Landscaping in the Northern Beaches

Landscaping in the Northern Beaches

Steep blocks, sandy soils and salt-laden wind are part of life on the Northern Beaches. Gardens here need walls that hold the slope, drainage that copes with heavy rain coming off the hill, and planting that can take the coast.

Get those right and the view does the rest. Most of our work on the Beaches is about turning a steep or exposed block into level, usable space you can actually live in: a terrace to entertain on, a lawn the kids can use and gardens that don’t wash away in the first big storm.

Whether you’re on an escarpment block above Narrabeen, a sloping street in Balgowlah or a flatter yard in Frenchs Forest, the work starts the same way: understand the slope and the water, then build the structure that holds it all together.

Local conditions we plan for

• Steep and sloping blocks. Many homes sit on the escarpment or on streets that fall to the beach. Terracing with well-drained retaining walls creates level areas that stay put.
• Run-off from above. Heavy rain runs down from the properties and streets uphill. Cut-off drains and pits catch it before it reaches the house or undermines the walls.
• Sandy soil. Coastal sand drains fast and holds few nutrients, so lawns and garden beds need improved soil and often drip irrigation.
• Salt and wind. Exposed blocks near the beach need hardy coastal planting and materials that stand up to salt air.

Common projects in the Northern Beaches

• Terraced retaining walls that turn a steep block into level areas
• Drainage for run-off from the slope above
• Entertaining terraces that make the most of the view
• Coastal planting that handles salt and wind
• Lawns on improved soil for sandy blocks
• Designs that turn a slope into usable levels

Suburbs we cover

We work across the Northern Beaches, including Manly, Fairlight, Balgowlah, Freshwater, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Collaroy, Narrabeen, Warriewood, Mona Vale, Newport, Bilgola, Avalon Beach, Palm Beach, Frenchs Forest, Forestville and Belrose. Not sure if we cover your street? Call 0423 830 285.

Councils and approvals

The Northern Beaches are covered by Northern Beaches Council. Taller retaining walls, walls near a boundary and work on steep or bushfire-prone land can need an engineer’s design or approval. We’ll tell you what applies to your block at the site visit.

How it works

1. Call or send an enquiry. Tell us what you have in mind and where you are.
2. Site visit. We walk the block with you and look at the levels, soil, drainage and access.
3. Itemised quote. A quote written for your block, with a timeline, before anything starts.
4. The build. Our own crew builds it in the right order: drainage and structure first, finishes last.
5. Handover. The site cleaned up and a walk-through, with care instructions for the lawn, plants and irrigation.

One crew, quoted to your site

Every project starts with a site visit and an itemised quote written for your block. The people who quote your job are the people who build it.