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# Secret Gardens: Secret Gardens is a multi-award-winning landscape architect and landscape designer in Sydney Australia creating considered residential gardens and landscapes, shaped by thoughtful design, beautiful materials and inspired planting.

## Sitemaps
[XML Sitemap](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Posts
- [Steppers in a Garden: Blending Functionality and Aesthetics](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/steppers-in-a-garden/): Steppers offer a simple yet elegant way to navigate outdoor spaces. They serve both practical and aesthetic purposes, creating pathways that guide movement while enhancing the garden’s overall design. Whether used in expansive lawns or compact courtyard gardens, steppers are an excellent way to add texture, structure, and charm to your landscape.
- [Going Up, Going Down: Designing Perfect Steps](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/going-up-going-down/): There’s a common misconception that level gardens are the ideal choice for every landscape. However, landscape architects and designers know that changes in elevation can elevate a garden's design and functionality. Introducing steps into a landscape not only addresses level changes but also creates opportunities for visual interest, material exploration, and architectural harmony. Perfectly designed steps offer far more than a path from A to B; they become a feature that enhances the entire garden.
- [Low Maintenance Material Selection in Landscaping: Benefits and Ideas](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/low-maintenance-material-selection-in-landscapings/): Modern landscape design focuses on creating beautiful outdoor spaces that are also easy to care for. Low-maintenance material selection plays a key role in achieving this balance, allowing gardens to be enjoyed without the constant upkeep. When designing a new garden or updating an existing one, choosing the right materials can save time, reduce costs, and ensure your space remains stunning for years to come.
- [Steel, Stone, Timber, and Concrete: The Building Blocks of Modern Australian Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/steel-stone-timber-and-concrete-the-building-blocks-of-modern-australian-gardens/): In recent years, the use of materials like steel, stone, timber, and concrete in Australian gardens has surged in popularity. Far from being purely functional, these materials bring a contemporary aesthetic that blends seamlessly with the natural beauty of our native plants. Their durability, low maintenance requirements, and versatility make them ideal for modern garden designs. 
- [Keeping Warm: Embracing the Outdoors in Winter](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/keeping-warm-embracing-the-outdoors-in-winter/): As the crisp air of winter settles in, our gardens can feel less inviting—but that doesn’t mean they need to be abandoned. With thoughtful design and the right additions, you can extend the use of your outdoor spaces into those cool afternoons and mornings. Whether it’s a simple firepit or a custom-built outdoor heating solution, keeping warm in the garden is easier than you might think. 
- [Getting the Scale Right Part 2: Courtyards](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/getting-the-scale-right-part-2-courtyards/): When new clients approach us about designing courtyard gardens, one phrase often surfaces: "It’s only a small garden. It may be too small or simple for you." No space is too small to create beauty, functionality, and harmony. In fact, working with small gardens is one of the most rewarding challenges for a designer.
- [Getting the Scale Right Part 1: Large Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/getting-the-scale-right-large-gardens/): One of the most common mistakes in large garden design is getting the scale wrong. Large gardens offer unique opportunities, but they also present challenges, particularly when it comes to achieving the right proportions.
- [A day in the life of a Horticultural Team Leader](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-horticultural-team-leader/): Secret Gardens employs people with a range of skills, who each contribute to the creation of beautiful and functional gardens for our clients. These include landscape architects, landscape designers, landscape construction and horticulturists. To better understand what each profession brings to the practice, we are delving into their workday and finding out what makes them tick.
- [A day in the life of our Landscape Team](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/a-day-in-the-life-of-our-landscape-team/): Secret Gardens employs people with a range of skills, who each contribute to the creation of beautiful and functional gardens for our clients. These include landscape architects, landscape designers, landscape contractors and horticulturists. To better understand what each profession brings to the practice, we are delving into their workday and finding out what makes them tick.
- [A day in the life of a landscape designer](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-landscape-designer/): Secret Gardens employs people with a range of skills, who each contribute to the creation of beautiful and functional gardens for our clients. These include landscape architects, landscape designers, landscape contractors and horticulturists. To better understand what each profession brings to the practice, we are delving into their workday and finding out what makes them tick.
