An outdoor space fit for showcase
This outdoor space – created for a family in Mont Albert – was selected to be showcased at Melbourne’s Garden DesignFest in 2016. It was praised for it’s focus on beautiful design, whilst incorporating a vast amount of functionality to suit a young family.
As with any brief we take on at The Landscape Department, the focus for this garden was to maximise the space to suit the specific needs of our client. Whilst, of course, making it a visually stimulating space at the same time. In this instance, our client required vast green space for their children to run, a basketball/sports area, a trampoline, chill-out area and entertaining area.
When stripping out the congested and overgrown existing garden, there was one element that stood out to us as something that had to remain. But, not only that, demanded to be highlighted – a mature Acer Palmatum. Previously hidden within the existing garden, this beauty is now the focal point for the space, allowing everything else to be constructed and planted around it. We ‘crazy’ paved the entertaining area, and constructed an ‘old red’ brick seat and garden edging to frame its beauty.
Any landscape garden designer craves to have such an amazing tree to work with – and we were no different.
Our client had a young family and, as such, had specific requirements to suit. Along with the sports area, trampoline, BBQ/entertaining area, and chill out space, they also requested that we keep the space as open as possible. No an easy feat, but we rose to the challenge.
We placed the trampoline in-ground to retain a vast sense of space, and tucked a synthetic-turfed sports area to the side, allowing for the back lawn to remain a multi-functional space for the whole family – kids sports, picnicking, and parties.
We consider that ‘a job well done’ only occurs when the space we create is both beautiful and functional – but most importantly, when it perfectly meets the needs of our clients.
We selected plant suiting a cottage garden theme. The countless perennials and bulbs that re appear each year remind us of what was there once before. A cluster of Birches flank the back corner of the yard.
While, the front garden wasn’t completely overhauled, we revitilised it with an old red brick fence to match the clinker brick facade. The slate steppers and colac rocks still remain where they were placed years before, but the planting has been planned to enhance the existing trees that remain.
