Creating a Rooftop Green Space with Sir Grange
By Luke Blanch, Owner of Transition Landscaping
I completed my apprenticeship and Certificate III in Landscape Construction 15 years ago on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, working on high-end architectural projects, before starting my own business.
Transition Landscaping is a small structural landscaping company located in Jervis Bay on the South Coast of NSW. Our full-time team consists of two structural landscapers and a carpenter. We also work with an experienced network of highly skilled sub-contractors.
In the early days of Transition Landscaping, we travelled extensively between Sydney and Batemans Bay for work. These days, most of our projects are local, primarily between Huskisson and Hyams Beach. We offer high-quality soft and hard landscaping, with a focus on craftmanship and attention to detail.
Recently we completed landscaping for a project built by Tim Clout Building, commencing in February 2023 and completed in May 2025. It stands as one of the largest projects Transition Landscaping has undertaken, with our crew on site almost continuously for nine months.
Every aspect of the project required close attention to detail, and nothing was overlooked. Despite several sleepless nights, full credit goes to Tim and his team for delivering an almost flawless operation. Their projects are consistently well organised and run smoothly.
While the original plan provided a strong foundation, as is often the case in landscaping, the project evolved as construction progressed. Our client brought a clear vision to the project, with a background in design and floristry. This was a rewarding experience working closely together creatively to achieve the desired outcome.
The eastern boundary of the property borders a bush reserve, and the home was designed so that all major living areas overlook this aspect. The cabana sits directly in line with the kitchen, living, and dining areas, with its roof at approximately the same level as the internal floor and balcony. Early in the project, the decision was made to transform the cabana roof into a green space.
Cabana Rooftop Grass Installation
Initial concepts included large boulders surrounded by crushed river pebbles, with clumped areas of Sir Grange Zoysia turf. Transition Landscaping regularly use Sir Grange in this way to soften gravel pathways and complement stepping stones. Its soft, wavy growth habit and low maintenance requirements make it ideal for this application.
Ultimately, the decision was made to simplify the design and cover the entire cabana roof with Sir Grange. The intention was to soften the appearance of the concrete roof rather than make it a feature. Left largely to establish naturally, the green tones of the Sir Grange blend seamlessly with the surrounding bushland backdrop.
We sourced Sir Grange through local supplier Turfco. We have collaborated on numerous projects in recent years with Turfco and they have always supplied the highest quality turf.
The cabana roof is constructed from 250mm think reinforced concrete, graded to the corners with stormwater outlets to manage runoff. Structurally, it was more than capable of supporting a rooftop garden.
We engaged Southern Fab who specialises in Aluminium installations to construct a powder-coated aluminium edge system, bolted to the perimeter of the roof, allowing us to achieve a consistent finished level for the soil profile. The dark grey colour was selected to match the handrails, windows and other architectural elements.
The concrete roof was first waterproofed, then covered with a full layer of geotextile fabric. A 30mm Atlantis drainage cell system was installed across the entire surface, followed by another layer of geotextile fabric. A sandy loam turf underlay mix from Terara Sands was then installed to an average depth of 150mm.
Subsoil drip irrigation was installed at 350mm spacings to irrigate the Sir Grange, chosen specifically to avoid overspray. For future projects of this nature, we would also consider incorporating a pop-up spray system to better manage extreme heat conditions. The Sir Grange turf was then installed like any other turf installation.
Regular watering was maintained until the turf established strong root growth. During establishment, we experienced some drying at the edges, due to a combination of dark edging, sandy soil and shallow soil depth. Post-establishment, this has been minimal, occurring only during the hottest summer days.
Twelve months on, the rooftop Sir Grange has performed exceptionally well. It has largely been left to establish naturally, with minimal maintenance required. Ongoing care has primarily involved clearing leaf litter that has settled on top of the grass after strong winds. The turf has been mown twice now to encourage dense growth, and a fertiliser program using Lawn Solutions Pro Plus Fertiliser has been implemented to support the fine leaf structure.
The performance of Sir Grange in this setting has been outstanding, proving its versatility beyond traditional applications. It’s a finish that not only looks the part but will continue to deliver over time.
