Landscaping & Garden Design in Manly
Manly gardens take the full force of salt, sand and wind, from beachside terraces near Queenscliff to the steeper harbour-side streets of Fairlight. We design, build and maintain coastal gardens, timber decks, natural stone paving and driveways, and strata grounds across Manly, North Manly and Manly Vale. $20M insured, 10+ years experience.
Close to Manly
Based in Neutral Bay
$20M Public Liability
Fully insured
Licensed & Qualified
Landscaping & Horticulture
100% In-House Teams
Never subcontractors
Landscaping Manly — Gardens Built for Salt, Sand & Wind
Manly sits on a narrow strip of land between the ocean and the harbour, and its gardens show it. On the ocean side, terraces, courtyards and apartment grounds face onshore winds and salt spray on sandy soil. On the harbour side, around Manly Cove and into Fairlight, blocks are steeper and more sheltered, and often built on sandstone.
Most Manly gardens are compact, so every square metre has to work: salt-hardy planting, decking and paving that stand up to coastal weather, and layouts that suit small blocks, tight side access and shared strata grounds. Our team comes over the Spit Bridge from Neutral Bay, and our gardeners can keep the garden looking its best once it's built.
Landscaping for Manly's Coastal Conditions
Salt air, sandy soil, small sites and busy streets. Here's how we approach gardens from Queenscliff to Fairlight.
Salt, Sand & Wind
Ocean-side gardens in Manly and Queenscliff cop salt-laden onshore winds, and sandy soil drains so fast that nutrients wash straight through. We improve the soil with organic matter, mulch well, and plant tough coastal species such as westringia, lomandra, coast banksia and pigface, saving more delicate plants for sheltered spots on the harbour side.
Coastal garden design →Decking & Stone Driveways
Decks near the beach need durable hardwood or composite boards and stainless steel fixings that won't rust in salt air. For natural stone driveways we use stone of a suitable thickness for vehicles, laid on a properly prepared base, which matters on Manly's sandy ground. The section of driveway across the footpath is council land, so a new crossing needs council approval.
Paving & stonework →Strata, Parking & Access
Many Manly gardens belong to apartment blocks and strata complexes, and much of the suburb has timed or paid street parking with little room for trucks. We plan deliveries around it, keep common areas safe and tidy while we work, and offer ongoing grounds maintenance for strata committees and building managers.
Strata & commercial maintenance →Manly & Surrounding Suburbs
We provide landscaping throughout Manly and its neighbouring suburbs.
📍 Manly
2095Coastal gardens, courtyards, decks and strata grounds across Manly's beachside and harbourside streets.
📍 Fairlight
2094Sloping harbour-view gardens, sandstone steps and sheltered planting for Fairlight's steep streets.
📍 Queenscliff
2096Salt- and wind-hardy planting for Queenscliff homes at the northern end of Manly Beach.
📍 North Manly
2100Backyard makeovers, new turf and regular garden maintenance for North Manly family homes.
📍 Manly Vale
2093Landscaping and garden care for Manly Vale houses, townhouses and apartment blocks.
📍 Freshwater
2096Coastal landscaping and garden maintenance for Freshwater's beachside streets.
Serving Manly & Surrounds
Landscaping in Manly — FAQs
Most Manly gardens are compact, so cost usually depends more on materials and access than on size. Natural stone, hardwood decking and materials carried through a house or up stairs add to the price, while a planting refresh costs less. We provide a free, itemised quote after an on-site visit, and our pricing page lists typical rates for decking, paving and turf.
Manly is in the Northern Beaches Council area, and parts of the suburb are within heritage conservation areas, where visible changes such as front fences and paving can need approval. Retaining walls over 600mm, removing or significantly pruning many trees, new driveway crossings and some decks can also need approval. We'll tell you what applies and handle the paperwork where it's required.
On the ocean side, choose plants built for it: westringia (coastal rosemary), lomandra, coast banksia, Correa alba and pigface all handle salt spray and sandy soil. On sheltered harbour-side blocks in Fairlight and around Manly Cove you can grow a wider range, but salt and wind still reach most gardens, so we often plant a hardy screen first and more delicate plants behind it.
Yes, with the right preparation. Deck footings are designed for the ground conditions, and a stone driveway needs a well-compacted base, often with a concrete slab under the stone, so it doesn't move or crack under vehicles. We'll explain the options for your site when we quote.
Yes. As well as landscaping, our in-house gardeners provide regular maintenance across Manly, Fairlight, North Manly and Manly Vale, including lawn mowing, hedge trimming, pruning, weeding and seasonal planting, for homes and strata buildings. Many clients move onto a maintenance plan once their garden is built. See our Northern Beaches garden maintenance page for details.
Trusted by Sydney Homeowners
See what our clients say about our landscaping and garden maintenance.
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
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