Aerial view of a landscaped backyard with garden beds, a stone path and a patio

Landscape &
Garden Design in
Cambridge, Ontario

Planting beds, garden layouts and front-yard refreshes designed around how you use your space, then installed and cared for by the same local crew.

Flagstone walkway and black-mulched garden bed with flowering shrubs beside a brick home

Landscape & Garden Design in Cambridge, Ontario

Gardens planned around how you live.

We design it, build it, and can look after it once it's in.

Lay Landscaping designs and installs gardens for homes across Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph. We walk your property, talk through how you want to use it, and plan planting beds, edging and ground cover around your sun, soil and budget. Then our crew builds it, and we can keep it looking sharp every season.

Planned on site

We walk the yard with you before anything is drawn up.

Plants that last here

Chosen for zone 6a winters and your sun and soil.

One crew

The people who plan it are the people who plant it.

Get a free quote or call (519) 240-8951

What's included

An on-site walkthrough to talk through goals, style and budget
Bed layouts and edging lines planned around the house and lawn
Plants chosen for Cambridge's growing zone, sun and soil
Bed preparation: sod and weeds out, soil loosened and amended
Planting of shrubs, perennials and cedars
A finish of mulch, river rock or gravel with clean edges
Ongoing care if you want it

Start with how you use the yard

Before we talk plants, we ask the practical questions. Where does the afternoon sun land? Which beds need to look good from the street, and which from the back deck? How much time do you actually want to spend weeding and watering? The layout, the plants and the ground cover all follow from those answers.

Some projects are a single front bed that needs a refresh. Others are a full backyard with new beds, a pathway and a planting plan. Either way, you see the scope and timing before any work starts.

Plants that suit Waterloo Region

Cambridge is now in plant hardiness zone 6a on Natural Resources Canada's updated map, up from 5b. That opens up a few more options, but winters here still bring deep cold, heavy snow and plenty of freeze-thaw. We lean on hardy shrubs, perennials and evergreens, and put each one where its sun and moisture needs match the spot.

A lot of newer lots in Cambridge and Kitchener have a thin layer of topsoil over compacted fill. Where that's the case, we loosen and amend the soil before anything goes in the ground.

Easy to keep looking good

Clean bed edges, the right ground cover and sensible spacing do most of the work of keeping a garden tidy, so we design with August in mind as much as install day.

If you'd rather not think about it at all, we can handle trimming, weeding and seasonal cleanups for you.

Local rules and timing

Cambridge moved from hardiness zone 5b to 6a on Natural Resources Canada's 2025 map, so plant choices can be a bit more ambitious than they used to be.

The last spring frost in Waterloo Region usually falls in early to mid May. Tender plants go in after that.

From May 31 to September 30, the Region of Waterloo allows gardens, trees and shrubs to be watered on alternate days during set hours, so new beds are planned to establish within those rules.

Box tree moth is now established across southern Ontario, which makes boxwood a riskier choice than it used to be. We'll suggest alternatives.

Sources: Natural Resources Canada: Plant hardiness zone maps · Region of Waterloo: Water Conservation By-law and new sod permits · Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Box tree moth. Last updated November 2026.

Lay Landscaping crew member with a compact track loader behind a Lay Landscaping yard sign

Our Process

From a walk around the yard to a finished garden

From the first conversation to the final walkthrough, we keep every step clear and easy to follow.

Walkthrough

We visit, look at the space and hear what you want from it.

Plan

You get a layout, plant list and scope with clear timing.

Build

We prepare the beds, plant, edge and finish with ground cover.

Care

We explain watering and can maintain the garden for you.

Questions

Questions about landscape design

Something else on your mind? Call (519) 240-8951 or send us a message.

How much does garden design cost in Cambridge, Ontario?

It depends on the size of the area, how much soil preparation it needs, the plants you choose and the ground cover. A front bed refresh and a full backyard planting plan are very different jobs. We give a free quote after seeing the space, so you know the cost before anything starts.

When is the best time to plant a new garden in Cambridge?

Spring after the last frost (usually early to mid May) and early fall suit most shrubs and perennials, because the soil is warm and the weather is mild. Winter is a good time to plan, so the work is ready to start when the season opens.

Do you only design gardens, or install them too?

Both. The same crew that plans your garden builds it, and we can look after it afterwards with trimming, weeding and seasonal cleanups.

Can you redo an existing, overgrown garden bed?

Yes. We clear out overgrown or dead plants, reshape and re-edge the bed, improve the soil and replant, keeping anything healthy that's worth saving.

Which areas do you design gardens in?

Cambridge (including Galt, Preston and Hespeler), Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph.

Have a project in mind?

Let's plan your next outdoor project.

Tell us what you're looking for and we'll help you figure out the right next step for your property.

Book Now