BEST ON THE GROUND

These winning entries at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show are filled with ideas for your outdoor space

I SEE WILD

“It’s about stepping straight out your back door and into nature,” says Phillip Withers of his team’s winning garden, I See Wild. More than 1800 plants were combined in a paean to wild beauty, with large natives representing the ‘borrowed landscape’, or natural bush, combining with plants designed to activate the garden, including flowers to attract birds and bees, and fruit trees and herbs for the kitchen. A focus on sustainability meant basalt rocks from Bamstone (bamstone.com.au) destined to be ground up became the dry stone wall garden edging, and large rocks were pulled into duty as seating. Wandering gravel paths lead to a central gathering area, complete with fire pit and painted timber ‘Stumpy’ seats by local collaborators Pop and Scott (popandscott.com).

Best in Show and Gold Show Garden award winner. Design by Phillip Withers Landscape Design (phillipwithers.com); construction by Avoca Landscape Construction (avocalc.com)

METROPOLIS

Designer Brent Reid’s Melbourne roots – he’s been landscaping in the city for 20 years – meant he was perfectly placed to design an urban garden to a brief from Pavers Plus (paversplus.com.au). Inspired by the CBD, six tall planter boxes echo high-rise buildings with a grid of narrow ‘laneway’ spaces between them. To represent the cultural gems found in Melbourne’s laneways, Brent contacted local street artist Mike Makatron (makatron.com) and commissioned his iconic work, Richmond Rhino, to be mosaicked using pool tiles. The planters and paths are constructed from three difffferent cuts of bluestone pavers, as well as Tonk textured concrete cladding. “Our industry’s vision is for 20 per cent more green life in the city by 2020 and we wanted to show that by planting in alleyways and on rooftops, this is realistic,” says Brent.

Silver Show Garden award winner. Design by Candeo Design (candeodesign.com.au); construction by Block Constructions (blockconstructions.com.au); and landscape construction by Semken Landscaping (semken.com.au).

BACK TO BABYLON

Nebuchadnezzar II’s famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon with their tiered levels and layers of greenery were the inspiration for Tract’s peaceful space, complete with a stepped water feature and a central pergola topped with trailing plants including star jasmine, hoya and ivy. A desire for simplicity led the team to the silvery grey Moroccan limestone used for both paving and walls, its solidity a contrast with the mass of lush and verdant foliage with white flowers dotted throughout. “We clad the inside of the water feature in black granite, to ensure the water was reflective – it provides a beautiful mirror effect and an almost musical sound,” says landscape architect Nigel Parker.

Silver Show Garden and Construction awards winner. Design by Tract (tract.com.au); construction by PTA Landscapes (ptalandscapes.com.au); stone and furniture supply from Eco Outdoor (ecooutdoor.com.au).