Bakunor team working on a Sydney garden project

About Bakunor Landscape Design

Our Story

Bakunor Landscape Design was founded in Sydney with a clear vision: to create outdoor spaces that harmonise natural beauty with the practical demands of modern Australian living. What began as a small design consultancy operating from a shared studio in Darlinghurst has evolved into a fully integrated landscape studio employing eighteen skilled professionals across design, construction, horticulture, and project management disciplines. Our founder, James Harrington, brought together years of experience working with leading architecture firms and boutique garden studios before establishing Bakunor as an independent practice focused exclusively on landscape design and implementation. The name Bakunor reflects our philosophy of balance — between built and natural elements, between client aspirations and environmental responsibility, and between immediate visual impact and long-term garden health. Over the years, we have navigated changing climate conditions, evolving council regulations, and shifting client preferences while maintaining our core commitment to quality, transparency, and sustainable practice. Today, from our headquarters at 531 Kent St in Sydney's CBD, we manage projects ranging from intimate courtyard renovations to large-scale commercial landscape installations for office complexes, retail precincts, and residential developments. Our portfolio demonstrates versatility across design styles — from native bush gardens and coastal-tolerant plantings to formal European-inspired layouts and contemporary minimalist compositions featuring clean lines, structural planting, and integrated lighting. Each project begins with listening: understanding how you use your outdoor space, what atmosphere you wish to create, and what constraints — budgetary, temporal, or site-specific — we must work within. This client-centred approach has earned us a loyal following across Sydney, with a significant proportion of our new enquiries arriving through referrals from satisfied homeowners who have experienced the Bakunor difference firsthand. As we move through 2026, we remain dedicated to refining our craft, embracing new technologies in design visualisation and irrigation management, and contributing positively to the urban greening of Sydney through thoughtful, well-executed landscape projects.

Bakunor landscape design team in Sydney Bakunor design workshop and planning session

Our studio culture emphasises continuous learning and collaboration. Weekly team meetings bring designers and construction crews together to review active projects, share insights from recent site work, and discuss emerging trends in horticulture and hardscape materials. We invest in professional development for all staff members, supporting attendance at industry conferences, certification programmes, and workshops on topics ranging from bushfire-resistant planting to advanced CAD rendering techniques. This investment ensures that Bakunor clients benefit from current knowledge and best practices at every stage of their project. We also maintain an internal library of reference materials including plant databases specific to Sydney's climate zones, sample boards of paving and timber finishes, and case studies documenting lessons learned from previous commissions. Transparency is another cornerstone of our operation — clients receive itemised quotations, progress photographs during construction phases, and comprehensive handover documentation including plant care schedules, irrigation programming instructions, and warranty information. We believe that informed clients make better long-term stewards of their gardens, and we take pride in equipping you with the knowledge needed to enjoy and maintain your outdoor investment for years to come. Our commitment extends beyond project completion through optional maintenance programmes and seasonal check-ins that help your garden reach its full potential as plants mature and seasons change across the Sydney calendar.

Our Mission & Values

At the heart of Bakunor Landscape Design lies a set of guiding principles that inform every decision we make — from the plants we specify to the way we communicate with clients and manage our construction sites. These values are not aspirational statements displayed on a wall but active commitments reflected in our daily operations, hiring practices, supplier relationships, and community engagement. In 2026, as environmental concerns and urban density challenges continue to shape the landscape industry, our mission remains focused on creating gardens that serve both people and the planet. We strive to leave every site better than we found it — improving soil health, increasing biodiversity, managing stormwater responsibly, and reducing reliance on potable water through intelligent design. Our team evaluates each project through the lens of long-term sustainability, asking not only how a garden will look upon completion but how it will perform through Sydney's hot summers, wet winters, and everything in between. The horizontal values below represent the pillars upon which our company was built and upon which we continue to grow, guiding our interactions with clients, suppliers, and the broader community we serve from our Kent Street studio. These principles are reviewed annually by our leadership team to ensure they remain relevant and actionable in a changing industry landscape. Every team member receives an onboarding document outlining these values and is encouraged to uphold them in every client interaction.

Design Excellence

Every garden we create must meet rigorous standards of aesthetic composition, functional layout, and horticultural appropriateness for its specific Sydney location.

Environmental Stewardship

We prioritise sustainable materials, native and adaptive plant species, and water-efficient systems to minimise ecological footprint across all projects.

Integrity & Transparency

Honest communication, fair pricing, and clear documentation build trust with our clients and define our reputation in the marketplace.

Community Connection

As a Sydney-based business, we support local nurseries, employ local tradespeople, and contribute to the greening of our shared urban environment.

Continuous Improvement

We embrace new techniques, technologies, and knowledge to deliver ever-better outcomes for our clients and the landscapes we steward.

Our Journey Through the Years

The history of Bakunor Landscape Design is marked by steady growth, meaningful milestones, and an expanding portfolio of gardens that have transformed properties across Sydney. From our modest beginnings to our current position as a respected full-service landscape studio, each year has brought new challenges, learning opportunities, and achievements that have shaped who we are today. This vertical timeline chronicles the key moments in our company's development — the projects that defined our capabilities, the partnerships that strengthened our operations, and the decisions that aligned our practice with the evolving needs of Sydney property owners. We share this history not as a boast but as context for the experience and stability you can expect when entrusting your outdoor space to the Bakunor team in 2026 and beyond. Each milestone represents real work completed for real clients — gardens that continue to thrive, relationships that have endured, and lessons that inform how we approach every new commission. We remain grateful to the Sydney community for the trust placed in us over the years and look forward to writing the next chapters of our story together with clients who share our passion for exceptional outdoor living spaces. We document each milestone in our internal archive and draw on this history when advising clients on similar project types and site conditions across Sydney. This institutional memory is one of our most valuable assets when advising new clients on realistic timelines and budget expectations.

2014

James Harrington establishes Bakunor Landscape Design in Darlinghurst, Sydney, focusing initially on residential garden design consultations and small-scale planting projects for inner-city properties.

2016

The company expands to include an in-house construction team, enabling Bakunor to deliver complete design-and-build services and reducing reliance on external contractors for hardscape works.

2018

Bakunor relocates to a larger studio at 531 Kent St in the Sydney CBD, accommodating growing staff numbers and establishing a dedicated client presentation space for design reviews.

2020

Launch of the garden maintenance division provides existing clients with ongoing care programmes, improving plant establishment rates and extending the life of completed landscape investments.

2022

Bakunor completes its 300th residential project and secures its first major commercial contract — a rooftop garden installation for a corporate office building in North Sydney.

2024

Introduction of 3D design visualisation as a standard offering allows clients to experience proposed gardens virtually before construction begins, improving design approval rates and client confidence.

2026

Today, Bakunor operates with eighteen team members, serves the entire Sydney metropolitan area, and continues to refine its sustainable design practices in response to climate adaptation priorities.