Landscaping & Garden Design in Kirribilli
Kirribilli's terraces, heritage cottages and harbour-edge apartments call for gardens that make every square metre count. Based minutes away in Neutral Bay, we design and build courtyards, terrace gardens and planting that suit tight sites and heritage streets. $20M insured, 10+ years experience.
Minutes Away
Based in Neutral Bay
$20M Public Liability
Fully insured
Licensed & Qualified
Landscaping & Horticulture
100% In-House Teams
Never subcontractors
Landscaping Kirribilli — Small Spaces, Harbour Views
Kirribilli is one of Sydney's oldest and most compact harbourside suburbs. Most gardens here are courtyards, side passages, front terraces and shared apartment grounds rather than big backyards — so good design comes down to layout, screening and planting that thrives in a small footprint.
Our team is based just up the hill in Neutral Bay, so we know North Sydney Council's requirements, the suburb's heritage streetscapes and the practicalities of working on narrow streets with limited parking and no rear-lane access.
What Makes Kirribilli Landscaping Different
Small harbourside sites bring their own challenges. These are the things we plan for on every Kirribilli project.
Heritage Streetscapes
Large parts of Kirribilli sit within heritage conservation areas, where front fences, paving and visible landscaping are expected to suit the period character of the street. We design front gardens that respect the original style of terraces and cottages, and manage the approvals process with North Sydney Council when it's needed.
Tight Access
Many Kirribilli properties have no side or rear access, so materials and soil often have to come through the house or be carried in by hand. We plan deliveries, protect floors and walls, and choose modular paving and lightweight planters that make construction practical without compromising the finish.
Paving & stonework →Salt, Wind & Shade
Harbour-facing gardens cop salt spray and wind, while courtyards between tall buildings can sit in shade for most of the day. We choose plants for the real light and exposure of your site — coastal-hardy species on the water side, shade-tolerant foliage and ferns in enclosed courtyards.
Garden beds & planting →Kirribilli & Surrounding Suburbs
We provide landscaping throughout Kirribilli and its neighbouring suburbs.
📍 Kirribilli
2061Courtyards, terrace gardens and heritage front gardens across Kirribilli's harbourside streets.
📍 Milsons Point
2061Apartment grounds, rooftop terraces and planter gardens beside the Harbour Bridge.
📍 Lavender Bay
2060Sloping harbour-view gardens, sandstone steps and coastal planting around the bay.
📍 McMahons Point
2060Terrace and cottage gardens on the peninsula, designed for compact blocks and harbour exposure.
📍 North Sydney
2060Residential and strata landscaping across North Sydney, from small courtyards to shared gardens.
📍 Neutral Bay
2089Our home base on Merlin Street — complete landscaping for Neutral Bay homes and apartments.
Serving Kirribilli & Surrounds
Landscaping in Kirribilli — FAQs
Yes. Most Kirribilli gardens are courtyards, terraces and front gardens, and we regularly work on spaces of this size — from a planting refresh or new paving to a complete courtyard redesign. We provide a free on-site quote so you know exactly what's involved before any work starts.
Kirribilli is in the North Sydney Council area and much of the suburb is within heritage conservation areas. Changes visible from the street — such as front fences, paving and some tree work — and retaining walls over 600mm can need approval. We'll advise what applies to your property and handle the paperwork where it's required.
We plan around it. Materials are delivered in manageable loads, carried through with floors and walls protected, and we choose modular pavers, lightweight planters and compact equipment so the job can be built cleanly through a front door or narrow side passage.
It depends on light and exposure. Shaded courtyards suit ferns, clivias and other shade-tolerant foliage plants, while harbour-facing terraces need salt- and wind-tolerant plants such as westringia, lomandra and other coastal natives. We design planting around how much sun each part of your garden actually gets.
Yes. Our in-house maintenance teams look after gardens across the Lower North Shore, so we can keep your courtyard looking its best after construction. See our North Sydney garden maintenance page for details.
Trusted on the Lower North Shore
See what our Lower North Shore clients say about our landscaping.
Janet Tuft
“Ewan and his team turned my scrappy garden into a neat and tidy display in record time. Willing and easy to work with.”
Brad Cooper
“This Team does an outstanding job, tall hedges all around my property and pool! Gardens, lawns , even tidied up the fire pit. Great young guys attend and get in with it! Highly recommend.”
Jennie Finlay
“It is my absolute pleasure to recommend Ewan and his Team at Ethereal Gardens Landscaping. -Communication is very personable and excellent, -communicating openly is very helpful with ideas that might benefit the project and lessen time and sometimes cost if the outcome gives a good result which it has -friendliness, Courteousness and professionalism are very kind, supportive, and understanding and accepting of what is requested - attitude and work ethic are wonderful to experience and a credit to them -doing and through to completion of tasks are higher than expectation -outcomes show the care that is taken when performing the tasks -completion, which includes removal of rubbish and cleaning up, always leaves everything looking beautiful. I am very confident and, with my first hand experience, if you choose to engage Ewan and his team he/they will not disappoint. I have engaged other Landscapers for projects and Ewan at Ethereal Gardens has been by far the best. Thank you Ewan. Jennie”
Let's Create Something Ethereal
Ready to transform your outdoor space? Complete the form and we'll get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your project.