At Sigma Planters we focus mostly on landscape designs using large fibreglass planters. The design principles, however are the same and they can be the finishing touch that takes a design from good to unforgettable. In this article, we highlight 10 landscape designers leading the way in 2025.

Australia’s landscape design has evolved significantly over the last 10 years. Once focused mainly on aesthetics, the past decade has seen a strong shift toward sustainability and biodiversity. From private gardens to large civic landscapes, these designers are shaping how Australians connect with nature in 2025. It has been 10 years since we did our original article which you can view here.

Today’s designers aim and creates spaces that are not only beautiful but also healthier, more resilient, and deeply connected to their environments.

1. Paul Bangay

Paul Bangay is perhaps the most recognised garden designer in Australia, with a career spanning more than three decades. Trained in horticulture at Burnley College in Melbourne, he quickly established a reputation for highly ordered, elegant gardens that drew on classical European principles while adapting to the Australian climate. Bangay has authored numerous books on garden design, which have become staples for both professionals and enthusiasts, cementing his role as a trusted voice in the industry.

Bangay’s work is instantly identifiable for its timeless elegance, symmetry, and structure. Known for grand residential projects and his own estate, Stonefields in Victoria, he continues to set the standard for refined outdoor living.

Notable Works: Stonefields, multiple luxury gardens across Victoria and Sydney.

Bangay’s gardens are proof that classic design principles remain powerful in a contemporary context, making him the benchmark for elegance in Australian landscapes.

2. Phillip Johnson

Phillip Johnson has become an international ambassador for sustainable landscape design. Based in Victoria, his career took a defining turn in 2013 when his Australian billabong-inspired garden won Best in Show at the Chelsea Flower Show—the first Australian ever to do so. Trained as a horticulturalist and designer, Johnson has always focused on the relationship between people, water, and biodiversity, developing a philosophy that landscapes must regenerate as much as they beautify.

Johnson has become a global ambassador for sustainable landscape design, influencing how designers think about water, habitat, and resilience. His firm is best known for creating natural swimming pools, wetland-inspired backyards, and habitat-rich gardens.

Notable Works: Chelsea Flower Show Billabong Garden, natural swimming pools, eco-habitats across Australia.

Johnson proves that sustainability can be breathtakingly beautiful, inspiring homeowners and councils alike to adopt greener approaches.

3. Jamie Durie

Jamie Durie began his career as a television personality on the hit show Backyard Blitz in the early 2000s, quickly becoming a household name in Australia. However, behind the TV fame was a genuine passion for horticulture and outdoor living. After training in horticulture and establishing Durie Design, his career expanded internationally, with projects across Asia, the United States, and the Middle East. He has authored more than a dozen books and is recognised as one of the most public advocates for outdoor lifestyle design.

Durie’s work blends luxury with accessibility. He has designed high-end resorts, wellness retreats, and residential gardens, all with a strong focus on sustainability and health.

Notable Works: Resort landscapes in Asia, wellness-inspired residential gardens, community outdoor projects.

Durie continues to inspire Australians to see gardens as essential parts of life, seamlessly blending beauty, lifestyle, and ecology.

4. Jim Fogarty

Jim Fogarty is one of Australia’s most internationally recognised landscape designers, with a career built on award-winning projects and cultural collaborations. Trained as a horticulturalist, Fogarty moved into design early in his career and became known for his refined, story-driven approach. His success on the global stage includes multiple medals at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show in London, as well as awards in Singapore and Melbourne. These accolades gave him a reputation as both an ambassador for Australian design and a creative force in his own right.

Fogarty’s projects are admired for their elegance and depth, often celebrating identity and culture. He is also a frequent writer and commentator, helping bring landscape design into the public conversation.

Notable Works: Chelsea Flower Show gardens, cultural projects in China and Korea, Melbourne International Garden Show projects.

Fogarty continues to prove that storytelling belongs at the heart of great landscapes, connecting people to both nature and culture.

5. William Dangar (Dangar Barin Smith)

William Dangar has built one of Australia’s most respected design practices through his studio Dangar Barin Smith. Originally trained in horticulture and construction, Dangar quickly developed a strong reputation for luxury landscapes that sit seamlessly alongside contemporary architecture. His firm is particularly well known in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and other high-end coastal regions, where projects must balance resilience to harsh conditions with uncompromising style.

Dangar’s landscapes often sit alongside architectural masterpieces, blending lush planting with clean lines and modern forms. His style is especially admired in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where his projects combine beauty with resilience in challenging coastal conditions.