- [A picture paints a thousand words: Capturing gardens in images](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/a-picture-paints-a-thousand-words-capturing-gardens-in-images/): Photos of gardens are made to look at. But gardens themselves are made for living in. And the key challenge for the garden photographer is capturing the distinctive feel of being in a particular garden. It’s not just about aesthetics. It’s about the mood.
- [A degree of separation: Designing a garden for teenagers](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/a-degree-of-separation-designing-a-garden-for-teenagers/): Gardens are never ‘done’. They’re living things, constantly growing and evolving, just like the families who use them. The best gardens adapt in line with the changing demands of the household. And one of the key transition times for a family is when the children grow into teenagers.
- [Going with the flow: How a naturalistic garden can work in the suburbs](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/going-with-the-flow-how-a-naturalistic-garden-can-work-in-the-suburbs/): The style of garden known as naturalistic has these sorts of questions at its heart, and with its softer, less controlled silhouette, it’s a style Mark Curtis, Design Consultant at Secret Gardens, finds very appealing. “There are no defined borders in a naturalistic garden, unlike a traditional garden with its lawn, rows of trees and clipped hedges,” says Mark.
- [Making Connections: The importance of Landscape Design](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/making-connections/): If there’s one thing we’ve learned in the past couple of years, it is how interconnected our world is. Whether it’s something as obvious as how we relate to family members, the networks we build in our communities or how a microscopic virus can hop between humans with relative ease, nothing exists in isolation.
- [High and dry: Exploring the cool world of Cactus](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/high-and-dry-exploring-the-cool-world-of-cactus/): Cacti are cool. In terms of plants that rate among homeowners and landscape designers, they are right up there. And when you look at everything they bring to garden design it’s not too hard to see why, says Nick, Secret Gardens Senior Landscape Architect.
- [The Big Steel: Why everyone is in love with the weathered good looks of Corten](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/big-steel/): It’s hard to imagine the modern age without steel. It’s the engineering backbone of major industry, from car manufacturing and infrastructure such as rail, roads and powerlines to the residential and commercial building sectors.
- [Wet, Wet, Wet: How to manage soaked Sydney gardens during La Nina’s rainy season](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/wet-wet-wet-2/): Whether you live by the coast where rain and surf conditions have been volatile, or further inland, it’s been hard to avoid the unrelenting showers and grey skies that have dominated in recent weeks.
- [The warm heart of cold gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/warm-cold-gardens/): When clients discuss plans for their gardens, they often picture lazy summer days, relaxing by the pool or entertaining friends and family while the outdoor kitchen is put through its paces. But in a city like Sydney, known for its mild climate, designing for the colder months of the year can pay big dividends.
- [Raising the roof – The beauty and benefits of rooftop gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/raising-roof/): The best architectural projects don’t draw a line between where the built environment ends and the garden begins. Instead, they consider the site as a whole, integrating the outdoor and indoor spaces into one, seamless experience. For multi level homes, rooftop gardens have become a key element in this approach, eliminating rooftop glare, connecting green sight lines across neighbourhoods and making the most of smaller footprints.
- [Dream gardens and movie magic: How pop culture can inspire your next outdoor project](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/dream-gardens/): Our relationships with gardens are often more complex than we realise. Beyond the basics of providing outdoor entertaining spaces, a pool or room for the kids to play, they are places where we seek solace, daydream and make memories. They can evoke feelings of joy and exhilaration or melancholy and peace.
- [The shape of things to come: Introducing sculpture to the garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/intro-sculpture-2/): The idea of sculpture in the garden conjures up images of grand European estates with sweeping vistas punctuated by neo classic figures or larger-than-life abstract shapes cast in bronze. But Creative Director at Secret Gardens, Matt Cantwell, says increasingly, sculpture is being understood as a great design device, however large or small your outdoor space is.
- [Why it’s time to stop throwing shade at trees](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/shade-trees/): We’ve been underestimating the importance of trees in the urban landscape. And it’s time to stop. From sources of solace during lockdown to battling the damaging effects of urban heat islands, trees are a critical part of city landscapes in both private and public spheres.
