Landscaping & Garden Design in Vaucluse
Vaucluse gardens deal with steep sandstone blocks, salt-laden wind and some of Sydney's best harbour and ocean views. We design and build pool terraces, timber decks, irrigation, sandstone walls and privacy hedging for homes in Vaucluse, Watsons Bay and Dover Heights, then keep them looking their best with ongoing garden maintenance. $20M insured, 10+ years experience.
Harbour & Ocean Gardens
Salt- and wind-hardy design
$20M Public Liability
Fully insured
Licensed & Qualified
Landscaping & Horticulture
100% In-House Teams
Never subcontractors
Landscaping Vaucluse — Between the Harbour and the Ocean
Vaucluse stretches across the South Head peninsula from Sydney Harbour to the ocean cliffs, so two gardens a few streets apart can face completely different conditions: sheltered harbour frontages around Parsley Bay and Nielsen Park on one side, and exposed streets taking the full ocean wind on the other. Blocks are typically large, steep and built on sandstone, with pools, terraces and entertaining areas stepped down the slope towards the view.
Most Vaucluse projects come down to getting structure and planting right for that exposure — sandstone retaining and steps, pool and terrace landscaping, hardwood and composite decks, irrigation for sandy soils, and dense privacy hedging that screens neighbours without blocking the outlook. Nearby in Double Bay, our Court Road Estate project shows the finish we aim for: large-format travertine paving and mature olive trees that made a harbourside garden feel established from day one.
See the Court Road Estate project in Double Bay →
What Shapes a Vaucluse Garden
Slope, exposure and heritage shape almost every Vaucluse garden. These are the things we plan for on each project.
Slopes, Pools & Decks
Many Vaucluse homes step down steep sandstone blocks, so outdoor space is built in levels — retaining walls, sandstone steps, pool terraces and decks. We build hardwood and composite decks on solid footings, choosing boards and stainless steel fixings that stand up to full sun and salt air, and plan stairs and landings so every level is easy to reach.
Timber decking →Salt Wind & Sandy Soil
Streets on the ocean side take strong, salt-laden winds, and harbour frontages get constant salt air. The sandy soil over sandstone drains fast and dries out quickly. We plant hardy coastal species as a windbreak to shelter softer plants, improve the soil with organic matter, and install zoned drip irrigation on a timer so new planting establishes and stays healthy through summer.
Irrigation systems →Heritage, Views & Privacy
Vaucluse has a number of heritage-listed homes and gardens — Vaucluse House is the best known — and works to a heritage-listed property or within a heritage conservation area can need council consent. Privacy matters too: we plant dense hedging and screening around pools and terraces, and plan mature heights so the hedges don't grow into your view, or your neighbours'.
Hedge trimming →Vaucluse & Surrounding Suburbs
We provide landscaping throughout Vaucluse and its neighbouring suburbs.
📍 Vaucluse
2030Pool terraces, sandstone steps, timber decks and coastal planting for Vaucluse's harbour- and ocean-facing homes.
📍 Watsons Bay
2030Wind- and salt-hardy gardens, courtyards and cottage frontages near Camp Cove and South Head.
📍 Dover Heights
2030Screening, terraces and planting that cope with ocean wind for Dover Heights' cliff-top homes.
📍 Rose Bay
2029Harbourside gardens, pool surrounds and privacy screening for Rose Bay homes and apartment grounds.
📍 Bellevue Hill
2023Formal hedging, terraced lawns and natural stone for Bellevue Hill's elevated harbour-view properties.
📍 Double Bay
2028Home of our Court Road Estate project — travertine paving, mature olive trees and luxury garden design.
Serving Vaucluse & Surrounds
Landscaping in Vaucluse — FAQs
It depends mainly on the slope and the scope. Vaucluse projects often involve retaining walls, steps, pool terraces and decks before any planting, and those structural elements drive the budget more than anything else, along with how easily materials can reach the site on a steep block. We provide a free, itemised quote after an on-site visit, and our pricing page shows typical ranges for common project types.
Most of Vaucluse is in the Woollahra Municipal Council area, with a small part on the ocean side in Waverley Council, so we first confirm which council's rules apply to your address. Retaining walls over 600mm, removing or heavily pruning protected trees, and works to heritage-listed properties or within heritage conservation areas can all need approval. We'll advise what applies and manage the application if one is needed.
We choose hedging species by their natural mature height and place them where they screen pools, terraces and windows rather than the outlook — taller screens along side boundaries, lower clipped hedges along view lines — and regular trimming keeps everything at the agreed height. It matters in Vaucluse: in NSW, a neighbour can take a hedge that severely obstructs their view or sunlight to the Land and Environment Court.
Yes. We build hardwood decks in species such as spotted gum and blackbutt, and composite decks for low-maintenance pool surrounds, on solid footings with stairs and balustrades where needed. On exposed sites we use stainless steel fixings and allow for full sun and salt air. Many low decks can be built as exempt development, while higher or roofed decks need approval — we'll flag what applies when we quote.
Yes. Our in-house maintenance teams look after gardens across the Eastern Suburbs, and we can service Vaucluse, Watsons Bay and Dover Heights with hedge trimming, lawn care, irrigation checks and seasonal pruning, so a new garden establishes properly and stays sharp. See our Double Bay garden maintenance page for details.
Trusted in the Eastern Suburbs
See what our Eastern Suburbs and 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
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