ROOFTOPS + BALCONIES
Jasper Green plans private and shared rooftops, apartment terraces, balconies and podium gardens across Sydney, from the Inner West to the city fringe and the North Shore. Off the ground, a garden runs on different rules: everything grows in pots or planters, the slab sets the weight limit, the wind is stronger and the owners corporation usually has a say. We plan around those limits first, so the garden can be approved, installed and kept alive.
Recent projects
Asquith
(Completed 2026)
A bare, east-facing apartment terrace with only morning sun, planted with tropical foliage that copes with low light so it can be enjoyed from inside all year.
Who this service is for
This service is for apartment owners whose balcony, terrace or private rooftop is bare, exposed or barely used. Some want greenery they can see from the living room; others want a place to eat, read or have friends over, and to feel less overlooked by the apartments next door. Small balconies are welcome: a few well-chosen pots, placed with the wind and light in mind, can change how a space is used.
We also work with owners corporations and strata committees on shared rooftops and podium gardens. These need planting that copes on a maintenance contract, spaces that work for many residents at once, and plans clear enough for a committee to approve. For landscape plans on a new development, see New Builds + Developments. If your outdoor space is at ground level, see Courtyards or Residential Landscapes.
Rooftop and balcony issues we regularly resolve
Off the ground, what decides whether a garden lasts is mostly hidden: loads, drainage, heat and safety. We resolve these on every project, and structural and waterproofing sign-off stays with the engineer and certifier.
Weight and structure
Soil is usually the heaviest thing on a rooftop. Saturated garden soil weighs roughly 1.6 to 2 tonnes per cubic metre; lightweight rooftop mixes about 1 to 1.2 tonnes. A residential balcony is typically designed for an imposed load of about 2 kPa, or 200 kg per square metre, and that has to cover people and furniture as well. A 600 mm deep planter of wet garden soil puts around 1,000 kg on every square metre it covers. So we specify lightweight mixes, put heavy planters only where the engineer confirms the capacity, and work with engineers on anything beyond freestanding pots.
Planters, soil depth and volume
Depth decides what will grow; volume decides how stable the root zone stays. A narrow planter heats up and dries out faster than a wide one of the same depth, so we size planters by both. As a starting point:
| Planting | Minimum soil depth |
| Lawn and groundcovers | 200–300 mm |
| Perennials, grasses and small shrubs | 300–500 mm |
| Large shrubs and hedging | 500–600 mm |
| Small trees | 800 mm or more |
The planter itself matters too. Fibreglass and powder-coated aluminium are light; concrete and GRC are heavy before any soil goes in; terracotta dries out quickly; and dark metal in full sun can overheat the roots unless it is lined.
Drainage and waterproofing
Water has to reach an outlet without sitting on the membrane or being trapped against it. The membrane is laid to falls towards the outlets following Australian Standards, with a protection board over it before anything goes on top. Built-in planters are layered: a drainage cell at the base, geotextile over it so fine soil doesn’t wash into the outlets, then the growing mix. Pots stand on feet. Outlets stay accessible for cleaning, there is an overflow route if one blocks, and irrigation drains to an outlet, never over the edge. Nothing is fixed through the membrane.
Reflected heat, furniture and materials
Glass balustrades and neighbouring windows reflect heat onto plants, often in the afternoon, and pale paving does the same from below, so leaves scorch and pots dry out far faster than at ground level. Furniture brings its own loads: a stone table or a large pot concentrates weight on a small area, and a filled spa can weigh around 2 tonnes or more. Light chairs, cushions and umbrellas are the first things to move in a strong southerly. Underfoot, dark stone and composite decking get hot in summer, and wet external flooring needs a suitable slip rating.
Balustrades and climbable elements
Where a floor is more than 4 m above the ground below, the National Construction Code limits footholds in the lower part of a balustrade, so a child can’t climb over it. A planter, bench or pot pushed against the barrier creates exactly that foothold. We keep anything climbable clear of that zone or, where a planter has to sit at the edge, raise the barrier above it. Everything is documented on the plans so the builder and certifier can see them.
How a rooftop or balcony project runs
- Discovery Call (free, 30 minutes). Tell us about the space, how you’d like to use it and any building rules you already know about. We follow up with a Site Diagnostic proposal by email.