Notable Works: Coastal estates in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, luxury residences across New South Wales.

Dangar has helped define the look of modern luxury landscapes in Australia, turning outdoor living into a seamless extension of the home.

6. Kirsten Bauer (Aspect Studios)

Kirsten Bauer is Director of Aspect Studios and one of the most influential leaders in Australian public landscape design. With formal training in landscape architecture and a strong academic background, Bauer balances her work in practice with teaching and advocacy. She is a respected lecturer and mentor, helping to shape both the profession and the next generation of designers.

Her work focuses on large-scale public and civic projects, reimagining urban landscapes for resilience and livability. Bauer’s ability to lead both design studios and policy conversations makes her a pivotal figure in contemporary landscape architecture.

Notable Works: Prahran Square, urban renewal and civic green spaces across Melbourne.

Bauer champions landscapes that enrich public life while embedding ecology and climate resilience at the core of design.

7. Emergent Studios

Based in Melbourne, Emergent Studios represents the new generation of Australian landscape designers who are pushing boundaries with technology, ecology, and community-driven design. Their mission is to craft regenerative, socially enriched spaces that meet biodiversity and climate goals.

The studio is quickly gaining recognition for projects that are both forward-thinking and deeply grounded in place, often created in collaboration with First Nations communities and local residents.

Notable Works: Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence in Shepparton, narrm ngarrgu Rooftop Terrace at Queen Victoria Market.

Emergent Studios is pushing the boundaries of contemporary practice, proving that regenerative and community-driven design is the future of Australian landscapes.

8. Steve Taylor (Cos Design)

Steve Taylor is the founder of Cos Design, a Melbourne-based studio with a reputation for sleek, architectural outdoor spaces. Originally working in construction, Taylor developed a practical understanding of how outdoor spaces function, which he then refined with a strong design sensibility. His practice is now one of the most awarded in residential landscape design in Australia. His influence is especially strong in Melbourne, where his firm has helped set the standard for contemporary outdoor living.

His projects are known for bold geometry, sophisticated finishes, and highly curated planting palettes. He has won multiple awards for residential landscapes and is a trendsetter in modern Australian garden design.

Notable Works: Award-winning residential gardens across Melbourne’s inner and coastal suburbs.

Taylor has redefined the modern Australian backyard, proving outdoor spaces can be as polished and stylish as interiors.

9. Myles Baldwin

Trained as a horticulturalist, Myles Baldwin has become a leading designer of heritage and plant-driven landscapes. His career has focused on both the restoration of historic estates and the creation of richly layered gardens that celebrate seasonality and texture. Baldwin is particularly passionate about maintaining Australia’s garden heritage while adapting it to contemporary life, ensuring that historic properties remain relevant and alive. His work reminds us that the strength of Australian landscape design lies not only in innovation but also in a deep respect for its past.

Baldwin’s style is distinctive for its horticultural depth, with gardens that are living, evolving archives of history and plant diversity. He frequently collaborates with architects and estate owners to balance heritage with modern needs.

Notable Works: Heritage gardens at Swifts and Lyndhurst in Sydney.

Baldwin ensures Australia’s garden heritage is preserved and renewed, keeping history alive in a way that feels fresh and inspiring.

10. Fiona Brockhoff

ased on the Mornington Peninsula, Fiona Brockhoff is one of Australia’s most influential voices in contemporary landscape design. With an early background in fine arts and garden design, she established her own practice in the mid-1990s and quickly gained national recognition for her bold, innovative use of Australian native plants. At a time when ornamental exotics dominated, Brockhoff pushed back with a vision that embraced the textures, colours, and resilience of indigenous species. Her philosophy was grounded in practicality as much as beauty, shaped by the tough coastal conditions of her own property and projects.

Her work demonstrates how to create landscapes that are both practical and aesthetically rich in challenging conditions. By championing indigenous plants and hardy species, she has set new standards for sustainable, climate-responsive design.

Notable Works: Karkalla Garden, coastal landscapes across the Mornington Peninsula.

Brockhoff proves that gardens can be both resilient and breathtaking, setting the standard for sustainable coastal living.

Final Thoughts

From timeless estates to cutting-edge eco-gardens, these 10 designers represent the full spectrum of Australian landscape design in 2025. They show how outdoor spaces can be places of beauty, resilience, and connection — whether through classic elegance, sustainable planting, or regenerative design. By highlighting both established icons and emerging studios, it’s clear that the future of Australian landscapes is in good hands.

Did we miss someone? Share your favourite Australian landscape designer in the comments below.