Landscape design in New Farm and Teneriffe.

New Farm sits on a flat peninsula with the river wrapped around three sides, and its gardens are shaped by density more than terrain. Workers cottages sit shoulder to shoulder with art deco flats, renovated Queenslanders, and, along the Teneriffe waterfront, woolstores converted into apartments. Blocks are tight, land is precious, and gardens are measured in metres.

That suits us fine. Small gardens punish vague design and reward precision, and precision is what a design-only studio is for. Whether it's a cottage courtyard off Merthyr Road or a townhouse terrace in Teneriffe, the brief is usually the same: privacy, greenery, somewhere good to sit, and not a wasted square metre.

Gardens at density

The peninsula is one of the few genuinely level parts of inner Brisbane, which removes one problem (levels) and replaces it with another: neighbours. Courtyards are overlooked from second storeys and balconies, fences are shared on every side, and access is often a side path barely wide enough for a wheelbarrow.

So design starts at the boundary. Screening that gives real privacy without turning the courtyard into a lightless box; trees with polite roots and narrow canopies; materials that nod to the suburb's mix of timber cottage and brick warehouse. New Farm Park's figs and roses set a generous benchmark nearby, and even a small courtyard can carry some of that abundance.

Plunge pools and small-space craft

The plunge pool question comes up in almost every conversation about gardens this size, and the honest answer is: often yes, but the garden must be designed around it, not after it. On a tight block the pool sets the levels, drainage, fence lines, and how much soil is left for planting. And excavator access down a narrow side path changes how builders price the job. We resolve all of it at design stage.

The rest is small garden craft: built-in seats that hide storage, one strong tree instead of three timid ones, lighting that makes a six-metre courtyard feel deliberate after dark.

Styles that suit the peninsula

Lush subtropical planting works hard here: layered greens buy privacy, shade, and the sense of retreat that dense living needs. Our tropical garden design page shows how we use generous foliage with restraint rather than resort cliché.

Crisper, more architectural gardens suit the warehouse end of Teneriffe, where planting plays against brick and steel. And directly across the water (one ferry stop), the flat family blocks of Bulimba and Hawthorne run the same riverside logic at twice the scale. We design on both banks.

Where to start

Every project opens with a Design Discovery Consultation ($350, on-site). Small gardens often move quickly from there: concept design typically runs $2,500–$6,000, and for many courtyards a strong concept is enough for a good landscaper to build from.

Add a pool, structural walls, or anything a certifier will inspect, and detailed design earns its keep: builder-ready drawings mean the quotes you receive are all for the same garden.

Common questions

Ready to make every square metre count?

We're currently taking on new landscape design clients across Brisbane. Reach out for a personalised quote, whether you're a homeowner or a design professional.