementing a full irrigation system, lighting, fencing, as well as picking out and planting flowers plants and trees. He take great pride in putting in the time to do a meticulous job. We are extremely happy with the final result and have received many compliments on our beautiful yard.They were a true pleasure, and we can’t recommend them highly enough.
D Webster
We hired Creative by Design Landscaping to redevelop our backyard in late Spring of 2017. We needed to fix drainage issues, tear out a rotting patio and manage multiple levels of a very sloped yard. When we met Phil for the initial consultation we were impressed with his attention to detail and quality and how much he cared about doing a quality job that looks great. It was clear he took a lot of pride in his work. Phil helped us take our vision and make it into reality including stonework, curved garden beds, space for a vegetable garden, irrigation and lighting. He guided us toward practical decisions and was always transparent about cost. It was easy to work with Phil throughout the project – he was very respectful of our yard and space, communicated openly and was patient with our many questions. The work is excellent and looks outstanding. I am in awe of the attention to detail that Phil gave our project. I would hire Creative By Design again in an instant and will recommend them to anyone who asks.
K Noriega
We have served Creative By Design Landscaping for over 5 years. In that time, they have proven to be an excellent and valued customer. Their eye for detail and quality has put them where they are today. Their main focus is exceeding their customer’s needs and requirements. This strongly shows in their choice of quality products, integrity, honesty and respect in the way they deliver their product and how they treat their suppliers. Creative By Design believes in delivering their products and services on time in the same way they manage their accounts. They have a relentless work ethic and produce outstanding results!
Shaun Nother
They did a superb job turning our backyard into a functional and beautiful space that we will fully enjoy for many years to come.
K A Pistawka
Fixed price Quotes with detailed breakdowns!
Let us work with you to get Better Quality while saving you money!!
Fed up with bills that are more than you agreed on?!
We are NOT a ‘Time plus materials’ Company.
What we Quote, is what you pay
NO HIDDEN FEES!!
We are a professional, responsible, knowledgeable company with friendly staff. Our aim is to give you a result that makes you proud and the neighbor’s jealous! And we have the creative edge to make that happen
The One-Stop Solution for your yard :
- Professional Dynascape landscape drawings ($425+) and Consultations ($75)
- Quality paving stone patio’s, driveways and walkways – ($21.50 sq.ft)
- Allan block walls and stairs
- Flagstone patio’s
- Rock retaining walls and stone benches($950 per zone)
- Fully automated Irrigation Systems
- Lawn and turf
- Landscape Rock
- Shrubs, plants and trees from your local nursery
- Planting beds and garden beds
- Custom blend top soil and mulch
- Artificial Turf
- Rock gardens
- Roses, Perennials & Annuals
- Brick and lawn landscape edging ($12.50 linear foot)
- Decomposed Gravel or Decorative Rock Walkways
- Drainage for driveways, walkways, lawns and walls
- Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting
- Fencing & Decks
- Landscape Structures
- Yard Maintenance Services($65 per hour)
- Lawn care….and more!
Professional and Affordable
services throughout Vancouver Island.
Before it is possible to turn your outdoor space into a landscape, a concept is required. To make this possible, we meet with you and get a feel for what style of concept you are looking for by asking a series of questions, through this process we are able to create a visual representation for you to look at before we start building your new project. This process also gives you an idea of the cost and time frame the installation will take.
Creative landscaping is our passion
Yardwork is our passion and working with clients to create that fantastic garden is all part of that exciting adventure. Whether your looking for a renovation or have just moved into a new home, we are happy to work with you to create your ideal outdoor living space and make your dream come true.
If you have some landscaping ideas and are looking to start on your yard, but not sure how and where to start, then visit our design page for an informative breakdown and what our staff can do for you.
When it comes to choosing a company, this can be harder than it sounds. Just searching online alone will give you nearly 500,000 search results. Trying to navigate through the minefield of web sites that all have fancy pictures along with well-worded text, only leaves you more confused. Every listing that you look at, seems as good as the last.
