Good design is only part of the success equation. Once the plants are installed and the turf laid, the flourishing garden must be nurtured if it is to thrive. This property in the Melbourne suburb of Camberwell, expertly maintained by Cameron Hainsworth and the ABCAM HORTICULTURE team, is a case in point.
“We were initially approached by the owners of the home while maintaining another beautiful property located in the same street. They had concerns their garden wasn’t performing strongly and weren’t sure why so they wanted us to remedy the situation,” says Cameron.
Thanks to the team’s tender ministrations, this is now a flourishing garden that fulfills its original design intent. There are the large hedging plants, such as Ficus hillii ‘Flash’ (Hill’s weeping fig) and Magnolia grandiflora ‘Teddy Bear’ (a small magnolia), that afford much needed privacy while smaller hedging plants, including Rhaphiolepis indica ‘Snow Maiden’ (Indian hawthorn) and Murraya paniculata (mock orange), confidently define each garden zone.
“In the narrow spaces with no room for large garden beds, Ficus pumila (climbing fig) is doing a fantastic job of covering what would otherwise be plain fences and brick walls,” says Cameron. “Then we have the little showstoppers, such as clipped Buxus sempervirens (box) and Syzygium (lilly pilly) dotted around the property — just enough to make you pause and appreciate them.
“Our initial challenge was to get the plants to perform as they should. Most of the garden beds were nutrient-deficient so we implemented a fertilisation plan to raise the nutrition levels within the plants and increase microbial activity in the soil. We then mulched all the gardens with organic compost to lock-in any moisture and help kick-start the garden’s return to health.”
The team also installed a Techline drip irrigation system to make sure the water gets to where it’s needed most. The system has a smart controller that’s hooked up to the local weather station, ensuring it delivers the right amount of water, or none at all, according to the prevailing conditions.
“Working on this garden, especially knowing the condition it was in when we took over compared to where it is today, has been a privilege. It has also shown that you can have the best designed and built garden, but if you don’t have quality maintenance and expert care to shape the garden as it matures, those drawings on the original landscape plan can become an unrealised dream,” says Cameron.
In the 2022 Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers Industry Awards, ABCAM won the coveted Nic Van Diemen award. The judges, who commended Cameron for being “a passionate and motivated leader of his team”, said of the garden: “Though the scale of their entered project was small, the quality of workmanship, Occupational Health and Safety procedures, and attention to detail was exceptional. Cameron’s knowledge of plant health and use of fertilisers and soil additives results in an exceptionally well-maintained garden highlighted by a pruned magnolia hedge and, quite literally, not a blade of grass out of place.”
For more information,
ABCAM Horticulture