- Site Diagnostic. About an hour at the site looking at exposure, light, drainage, access through the building and the by-laws that apply. Our written report and the recommended way forward arrive 10 to 14 days later. More on the Site Diagnostic page .
- Scope of Works. What you’ll receive and what it costs, fixed and agreed up front.
- Reverse Brief. Your goals and limits, written down so you can confirm we’ve understood them.
- Concept. Where the pots, planters and furniture go, and the direction for the planting.
- Working plans and planting plan. A pot and planter schedule, plant list and watering notes, clear enough for you or a landscaper to install, and to send to your owners corporation with an approval request.
- Construction support (optional). Help on site or by phone while the garden goes in, whether you install it yourself or bring in a landscaper.
Our process page explains each stage.
Fees
Rooftop, terrace and balcony projects start from $1,500. There’s no charge for the Discovery Call, and a Site Diagnostic comes first on every project. When we know what the space and the building allow, we set a fixed fee for the plans in the Scope of Works, paid in stages. Larger spaces, built-in planters and working with an engineer or the owners corporation are what usually add complexity and cost. Our guide to landscape design costs in Sydney covers the topic in more detail.
Where we work
We work across the Sydney area. Apartment terraces and balconies are concentrated but not limited to the Inner West and around the city fringe, in Glebe, Newtown, Rozelle, Balmain, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Potts Point and Pyrmont.
Who you’ll work with
Damian Norton founded Jasper Green on the view that good outcomes start with understanding people, places and the problems that connect them.
With a degree in design and a postgraduate certificate in garden design, he brings decades of experience in strategy and problem-solving to landscape work, based around careful investigation of each site and client needs.
Damian leads every Jasper Green project, from the first call to construction support, and brings in arborists, engineers and other specialists when a project or site needs them.
Frequently asked Rooftop + Balcony questions
Do I need strata approval?
Often, yes. Balcony floors, balustrades and the waterproofing beneath them are usually common property, so anything fixed in place, such as built-in planters, screens, paving or a new tap, generally needs owners corporation approval. Freestanding pots often don’t, but by-laws can still limit their size, weight or what is visible from the street. The Site Diagnostic checks what applies to your building.
What plants survive wind and full sun on a rooftop?
Plants that already cope with exposure on the coast: tough, small-leaved shrubs and strappy grasses such as westringia and lomandra, and Mediterranean plants such as olives and rosemary. Succulent and other drought tolerant-plants also do well in these conditions. They need deeper pots than you’d expect, because shallow soil dries out fast in a hot and windy site. We group them so the toughest plants shelter the rest, creating a microclimate, and keep tall plants in heavy, wide-based pots so they can’t be blown over.
Can I have a garden on a shady balcony?
Yes. A balcony with little direct sun suits plants from the forest floor, which grow in filtered light naturally. The trade-off is fewer flowers, but the planting stays green, lush and vibrant all year round.
How do I water pots when I’m away?
A drip system on a timer, run from an outdoor tap, waters every pot without you. Where there is no tap, self-watering pots with a reservoir can go a week or more between top-ups. Either way, the water has to drain to an outlet, not drip onto the balcony below, and a new tap may need strata approval.
Can we install it ourselves?
Yes, for freestanding planters and pots this is easily achievable. The working plans and planting plan list every pot, plant and quantity so you can buy and set them out yourself. Anything that touches the waterproofing or the structure, such as built-in planters or new plumbing, should be done by a qualified tradesperson.
How can we get privacy from neighbouring buildings?
Plant height in large pots is usually the simplest answer: palms or clipped shrubs placed where the overlooking is worst. Fixed screens work too, but they often need strata approval and add to the wind load, so we check both before suggesting them.
Should we use pots or built-in planters?
Pots are flexible: they can be moved, rearranged or taken with you, and usually need no approval. Built-in planters hold more soil and look more permanent, but they concentrate weight, need careful waterproofing and almost always need strata approval. Many terraces end up with a mix, with planters where the structure allows and pots elsewhere.
Start with a conversation
If the front of your house doesn’t do it justice, a free 30-minute Discovery Call is the place to start.