- [Borrowed Landscape: Making more of the humble laneway](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/humble-laneway/): Your front facade might be about putting your best foot forward, but in many parts of Sydney, the rear lane is where it’s at. Once the sole domain of the night cart man and garbage trucks, Creative Director of Secret Gardens Matt Cantwell says the back lane is packed with potential. This is especially true in areas where land is at a premium.
- [Setting the Scene: How to choose the right garden style for you](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/setting-scene/): When people come to the garden design experience for the first time, it can be strange to think of gardens as having a style, or being in or out of fashion. But a quick glance over the past 20 or 30 years reveals a distinct shift, not just in how we want our outdoor spaces to function, but how we want them to look and feel.
- [Tackling climate change in your own backyard](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/climate-change/): It makes for alarming reading. The latest global warming report released in August by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change paints a bleak picture of increasing temperatures and rising sea levels. As individuals it can feel as though affecting change is beyond our reach. But even the smallest efforts can make a difference.
- [Who are you going to call? Choosing the right garden professional](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/garden-professional/): When Creative director of Secret Gardens Matt Cantwell started his business more than 25 years ago, the concept of garden design was relatively new. Many homeowners were more accustomed to treating their gardens as lifelong projects, punctuated by occasional structural changes, such as the installation of a pool or the construction of a deck. But as our lifestyles have changed and we’ve embraced the garden as an extension of our indoor living spaces, our expectations have risen.
- [Neighbourhood Watch Reimagined](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/neighbourhood-watch-reimagined/): While Sydney is under lockdown, to a greater or lesser extent depending on where you live, leaving the house for an hour’s exercise is one of the few things we’re all still allowed to do. That’s because there’s an understanding amongst health professionals that getting out into the fresh air brings with it a connection to the natural world that running on a treadmill at home just can’t match.
- [Holiday Garden Prep](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/holiday-prep/): Going on holiday? Getting the garden ready before you go will ensure it survives and hopefully thrives in your absence. The end of the year means a break from the daily grind and hopefully the chance to get away, but while you’re gorging on Christmas ham and sunning yourself on the beach, a fortnight of neglect can have a big impact on your garden in the height of the growing season. To avoid coming home to an overgrown jungle – or worse, a wreckage of dead and dried out plants – tick these jobs off your pre-holiday to-do list.
- [Everyday Biophilia](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/everyday-biophilia/): It’s a word that has been thrown around a lot in recent years but there’s nothing new about the concept of biophilia. Practiced since ancient times, it is the innate human need to connect with the natural world literally, visually or even remotely. While the term was coined by social psychologist Eric Fromm in the 1960s, it has found fertile soil in recent years as a reaction to the increasingly pervasive nature of technology in our lives. That is, we’re looking for ways to balance out all that screen time.
- [Wildlife in the Garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/wildlife-in-the-garden/): Native wildlife can add a delightful dimension to your garden, providing a sense of life and movement, and a feeling of connection with nature. Closing your eyes and listening to the busy humming of bees or the convivial chatter of birds is a guaranteed way to slough off the stresses of a working week and feel at peace. Including a few of these tricks into your garden sends a clear invitation to the local fauna.
- [The importance of investing in detailed design](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/detailed-design/): As the great architect and designer Charles Eames once said, ‘the details are not the details, they make the design’. The thought of creating your own slice of outdoor paradise is so exciting, it’s easy to get impatient. But making sure you end up with the outdoor space you’ve always dreamed of requires a level of detail that can take some by surprise. And that starts with spending time on the design.
- [The End of the Veggie Patch](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/the-end-of-the-veggie-patch/): There has never been so much interest in growing food at home than there is right now. Even before COVID, vegetable garden supply retailers once frequented by older men and committed permaculturists have been inundated with interest from families keen to get their hands dirty and grow their own fruit and vegetables with their kids.
- [Why does everything take so long? Understanding timelines.](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/understanding-timelines/): Everything tends to run more smoothly in life when we know what to expect – and that’s absolutely the case when you’re hoping to create an idyllic garden.
- [Soil Issues](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/soil-issues/): Before you can dig for foundations or plant a single tree, you need to know what kind of soil you’re dealing with. A loamy, basalt-based soil is the gold standard of soils, not too fine, not too coarse, and chock full of nutrients. But in greater Sydney, we’re far more likely to be dealing with either very sandy or clay-dense soil. So what does that mean? And is the news all bad?
