This stunning coastal garden was designed for a family with three children and four dogs. They wanted an outdoor space for entertaining, but more importantly, they wanted a garden that would merge seamlessly with its surrounds in the Mount Eliza Woodland area on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. When the clients approached garden designer Alison Watson of Outdoor Designs, they asked her to create a design that would pay homage to the area and cater to the family’s love of spending time outdoors relaxing or socialising.

“They sought a garden with a casual, timeless coastal feel. The front garden was to be welcoming, open to form a connection to the natural surroundings, and include a new driveway using the existing crossover,” says Alison.

“The clients also wanted an entertaining space that could cope with busy family living as well as special places to sit and gather as a family or with friends — spaces where peace, quiet and calm could be enjoyed. Plantings were to be low maintenance, unirrigated, and incorporate the owners’ favourite colour — pink.

“Additionally, the design was to make sense of the existing levels and retain them in an attractive manner while allowing for an easy flow around the property.”

Local natural stone and gravel was chosen to fill the gabion walls and surface the pathways and the Quiet Courtyard, a space created to establish a connection to the land and provide a sense of place. “The Quiet Courtyard, with its bold, sculptural feature Corten steel panelling and minimal planting, was designed to create a private and beautiful view from the clients’ bathroom and dining area. It’s a therapeutic space to be in and to view from inside,” explains Alison.

The alfresco area’s footprint was extended past the eaves of the home to allow for large gatherings next to the interior living areas. A large fire pit zone with built-in gabion bench seating sits opposite the alfresco area and connects to the pool area.

The planting palette mainly features Australian natives supplement by some Mediterranean species. “In the front garden, matching Brachychiton populneus x acerifolius ‘Bella Pink’ feature trees were placed on either side of the driveway,” says Alison. “These trees, when in flower, feature the clients’ favourite colour (pink) and put on a beautiful show from the street. Correa alba low hedging frames the bluestone and exposed aggregate front path. Swathes of Poa labillardieri ‘Eskdale’ and clipped Westringa fruticose ‘Wynabbie Gem’ contribute evergreen structure while interest is provided by swathes of seasonal flowering groundcovers.

“In the Quiet Courtyard, planting was selected to tolerate the gravel-garden conditions. With this in mind, we used Grevillea rosamarinifolia ‘Scarlet Sprite’ and Euphorbia characias subsp. Wulfenii together with several succulent varieties and a feature tree, Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei ‘Natchez’.”

Planting in the Pink Meadow (side garden) and White Meadow (back garden), was chosen to provide beautiful seasonal views. You will spy Gaura lindheimeri ‘Belleza Dark Pink’, Agastache ‘Sweet Lil’ and Chamelaucium x verticodia ‘Paddy’s Pink’ in the Pink Meadow and Gaura lindheimeri ‘White’ and Lagerstroemia indica ‘Natchez’ in the White Meadow.

The luxuriant garden won Gold in the 2020 AILDM National Landscape Design Awards’ Plantscape category. The judges commented on the “excellent presentation of plant choices for the woodland garden the client was seeking” and noted that “the Quiet Courtyard is particularly lovely and a pleasing contrast to the more densely planted areas”.

For more information, 

Outdoor Designs

The post A garden design to welcome and offer easy flow to the property appeared first on Completehome.

The coveted festival will unite plant lovers and flower fanatics from all ages with an enchanting collection of never-before-seen floral and landscape designs, educational talks from industry elites, hands-on workshops, and a catalogue of the latest and greatest gardening products.

The crowd favourite Show Gardens will headline the 2022 program with an extraordinary display of horticultural oases from some of the world’s best landscape designers. Over five days, visitors will be invited to vote for their favourite creation to win the acclaimed People’s Choice Award.

The Boutique Gardens will be a haven of inspiration for urban dwellers with a clever collection of 5m x 5m designs from the nation’s top architects, landscapers and students. The precinct will also host the inaugural Ryman Healthcare Balcony Garden Competition, celebrating the changing nature of the Australian backyard. Over in the Achievable Gardens, budding horticulturalists will showcase a series of approachable gardening solutions using quality materials. Previous graduates will also return to exhibit new works in the first-ever Emergent Gardens.

