SPONSORED GARDENS AT MIFGS
01 May 2009
Four sponsored gardens formed part of the Outdoor Design & Living Zone at this year's Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS).
Four sponsored gardens formed part of the Outdoor Design & Living Zone at this year’s Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS).
Universal Magazines, publisher of Outdoor Design & Living, teamed up with the Landscape Industries Association of Victoria (LIAV) to create the Outdoor Design and Living Zone at MIFGS. The Outdoor Design and Living Zone featured four landscape gardens sponsored by Universal Magazines that were designed and constructed by LIAV members.
One of the four landscape gardens, An Urban Oasis, designed by Carey Cavanagh of Carey Cavanagh Landscape Design & Construction, was awarded Silver in the Show Garden category.
An Urban Oasis, Carey Cavanagh
Carey Cavanagh Landscape Design & Construction
www.careycavanagh.com.au
It is very important that spaces are used effectively while being an escape from our busy world — an urban oasis.
Form and function are very important elements in this garden. Form is apparent in many contrasting yet complimentary aspects — the vertical gardens, the curves of the daybed and adjoining sitting wall, and the floor of the garden. Form is also apparent in the plantings.
Function is about the multi-usefulness of the space. This is a garden to relax in, to entertain friends, enjoy a moment of quiet contemplation, as well as enjoy the satisfaction of having edible varieties of plants such as the vertical strawberry panels. Even a small space can accommodate our desire for growing vegetables and herbs.
The incorporation of the water bowl is an important feature of the garden, contributing to a feeling of relaxation with the gentle sound of moving water. The dry river pebbles also add to the organic nature of the space and is complemented by the random bluestone paving.
The style of the garden is not specific, but the intention is to use organic materials such as timber and stone to give a natural look. Plants were chosen for their form, how they contrast with each other and their productivity. The native species such as the kangaroo paws and the dwarf eucalyptus are so typically Australian yet fit well with other exotic species. A sense of dense greenery is produced, giving a feeling of privacy and lushness.
A Vision of Waves, James Ross
Green Vision
www.greenvisions.com.au
A vision of waves and the feeling of an afternoon breeze from a retreat to call your own.
Most of us dream of finding this place, whether it is for holidays, retirement or if you’re lucky it may be an everyday lifestyle. We will always continue to seek these places. They bring comfort, relaxation and a sense of calm to our lives.
The design of this garden gains inspiration from that ideal lifestyle, stepping away from the formality and into the flowing landscape and the surrounding natural environment. The garden space shows awareness for the environment with material choice and plant selection.
A coastal native feel using reclaimed timber gives a sense of age and warmth complemented by the rusted-steel edges that wrap and curve through the design. Position yourself in a bean bag overlooking the unique form of the Allocasurinas that stand over a mat of textures and colours.
A Vision of Waves is a contemporary sustainable space suited for a casual lifestyle.
Cool Living, Ros McCully
Ros McCully Garden Designs
Good garden design should work to enhance your wellbeing.
A tranquil space greets the visitor to this garden, a place of relaxation and invigoration. Cool Living is a garden retreat with many attributes perfect for modern living in our ever-changing environment.
Cool Living starts with a natural twig frame, which acts as an entrance to the garden. Passing over floating timber steps from the soft lawn surrounded by rich green foliage of the magnolia, Raphiolepsis and Lomandras, you reach the rear deck with a cluster of Adenanthus ‘Silver Streak’.
Water drizzles out of the rear slatted wall (which is fed by recirculated water collected from the roof and stored below the deck, as well as a slimline tank behind the water wall and underground storage) down through the dry river bed to complete the picture.
The rear deck area has many features, the main being the use of the roofline as an environmental catchment and green area along with a wall of Atriplex cinera, ‘Grey Saltbush’.
There are many native grasses and plants around the garden, such as Carex ‘Frosted Curl’, Lomandra longifolia ‘Spiny-headed Mat Rush’ and Banksia serrata ‘Old Man Banksia’.
The Garden of Wisdom, Bill Mooney
Inner City Landscapes
www.innercitylandscapes.com.au
The garden is a place for contemplation, thought and wisdom.
Great things come from being in a garden — whether it’s discovering the truths of the universe or ourselves. Whatever the garden style and whatever our lifestyles, we are all the wiser for its presence in our lives.
The Garden of Wisdom is a timeless garden and the style is eclectic — a mix of different eras that are combined to create its own look. From the entry point of this garden we are confronted with a dark-coloured planting tone and dark grey walls. Past these walls we see a bright yellow wall with a large artwork piece as its focal point — the graphical outline of an apple tree in blossom is set into circular acrylic panels. From the darkness we step over a gently bubbling pond into a garden of light. Surrounded by an oasis of plantings, there’s a raised garden bed and a curved bench seat.
The choice of plants was chosen primarily by the foliage of colour (and flowers for certain plants), with the dark tones at the front and the lighter, colourful selections in the main garden. The plants are generally hardy and drought-tolerant with a selection of natives and exotics. In keeping with the garden style, a mix of plants have been used — modern plants such as some of the new grassy and strappy cultivars sit alongside old time Pelargoniums and Oleanders.
Images (top to bottom):
Your Urban Oasis, Carey Cavanagh
A Vision of Waves, James Ross
Cool Living, Ros McCully
The Garden of Wisdom, Bill Mooney