- [Highlights: The Chelsea Flower Show 2019](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/chelsea-flower-show-2019/): The Chelsea Flower Show is over for another year and, as always, has been a rich source of inspiration for the team at Secret Gardens. Though it’s on the other side of the world, the Show has provided plenty of ideas we can apply to an Australian setting. Here are a few of the standouts for us.
- [Starting From Scratch](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/starting-from-scratch/): When building a brand new home or embarking on a large-scale renovation, the ultimate plan of attack is to get a landscape architect in as early as possible. Though one’s instinct might be to leave the outdoors until last, engaging a landscape architect early in the design process allows for a holistic, seamless approach and ensures that you’ll get the most value out of your consultants. You’re paying for the best and getting your consultants working together will result in the best possible finished design, even something a bit magical.
- [Irrigation](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/irrigation/): An irrigation system is one of the cornerstones of a healthy garden, taking human error out of the equation to make sure plants get all the moisture they need – and none they don’t. In times of drought, a good system becomes all the more important in making sure water goes where it’s needed and none is wasted.
- [Outdoor Homing](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/outdoor-homing/): The trend towards outdoor living has been around for a while, but what we’re seeing now is an extension of that, as people venture deeper into the garden. The outdoor room–once an add-on, almost an afterthought, to the internal areas–is now expanding into the furthest reaches of the garden, as we dedicate a much greater proportion of the open-air space to living, lounging and dining. Riemelia Oram of Cosh Living explains,“There no longer needs to be a constructed visual divide between the garden and the home. We’re seeing the strong design trend of the garden entering the home and, in turn, more and more, the home entering the garden.”
- [Christmas gifts with Hibernate](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/christmas-gifts-hibernate/): You can’t go wrong with a beautiful pot as a present. Here at Secret Gardens, all our Christmas (and birthday, and Mother’s Day) presents are covered by our own Hibernate range. Gift a pot on its own, or pair it with the perfect plant for a present that really shows you care. Read on for our pick of plant pairings.
- [Concrete In Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/concrete-in-gardens/): We love concrete in gardens, which might come as a surprise to some. To be clear, we’re not talking about turning the backyard into a carpark, but instead incorporating concrete as a key element in a greater garden scheme. Concrete is versatile, durable, low maintenance and, teamed with natural finishes and plenty of greenery, is a glorious landscaping material.
- [What to look for in a Garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/what-to-look-for-in-a-garden/): When buying a house, it’s important to remember you’re also buying a garden. It doesn’t need to be exactly the garden of your dreams before you move in – a blank canvas is no bad thing – but existing elements of the landscape could thwart your plans, or on the flipside, tip a nice-enough property into the ‘must-have’ category!
- [Garden Storage](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/garden-storage/): Building storage into the garden is not so much a luxury as a necessity. As our homes get smaller – and our accumulated stuff not so much – architects are obsessed with squeezing storage into every room, in new and innovative ways. Gardens are no different; the primary focus is creating an enjoyable, liveable space, which requires clutter be tamed and tucked out of sight!
- [Spring Blooms](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/spring-blooms/): Nothing heralds the arrival of spring like a joyful burst of blooms. Whether it’s the first magnolia blossoms crowning an otherwise bare tree or the heady whiff of jasmine, we love the way spring flowers signal the end of the dreary winter months and the warmth and beauty of the warmer seasons. From the obvious to the exotic, these are 10 of our favourite spring-blooming plants.
- [Secret Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/secret-gardens/): We’re all for living and entertaining outdoors, but as our gardens become semi-public spaces towards which guests gravitate, it’s nice to carve out a corner that’s just for you, a secret nook in which to unwind on one’s own. Any garden, from a grand acreage to a modest courtyard, can be designed with such a spot; the key is to create a sense of intimacy and sprinkle a little bit of gardening magic.
- [Seaside Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/seaside-gardens/): Coastal gardens are high on the list of looks we love in our beach-loving country and it’s a style that suits us for more reasons than one. Loose and laidback, a seaside garden fits with our relaxed, beer-and-barbecues way of living, but it’s also ideally suited to surviving the challenges of any garden within blowing distance of a coastal breeze.
