Garden show offers a kaleidescope of designs featuring a more innovative approach to the use of materials and structure
Each year, the world-renowned Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) offers a snapshot of where outdoor design is heading. This year’s show embraced the theme “Kaleidoscope”, a reflection of shifting perspectives and differing interpretations. For ShapeScaper, MIFGS 2026 was an ideal opportunity to promote design diversity, featuring its products — edging, planters and structural elements — in 27 show gardens.
Kaleidoscope of designs
Some of the larger show gardens leaned into bold, architectural compositions with defined lines and structures. These spaces used contrast in materials and precise layouts to craft gardens that felt intentional and well resolved. The smaller boutique and emerging designer gardens explored softer, more layered approaches, with structure applied more subtly, guiding movement and carefully framing spaces.
In the gardens featuring ShapeScaper products, defined edging provided clarity where needed; curved forms and circular elements softened transitions; and raised planters added height variation.
Evolving outdoor spaces
ShapeScaper’s own garden, New Century, designed by Kate Coenen from Living Senses Group, explored the idea of evolving outdoor spaces, drawing on familiar design language and reinterpreting it through a more contemporary lens.
At its centre, a large dome structure anchored the space while a waffle-style feature wall, constructed from Redcor steel edging, divided the space and offered privacy. The repetition of form created rhythm, while the steel components added a grounded, architectural presence.
A rock water feature introduced a calming element, enhanced by indigenous plant species, flowing grasses, and materials such as granite and the warm-toned steel. Hanging pendants made of patinated steel edging added movement.
Achievable outcomes
A standout example of achievable design was Rustic Calm, designed as a balcony garden by Dan Foreman of Danscapes. Rustic Calm challenged the idea that structured landscaping and steel elements require large areas to really shine. It did this by showing how effectively they can be integrated into compact spaces.
The design mixed timber, natural stone and ShapeScaper Redcor steel with layered planting softening the built elements. The overall composition was simple but highly resolved, proving small gardens need not sacrifice materiality or structure.
Engaging with detail
One of the standout boutique gardens was Native Whispers, designed by Emily Rubira of Rubira by Design. A curated palette of native species created a space that felt immersive, grounded, and encouraged you to slow down and engage with the detail.
ShapeScaper’s steel edging played a key role in anchoring the design, with flowing lines providing structure beneath the planting. This showed how structure can support a garden without overwhelming it.
Feeling grounded
Another memorable garden was Suzy’s Sanctuary, designed by Jack Dalton from The Gordon. Inspired by the gardens of his childhood in the Northern Territory, the earthy palette grounded the design in natural tones and textures.
At its centre, a ShapeScaper Redcor steel ring framed a jacaranda tree, creating a unifying focal point. Rather than being about scale or complexity, it was about creating a space people could see themselves in.
Sense of wellbeing
Salara, designed by Rachael Saulle from Calibre Gardens, was built around the idea of slowing down. Winding paths and a soft, Mediterranean planting palette evoked a sense of ease and promoted wellbeing.
ShapeScaper elements were used subtly, with a steel ring framing the corner tree and curved edging guiding movement through the beautifully textured planting.
Celebration of materials
Material selection played a key role in this year’s show. Designers chose materials for appearance and performance over time. Steel, stone, and other long-life materials featured heavily, becoming part of the design language, expressed, celebrated, and integrated into the overall compositions.
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