Transporting visitors to heirloom heaven, the Diggers Club Urban Farm will join forces with Melbourne Skyfarm to present a sustainable installation playing on the theme ‘What’s Old is New’. The concept will showcase heirloom vegetable and flower varieties grown in an ultra-efficient and productive urban farm set. As part of the design, the Digger’s will also reprise their signature pumpkin stack – the perfect backdrop for the ‘gram. The team will also host daily workshops, teaching guests how to sow seeds of their own.

Inside, the Royal Exhibition Building will be transformed into a floral paradise. Visitors will experience award-winning floral displays, a dedicated wedding showcase, floral fashions by RMIT students, floral-inspired High Tea and have the opportunity to purchase their own blooms at the Flowers Victoria Flower Market. Dressed in blossoming botanicals, the Main Stage will host free daily seminars and live demonstrations from an extensive line-up of floral artists, gardening experts and celebrity landscapers.

More than 200 of Australia’s best artists will exhibit their latest collections on the mezzanine level of the Royal Exhibition Building and throughout a selection of outdoor spaces as part of the revamped Arts and Sculpture Precinct. Meandering through each creative space, aesthetes will have the chance to enjoy live demonstrations by esteemed artists and even purchase original pieces to adorn their garden or home.

From 6pm through 9pm on Friday 1 April, Carlton Gardens will transform into a twinkling paradise for Gardens by Twilight. Accompanied by the dulcet tones of emerging Melbourne musicians, city goers can experience the Show under a whole new light. Sip on a glass of bubbles and enjoy an indulgent selection of gourmet bites from local culinary delights.

Truly a family friendly affair, the Victorian Schools Garden Program will offer daily interactive and multisensory experiences for little green thumbs. The new Horticulture Careers Hub will provide helpful advice for secondary students looking to join Australia’s thriving landscape and design industries, and parents can chat to qualified landscape builders, gardeners and designers at the Landscape Advisory Centre. The NGIV Precinct will also provide a suite of backyard inspiration, as a select group of emerging designers present their unique gardens.

Demonstrating the Show’s increased commitment to sustainability, the new Sustainability Space will play host to the festival’s sustainability partners, Bio Gro and Closed Loop. Helping to reduce the event’s environmental impact, organisers aim to divert more than 60% of waste from landfill in 2022.

“Over the past two years, many of us have turned to plants to breathe new life into our living spaces. Australia’s horticulture industry has shown incredible resilience and we are thrilled to welcome back a phenomenal line up of designers, artists, brands and businesses to Melbourne in March 2022. We look forward to uniting established and emerging talent with visitors of all ages,” said Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Event Director, Marcus Gale.

“The team at Scotts Osmocote is delighted to become the official presenting partner of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in 2022. With Australians spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic many people turned to gardening as a way to escape and connect with nature. We are excited to be able to engage with those people new to the garden category, as well as reconnect with the more experienced gardeners who have come to know and love the range of Scotts Osmocote products,” said Scotts Osmocote General Manager Asia Pacific, Andrew Martin.

Tickets are now on sale at melbflowershow.com.au

EVENT DETAILS:

Location: Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens

Wednesday 30th March: 9am – 5pm

Thursday 31st March: 9am – 5pm

Friday 1st April (Gardens by Twilight): 9am – 9pm

Saturday 2nd April: 9am – 5pm

Sunday 3rd April: 9am – 5pm

The post The Southern Hemisphere’s Largest Horticultural Event Returns to Melbourne appeared first on Completehome.

As the seasons change, different areas step into the spotlight, engaging the eye and drawing you outside.  “Summer is embodied by socialising, so we built a pergola with a high-pitched roof and furnished it with lounges and an outdoor kitchen,” says Rob Waddell, Principal Designer and Director, Waddell Landscape Design & Construction. “By relaxing in the shade, you can enjoy the hottest summer day surrounded by the sight and sounds of a pair of bubbling ponds. After all, what is summer without the perfect outdoor entertaining area?

“Autumn showcases the breathtaking maple trees cycling through their vivid array of colours. This design has a large feature maple in the foreground, as well as different deciduous eye-catchers planted along the back fence.

“As the temperature starts to cool, winter thrusts the sunken fire pit area into the spotlight. The perfect place for entertaining and sharing a drink with friends, this spot is warm and inviting, even in colder conditions.

“When spring arrives, this design displays an array of colour with Agastache, Penstemon, gardenias and hydrangeas all bursting into flower,” continues Rob. “The textures and height changes of the Miscanthus along with the camellia balls, creates structure and interest as well as softening the hard structures and balancing the feel of the Four Seasons garden.”