- [Winter Vegetables](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/winter-vegetables/): Winter can be an unexpectedly productive time in the garden. Though the rampant new growth and budding blooms of spring are yet to arrive in the majority of the garden, the vegetable beds can be chock-full of delicious, fresh winter vegetables.
- [Building with bricks](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/building-with-bricks/): Bricks are back in both architecture and landscaping, and we’re on board. You only have to wander through some of the more established neighbourhoods in Sydney to see the way the beautiful brick buildings have not only survived, but have actually become more lovely, as the bricks gain a rich patina of age over the decades. As we become more environmentally aware, ever with an eye on longevity, a material that remains so robust over time is undeniably appealing. To add to this, manufacturers are working hard to create new colours and shapes of bricks that appeal to a modern sensibility.
- [Planting For Colour](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/planting-for-colour/): Choosing a colour scheme for the garden is an essential part of planning the perfect outdoor space. Do you want a wash of vibrant tropical colours, or the gentle pastel hues of a Monet? The colours you choose will set the mood of the garden and dictate how you feel when you sit in it.
- [Outdoor Dining](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/outdoor-dining/): A well designed outdoor dining area is a wonderful thing, bringing family and friends together in the great outdoors and, ideally, allowing us to enjoy our gardens all year round.
- [Indoor Plants](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/indoor-plants-2/): The indoor plants trend is here for the long haul and we hope it never wanes. Bringing a little of the outdoors inside not only helps us to feel connected with nature, potted plants also help to purify the air and make our homes healthier. Plus they simply look fantastic!

## Pages
- [Sitemap](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/sitemap/): Sitemap PostsGarden ArtSteppers in a Garden: Blending Functionality and AestheticsGoing Up, Going Down: Designing Perfect StepsLow Maintenance Material Selection in Landscaping: Benefits and IdeasSteel, Stone, Timber, and Concrete: The Building Blocks of Modern Australian GardensKeeping Warm: Embracing the Outdoors in WinterHow to Create a Balcony GardenGetting the Scale Right Part 2: CourtyardsGetting the Scale Right Part 1: Large GardensA day in the life of a Horticultural Team LeaderA day in the life of our Landscape TeamA day in the life of a landscape designerA picture paints a thousand words: Capturing gardens in imagesA degree of separation: Designing a garden for teenagersGoing with the flow: How a naturalistic garden can work in the suburbsHigh and dry: Exploring the cool world of CactusMaking Connections: The importance of Landscape DesignThe shape of things to come: Introducing sculpture to the gardenRaising the roof – The beauty and benefits of rooftop gardensWhy it’s time to stop throwing shade at treesDream gardens and movie magic: How pop culture can inspire your next outdoor projectTackling climate change in your own backyardWho are you going to call? Choosing the right garden professionalNeighbourhood Watch ReimaginedBorrowed Landscape: Making more of the humble lanewayHoliday Garden PrepEveryday BiophiliaWildlife in the GardenThe importance of investing in detailed designThe End of the Veggie PatchWhy does everything take so long? Understanding timelines.Setting the Scene: How to choose the right garden style for youSoil IssuesHighlights: The Chelsea Flower Show 2019Starting From ScratchIrrigationOutdoor HomingChristmas gifts with HibernateConcrete In GardensWhat to look for in a GardenGarden StorageSpring BloomsSecret GardensSeaside GardensWinter VegetablesBuilding with bricksPlanting For ColourOutdoor DiningIndoor PlantsStreet AppealPlant TrendsGoing Green for Lockdown WellbeingKid Friendly GardensBest Indoor PlantsGardening in the time of CovidOutdoor ShowersTexture in the GardenGarden TrendsChoosing Outdoor FurnitureWinter GardeningCluster PotsGarden Lighting DesignHanging GardenDrought Tolerant GardensHiding the ugly bitsWinter WonderlandIn the zone: