We are in love with design, and even more so with gardens. We stay with you from the first conversation through to completion.

We have a strict ethos to serve our client, first.

Clear, direct and open communication is essential to us.
The process to a garden’s completion is not a particularly short one; we will be in regular contact with each other over a number of months. We prioritise a personable, respectful working relationship throughout.

Our design ethos holds that a garden must complement the home. The garden is an extension of the architecture, and the house itself largely determines the garden’s character.

Firmly rooted in the European garden tradition, New Cottage Gardens pairs time-tested structure with contemporary vibrancy and artistry. Within this core approach, every garden is shaped by your tastes, the site, and by how you live in the space.

Timeframes vary with the scope of each garden.

We confirm bookings carefully so that every project receives the attention it deserves, and will give you a realistic timeframe once we understand what is required.

Design fees vary according to the unique parameters of each site. We provide a tailored quote after our initial conversation and on-site analysis.

All enquiries are welcome. You are encouraged to discuss pricing and budgets from the outset so we can be sure we are the right fit before any commitment is made.

Two rounds of revisions are included at the concept stage, before the master plan is prepared.

Changes after that point can be accommodated, provided that construction has not begun; such changes are quoted according to their scope.

New Cottage Gardens is not a landscaping company. Construction oversight is available as part of the design service. We coordinate your landscaper (we can select and liaise with them on your behalf) and any additional trades, with regular site visits to ensure the finished garden reflects the design intention.

New Cottage Gardens is based in the Illawarra, New South Wales. We work across the Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Greater Sydney, and Shoalhaven regions.

We are more than happy to accommodate places beyond this.

Garden designs for residents of NSW, ACT, and VIC are welcome.

Our principal designer has a deep working knowledge of the terrain and planting conditions of Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. For other states we are happy to discuss options with you.

Online Garden Diagnostic sessions can be booked directly.

Design can also be conducted online when you are comfortable sharing photographs and site details, guided by us throughout the process.

New Cottage Gardens is led by principal designer Liam Daly.

Liam’s background in conservation and land management, restoring vegetation along Melbourne’s waterways, and several years of boutique nursery work, including his own, formed the path toward garden design, and to a practice of his own. His horticultural grounding and design ethos sit behind every decision. Structural engineering, certification and licensed trades are handled by the qualified professionals we work alongside.

We would rather describe what we do than make overt comparisons, though it is fair to want to know before you engage us.

Your garden is yours. We listen first. We work closely with you at every stage, so the design is something you can read and understand rather than take on trust.

What you receive goes well beyond a typical plan. A full site analysis before a line is drawn, a planting package as a document in its own right, and an aftercare manual for the years that follow. Documentation of this depth is uncommon in garden design. It is what lets the garden be built exactly as intended, and what keeps it holding its shape years ahead.

We build on time-tested formal architecture and structure, then dress it in horticultural colour, texture and abundance. Not many gardens are made this way. It takes a real knowledge of plants, and that is where this practice began.

I enjoy almost every part of the process. Material selection for the hard landscape and garden elements is a particular pleasure. Planting design is the most exciting stage, though it demands a good deal of coffee and concentration. I also value the collaborative work with clients as the garden takes shape.

In the garden itself I most enjoy the quieter moments: browsing seed catalogues, choosing plants, gathering tools, harvesting tomatoes and cutting flowers for the house. These simple acts are the quiet satisfaction that all the earlier work makes possible.

Liam.