Transforming Outdoor Sanctuaries: Shape and Form's Landscape Expertise

Founded in 2005 by owner and director Scott Bartho, who began his landscaping career as a high school apprentice and now brings over 20 years of expertise, Shape and Form has grown into a team of 18 dedicated professionals—including qualified landscape designers, construction managers, labourers, apprentices, and administrative staff. The company’s philosophy centres on client-focused transformational design: creating outdoor areas that “delight and surprise” while promoting a deep connection to the space through attention to detail, exceptional communication, and respectful operations. All work adheres to Australian standards, with registrations as Master Landscapers with Landscaping Victoria and as Building Practitioners with the Victorian Building Authority. The team’s collective experience exceeds 50 years in the field.

Services Tailored for Melbourne Homes

Shape and Form offers a comprehensive end-to-end service, managing everything from initial concept to final construction without requiring multiple contractors—a significant advantage for clients in Melbourne and surrounding areas. Key offerings include:

• Landscape Design: Custom, timeless designs for Melbourne and Sydney clients, emphasising strong lines, open spaces, carefully selected materials, and restrained palettes to achieve calm, functional, and enduring outdoor environments.
• Concrete Pool Design: Bespoke pools integrated into landscapes, designed for family needs in size, shape, and seamless incorporation with surrounding features.
• Landscape Construction: Full execution in Melbourne, encompassing pergolas, decking, retaining walls, paving, drainage, new lawns, plantings, and more. Projects often feature layered perennials, soft grasses, clipped forms for texture and movement, firepits, outdoor dining zones, and year-round structure.

 

 

The company excels at collaborative projects, working closely with architects, builders, and high-end residential clients from early stages. Construction is limited to Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, ensuring quality control, while design and pool services extend to Sydney.

Notable Work in Malvern and Surrounds

Shape and Form has delivered impressive projects in Malvern and nearby Malvern East, showcasing their ability to transform suburban properties into private escapes. Instagram highlights include a vibrant poolside vista in Malvern with layered planting and clipped forms for texture and structure, and a beautiful private front garden in Malvern East. A recent construction update references progress at Malvern Gardens, underscoring their ongoing local impact.

Client testimonials affirm the quality. Felicity H from Malvern East praised the team, led by Scott, for rebuilding a front fence years earlier and later redesigning the backyard: “Everything went smoothly from start to finish, the project finished on budget and as much on time as several lockdowns can allow. The materials and the workmanship are of high quality and the team members were always punctual, professional, polite and respectful.”

Other clients in Kew, Park Orchards, and Camberwell highlight transformations of rundown backyards into functional, premium entertainment spaces with paving, rock steps, decks, pools, and thoughtful planting, crediting construction manager Marcus Hoogenboom and the crew for professionalism and value despite premium pricing.

Why Choose Shape and Form?

In Malvern’s competitive property market, where outdoor living is prized, Shape and Form distinguishes itself through transparency, rapid communication, and reliable project management (typically running four concurrent projects with manageable lead times, accounting for permits). Their designs prioritise intention over excess—simplicity that allows elements to shine, creating calm, spacious, and timeless havens perfect for family living, entertaining, or relaxation.

Contact Shape and Form Malvern

While their primary office is located at 3/6 Gabrielle Court, Bayswater, Victoria 3153, Shape and Form maintains listings and client engagement in Malvern at or near 208 Glenferrie Road, Malvern VIC 3144 (often referenced in directories for local access).

• Phone: 03 9761 5685
• Email: info@shapeandform.com.au
• Website: https://shapeandform.com.au/
• Social Media: Follow @shapeformlandscape on Instagram and @Landscapeshapeform on Facebook for project inspirations, including Malvern examples.

For a consultation on your Malvern or Melbourne property, contact them to discuss how their expertise can realise your outdoor vision. Whether designing a new pool-integrated landscape or revitalising a garden, Shape and Form delivers exceptional results that enhance lifestyle and property value for years to come.

shapeandform.com.au

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