visually separating a granny flatPrivacy in the GardenOutdoor KitchensShady GardensDog Friendly GardensVertical GardensGarden EdgingWater FeaturesThe Edible GardenTo Hedge or Not to Hedge?Garden StepsStatement TreesLandscape Pool DesignMatching your garden to your homeStepping StonesGarden PotsInternal CourtyardsTropical GardensWindy GardensCourtyard GardensRooftop GardensKeeping Your SucculentsThe warm heart of cold gardensWet, Wet, Wet: How to manage soaked Sydney gardens during La Nina’s rainy seasonThe Big Steel: Why everyone is in love with the weathered good looks of CortenPagesSitemapAwardsSecret Gardens BookCookie PolicyApplication ReceivedThank YouCareersMediaJournalContactAbout Secret GardensLandscape Architect & Landscape Designer Sydney | Secret GardensJetPopupVideo PopupAwardVL50 | On the Ascent OTA Landscape Designer of the Year 20248-time Winner6-time Best in Category Award Winner4-time Silver Award Winner8-time Gold Award Winner3-time Alan Correy Award Winner2018 Shortlist for Mirror House2019 Shortlist for Cove House2022 Shortlist for Crane LodgeJobsHorticulturistsLandscape Construction ApprenticesMediaManlyTranscendent Tiered GardenTaylors BayThe Coastal GardenStone HouseThe Contemporary GardenEco OutdoorsHouse and GardenCountry StyleHome BeautifulCelebrating 30 Years of Secret GardensThe Local ProjectHouse and GardenGardening Australia | ABCVogue Living | VL50 Winner OTA Landscape Designer of the YearHousesInside OutBelleInside OutCourland HouseWoollahra HouseCrane LodgeSkylineBelleBelleSecret Gardens Book by Matthew CantwellHow to make your front entrance look more expensive than it isOn The BrinkParty PlanOpen HeartUrban LegendSecret LifeDelightful Garden IdeasBy My SidePoint of ViewLeafing HomeDeck it OutGoing Back to FrontHarbour LifeSecret Gardens BookSecret Gardens Book by Matthew CantwellHow to Achieve Balance & EaseRock StarLaunch PadInfinity and BeyondLet It shineBack to LifeDouble LifeEscape PlanGordons Bay HouseA memorable waterfront gardenJungle FeverCaio, BellaThe High LifeCove HouseProjectsWhispering figTaylors BayVue De La CotePaperbarkGinahgullaStone HouseKangaloon HouseBrackenKulgoa RoadCalabash Bay LodgeParsley BayMirror HouseDizzy HeightsCove HouseSkylineLight & ShadeOld Meets NewCrane LodgeCoastal LifePark VillaCourland HouseMaluhiaVilla RosaCategoriesAbstractArchitectureArt & SculptureCareersCase StudiesDesignDesign DetailsDesign IdeasEnvironmentalGarden StylesHibernateHorticultureLandscapingPlant FocusPots
- [Awards](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/awards/): Awards        
- [Secret Gardens Book](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/secret-gardens-book/): SECRET GARDENS by Matthew Cantwell is a beautifully presented, 375-page hardback book. Featuring stunning photography taken by Nicholas Watt, it portrays some of Matthew’s favourite projects and is the perfect gift for green-fingered, landscape-loving Australians.
- [Cookie Policy](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/cookie-policy/): This is the Cookie Policy for secretgardens.com.au, accessible from https://www.secretgardens.com.au/
- [Application Received](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/application-received/): Thank you. Go to the homepage
- [Thank You](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/thankyou/): Thank you. Go to the homepage
- [Careers](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/careers/): At Secret Gardens, we believe that achieving exceptional results with our clients starts with our team. We’re not just a business. We’re a team of people who support, respect and learn from one another. Our reputation and brand has been built on our people, and our ability to deliver individual designs, uncompromising and exceptional customer service requires qualified and experienced staff.
- [Media](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-news/): For media enquiries: media@secretgardens.com.au
- [Journal](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/): Journal   Architecture, Design Read more Plant Focus Read more Design Details Read more Environmental Read more Garden Styles Read more Garden Styles Read more Loading...
- [Contact](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/contact-garden-design/): We would love to hear about your garden and your story.