An ‘Autumn Blaze’ maple was installed at a mature height to help balance the scale of the garden — it does this by offsetting the height of the pergola. Ficus hillii hedges on each side are for privacy and a clean, green border. Lagerstroemia tuscarora was underplanted with Hydrangea ‘Sundae Fraise’ for some amazing colour along the bluestone pathway. Perennials and gardenias were chosen for lower-growing plant life in the foreground of the garden, ensuring the view would not be obstructed.

There is hidden lighting to place focus on the feature trees and also a strip light underneath the built-in bench seat in the fire pit area. Lighting helps create depth and also safety by highlighting level changes at night.

“Bluestone paving was used as a solid and reliable surface for the pathways, entertaining patio and fire pit area. This material helped to balance the overall feel of the garden and contrast the cypress used to line the ceiling of the steel-framed pergola and build the fire pit bench seat,” says Rob.

“The rear screen is of rough-sawn cypress battens. The battens provided a privacy screen that blended into the backdrop and almost disappeared among the plants.”

Of Four Seasons, which won a Silver Show Garden Award at the 2019 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, Rob says, “I designed it to be a functional garden that people could imagine in their own backyard. There was lawn for the kids and dogs to run around on, and a variety of usable spaces for families, of which the main entertaining space is the focal point.
“From the entry path, to the entertaining area, fire pit area and lawn — each element serves a purpose and contributes to the overall feel and function of the garden.”

For more information

Waddell Landscape Design & Construction

The post A Contemporary, Family-Friendly Garden Design for all Seasons appeared first on Completehome.

Dubbed Four Seasons, this award-winning garden is designed to be enjoyed all year round. As the seasons change, different areas step into the spotlight, engaging the eye and drawing you outside.  “Summer is embodied by socialising, so we built a pergola with a high-pitched roof and furnished it with lounges and an outdoor kitchen,” says Rob Waddell, Principal Designer and Director, Waddell Landscape Design & Construction. “By relaxing in the shade, you can enjoy the hottest summer day surrounded by the sight and sounds of a pair of bubbling ponds. After all, what is summer without the perfect outdoor entertaining area?

“Autumn showcases the breathtaking maple trees cycling through their vivid array of colours. This design has a large feature maple in the foreground, as well as different deciduous eye-catchers planted along the back fence.”

“As the temperature starts to cool, winter thrusts the sunken fire pit area into the spotlight. The perfect place for entertaining and sharing a drink with friends, this spot is warm and inviting, even in colder conditions.”

“When spring arrives, this design displays an array of colour with Agastache, Penstemon, gardenias and hydrangeas all bursting into flower,” continues Rob. “The textures and height changes of the Miscanthus along with the camellia balls, creates structure and interest as well as softening the hard structures and balancing the feel of the Four Seasons garden.”

An ‘Autumn Blaze’ maple was installed at a mature height to help balance the scale of the garden — it does this by offsetting the height of the pergola. Ficus hillii hedges on each side are for privacy and a clean, green border. Lagerstroemia tuscarora was underplanted with Hydrangea ‘Sundae Fraise’ for some amazing colour along the bluestone pathway. Perennials and gardenias were chosen for lower-growing plant life in the foreground of the garden, ensuring the view would not be obstructed.

There is hidden lighting to place focus on the feature trees and also a strip light underneath the built-in bench seat in the fire pit area. Lighting helps create depth and also safety by highlighting level changes at night.

“Bluestone paving was used as a solid and reliable surface for the pathways, entertaining patio and fire pit area. This material helped to balance the overall feel of the garden and contrast the cypress used to line the ceiling of the steel-framed pergola and build the fire pit bench seat,” says Rob.

“The rear screen is of rough-sawn cypress battens. The battens provided a privacy screen that blended into the backdrop and almost disappeared among the plants.”
Of Four Seasons, which won a Silver Show Garden Award at the 2019 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, Rob says, “I designed it to be a functional garden that people could imagine in their own backyard. There was lawn for the kids and dogs to run around on, and a variety of usable spaces for families, of which the main entertaining space is the focal point.

“From the entry path, to the entertaining area, fire pit area and lawn — each element serves a purpose and contributes to the overall feel and function of the garden.”

For more information

Waddell Landscape

The post A Garden Design For All Seasons appeared first on Completehome.