Residential Build category winner, Landscapes of Distinction Awards 2025. Farm Cove, Auckland. By Top Garden Limited.

The client wanted a garden equally beautiful after sunset, so Top Garden built a Japanese-inspired landscape designed around light. Uplights and spike lights throw dramatic plant silhouettes onto a natural bamboo fence and the building facade, with bollard lights guiding the paths.

A cantilevered composite seat sits against a schist-clad wall, a spa deck in composite decking pairs with schist stepping stones in white chip, and a bamboo water feature adds a soothing note. On a tight, uneven site with limited access, a phased build and perforated subsoil drainage delivered a space that is immersive by day and mesmerising by night.

Why it matters

Every Registered Master Landscaper has earned the right to carry the mark, so the professional you hire is current, accountable, and backed by a national association that stands behind its work. Find a Registered Master Landscaper at masterlandscapers.org.nz.

Project credits

Member: Top Garden Limited. Landscapes of Distinction Awards 2025.