- [About Secret Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/about/): Our team offers a wealth of experience and diverse skillsets. Our clients enjoy a holistic approach that offers the services of full-time landscape architects and designers, landscape construction specialists, and experienced horticulturists. We collaborate with an extended network of consultants and skilled contractors as required, to ensure our projects are delivered to the highest of industry standards. Complete project management, a turnkey solution providing total peace of mind.
- [Landscape Architect & Landscape Designer Sydney | Secret Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/): Secret Gardens is a multi-award-winning landscape architecture and design studio, bringing together full-time landscape architects and designers, experienced construction specialists, and skilled horticulturists to create considered residential gardens across Sydney.

## JetPopup
- [Video Popup](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design/jet-popup/video-popup/)

## Award
- [VL50 | On the Ascent OTA Landscape Designer of the Year 2024](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/vl50-on-the-ascent-ota-landscape-designer-of-the-year/)
- [2022 Shortlist for Crane Lodge](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/2022-shortlist-for-crane-lodge/)
- [2019 Shortlist for Cove House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/2019-shortlist-for-cove-house/)
- [2018 Shortlist for Mirror House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/2018-shortlist-for-mirror-house/)
- [3-time Alan Correy Award Winner](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/3-time-alan-correy-award-winner/)
- [8-time Gold Award Winner](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/8-time-gold-award-winner/)
- [4-time  Silver Award Winner](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/4-time-silver-award-winner/)
- [6-time Best in Category Award Winner](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/6-time-best-in-category-award-winner/)
- [8-time Winner](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/award/8-time-winner/)

## Jobs
- [Horticulturists](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/jobs/horticulturists/)
- [Landscape Construction Apprentices](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/jobs/landscape-construction-horticulture-apprentices/)

## Media
- [Manly](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/how-a-luxury-manly-home-transformed-its-gardens-into-a-coastal-sanctuary/)
- [Transcendent Tiered Garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/transcendent-tiered-garden/)
- [Taylors Bay](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/co-architecture-april-2026/)
- [The Coastal Garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/the-coastal-garden/)
- [Stone House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/co-architecture-november-2025/)
- [The Contemporary Garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/the-contemporary-garden/)
- [Eco Outdoors](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/eco-outdoors/)
- [House and Garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/house-and-garden-3/)
- [Country Style](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/country-style/)
- [Home Beautiful](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/house-and-garden-2/)
- [House and Garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/house-and-garden/)
- [Celebrating 30 Years of Secret Gardens](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/celebrating-30-years-of-secret-gardens/)
- [Gardening Australia | ABC](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/gardening-australia-abc/)
- [Vogue Living | VL50 Winner OTA Landscape Designer of the Year](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/vogue-living/)
- [The Local Project](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/home-beautiful/)
- [Houses](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/4470/)
- [Belle](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/belle-3/)
- [Inside Out](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/inside-out/)
- [Courland House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/courland-house/)
- [Inside Out](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/4406/)
- [Crane Lodge](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/crane-lodge/)
- [Belle](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/belle-2/)
- [Belle](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/belle/)
- [Skyline](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/skyline/)
- [The High Life](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/the-high-life/)
- [Caio, Bella](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/caio-bella/)
- [Cove House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/cove-house/)
- [Jungle Fever](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/jungle-fever/)
- [Woollahra House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/woollahra-house/)
- [A memorable waterfront garden](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/a-memorable-waterfront-garden/)
- [Gordons Bay House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/gordons-bay-house/)
- [Escape Plan](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/escape-plan/)
- [Double Life](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/double-life/)
- [Back to Life](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/back-to-life/)
- [Let It shine](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/let-it-shine/)
- [Infinity and Beyond](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/infinity-and-beyond/)
- [Launch Pad](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/launch-pad/)
- [Rock Star](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/rock-star/)
- [How to Achieve Balance & Ease](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/how-to-achieve-balance-ease/)
- [On The Brink](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/on-the-brink/)
- [How to make your front entrance look more expensive than it is](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/how-to-make-your-front-entrance-look-more-expensive-than-it-is/)
- [Secret Gardens Book by Matthew Cantwell](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/secret-gardens-book-by-matthew-cantwell-2/)