How do I choose a landscaper?
Firstly it is important to know what you’re looking for in a contractor, so you can use those criteria to find someone.
One way is to take a look around your local neighborhood to see what your options are, and what your local businesses are offering. By doing this, you can see what level of quality, different people are offering.
What should I look for in a landscaping company?
Getting down to grass roots…
Look at someone’s handiwork and previous clients. If they claim to be a professional, they should be happy to give previous examples of their work.
With the focus these days, being about getting the job done quicker, asking ‘how’ they install their products, maybe getting a demonstration, should be another way to weed out poor quality as well.
Many people will tell you that a cheaper quote should not be considered. Always look at what they offer, and the finished product before making a decision.
Here are some pointers for areas to check into:
Does it slope away from the house?
> Any hard surface should always be sloped away from the house as you don’t want surface water sitting up against your foundation.
Are there any low points?
> Low points in brick work can mean puddles in wet weather and ice patches in winter.
> If its an old patio/walkway, it could mean poor prep or installation techniques.
> Driveways can give a telltale sign, which is sunken tracks where the tires of the vehicle enter the garage everyday. Another sign of poor installation techniques
Is it all green?
> Lawns with yellow or brown spots in them usually mean two things, either there’s not enough soil for the grass roots or there’s poor or no irrigation.
Is it graded nicely?
> Hollows and low points aren’t easy to mow and visually don’t look too nice. You don’t want a lawn that you dread to cut each week.
PLANTING BEDS
> Beds that are mounded high usually mean the contractor was too lazy to dig them out to add good soil, as its quicker to mound on top of the existing sub-grade.
> Higher mounded beds make watering plant roots tough as the water just wants to run away.
> Dead plants are a good give away. This can be number of reasons; poor planting techniques, poor irrigation, poor soil or disease.
> Mulch doesn’t like to stay on steep sloped surfaces.
Are the heads equal distance apart?
From a distance, it can be hard to tell if an irrigation system is installed well or not
> Dead or dying plants and shrubs are a sign of lack of water to the plant roots
> Brown spot on the lawn are also signs of poor heads spacing
‘Over’ or ‘under’ watering?
> If the beds smell ‘marshy’ and your foot sinks into the lawn, then check for over watering
> Plants wilting and a brown lawn are signs of a drought
> A river of water in the gutter is another great sign of over watering. No one wants to pay to waste water, even less for a landscaper to do it for you.
RETAINING WALLS
Are they sinking or pushing out?
> If the base isn’t prepped properly, then walls have a tendency to sink
> Walls without drainage can sometimes push out and crack due to hydrostatic pressure
> Depending on the type, some walls should also lean back by a certain percentage to help deal with pressure
Is there any good quality soil?
> Turf installed on no soil or poor quality soil will show signs of stress very quickly.
> Is the lawn ‘spongy’ or very thin/thatchy. A good sign of poor soil
> Plants will remain small or have a hard time growing if the soil doesn’t provide them with enough nutrients.
> High clay soil doesn’t take water very easily. This makes watering plants a problem.
> Good high quality soil can be the difference between a sick or a healthy landscape.
Past creative projects from happy clients
MULCH
Mulch is decorative as well as functional
> It can help to reduce weeds (as long as you stay on top of it)
> Fabric under mulch doesn’t work! Mulch should be topped up every few years and turned over every few months. Fabric makes this hard. Also when you are looking to do a top up, turning the old mulch into the soil can help boost the soil for the plants. With Fabric under the mulch, it makes it impossible to do.
> Mulch won’t stay in place with fabric, and it doesn’t take long after the initial installation, for the fabric to show through and make the bed look untidy.
As a homeowner already paying a premium for work around your home, don’t you at least deserve to have it done right, and for that matter ONCE!
Just because more and more products around us are becoming a throw-away commodity, does that mean that landscapes should join it.
“The Nanaimo Landscaping company that makes dreams come true!”