- [Secret Gardens Book by Matthew Cantwell](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/secret-gardens-book-by-matthew-cantwell/)
- [Secret Gardens Book](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/secret-gardens-book/)
- [Harbour Life](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/harbour-life/)
- [Going Back to Front](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/going-back-to-front/)
- [Deck it Out](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/deck-it-out/)
- [Leafing Home](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/leafing-home/)
- [Point of View](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/point-of-view/)
- [By My Side](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/media/by-my-side/)

## Projects
- [Whispering fig](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/whispering-fig/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sequence-02.mp4
- [Taylors Bay](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/taylors-bay/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Hinchliff-Video.mp4
- [Bracken](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/bracken/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Video1.mp4 "The surrounding canopy of Spotted Gums provides a dramatic change in mood between sunrise and sunset as the light level shifts." Matt Cantwell Creative Director https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MaluaBay.mp4
- [Cove House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/cove-house/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Cove_House_001.mp4
- [Stone House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/stone-house/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/StoneHouse-1.mp4
- [Maluhia](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/avalon-getaway/): “This is a garden to explore, with vast swathes of tropical planting that draw you deeper and deeper into the upper reaches of the site where the atmosphere becomes jungle like.” Mark Design Consultant https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Getaway4.mp4
- [Courland House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/courland-house/): “Designing our garden was about connection with family, friends and ourselves. A place to entertain, retreat and relax.” Matthew Owner & Creative Director https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/CourlandHouse_New2.mp4 “Every room in the house connects to a garden, with private courtyards off each bedroom providing a green outlook, connection to the outdoors, and an abundance of natural light.” Rochelle Owner
- [Vue De La Cote](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/vue-de-la-cote/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Vue-Video.mp4
- [Paperbark](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/paperbark/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Garden.mp4
- [Ginahgulla](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/ginahgulla/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Water.mp4
- [Kulgoa Road](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/kulgoa-road/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/KULGOA-2.mp4
- [Villa Rosa](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/one-of-a-kind/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/one-of-kind-chickens.mp4
- [Parsley Bay](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/parsley-bay/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ParsleyBay.mp4
- [Kangaloon House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/east-kangaloon/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Video1.mp4
- [Park Villa](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/park-villa/): “The plantings really are a delight, especially the cloud-pruned junipers and glossy green tractor seat plant.” Julie Owner https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Park-Villa.mp4
- [Coastal Life](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/coastal-life/): ‘Early morning, middle of the day, dusk or night. They’re all magical times in this garden.’ Client Coastal Life https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Coastal-Life_SM.mp4
- [Crane Lodge](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/crane-lodge/): "I wanted Crane Lodge guests to feel like they were being nurtured by nature, so as part of that I wanted to create a forest bathing experience that led from the bottom of the site up to the top, with specific zones facilitating the connection to nature." Kim Owner “…it’s the most challenging sites that deliver the most interesting outcomes.” Matthew Creative Director https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Crane-Lodge_SM1.mp4 “It’s wonderful to be able to share its beauty with our guests and know it will be enjoyed for generations to come." Kim Owner
- [Skyline](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/skyline/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Skyline3.mp4
- [Old Meets New](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/old-meets-new/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SG-VIEW-ST-video.mp4
- [Light & Shade](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/light-shade/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Light-and-Shade_SM1.mp4
- [Dizzy Heights](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/dizzy-heights/): https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/dizzy-heights.mp4
- [Mirror House](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/mirror-house/): “The seamless visual extension of our indoor living space to our garden space is the huge strength of our garden’s design. It brings us endless pleasure & spaciousness.” Linda Owner “The concrete, slatted batons , textural pebbles & planting, & reflective pool have a considered calm that is joyfully interrupted when the pleached bougainvilleas erupt into bloom." Linda Owner https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mirror_house_2.mp4 "Their aged, textural trunks against the dark wall are perhaps my favourite element of the garden, accompanying you along the path to the door.” Linda Owner
- [Calabash Bay Lodge](https://www.secretgardens.com.au/landscape-design-ideas/calabash-bay-lodge/): "The aim was to create a harmonious landscape design that seamlessly blends the home's modern enhancements with the natural beauty of Calabash Bay." Nicholas Tuttle Senior Landscape Architect https://www.secretgardens.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Calabash-01.mp4