Better with age
By Lynne Testoni
A luxury landscape for a seniors’ living project features quality elements from the rooftop down.
A premium senior living development, The Langlee, was a construction project with multiple elements of soft landscaping, irrigation, maintenance and hard landscaping from the ground to the rooftops, including outdoor kitchens and firepits. Constructed by The Gardenmakers, The Langlee won gold and best in category for Commercial & Civil Construction $1.5 to $4 million in the Landscape Association 2025 Landscape Excellence Awards.
The brief
A former vacant bowling club with three bowling greens, The Langlee is a high-quality residential development situated in Waverley and close to local infrastructure as well as beaches and Westfield Bondi Junction.
The scope of works included a lengthy 20-page document outlining all the resources needed, including staff, hardscape elements and softscape, all aimed at achieving the highest quality and workmanship in accordance with Australian Standards, Codes and Regulations.
Scope of works
This scope of works was extensive and included soft landscaping, hardscaping elements such as roof gardens, and ground floor public areas, along with irrigation and maintenance.
Soft landscaping included the supply and installation of all soils to garden beds including drainage cell and fabric to the base of planters as well as the supply and install of trees, shrubs, ground covers and turf.
The Gardenmakers looked after the design, supply, installation and commissioning of automatic irrigation systems, provided shop drawings and gained the necessary approval and permits for the ground floor and all levels, including the rooftop. 12 months of establishment maintenance (topping up mulch, replacing failed plants, weeding, pruning and mowing) was also included.
The two key landscape areas included rooftop gardens, which featured honed concrete elements such as concrete benches and benchtops with barbecue and pizza oven bench, table settings, a high bench, seating areas around a gas firepit and an under-bench bar fridge. Climbing planters to concrete columns, decorative lighting surrounds to lanterns and raised metal tree planting pots in planter beds were also part of the works.
Hours of meticulous design consideration brought the design and architecture to life. Timber furniture was fabricated off site and The Gardenmakers team carefully followed every detail and measurement to fabricate all hardscape items to work with each other. No item on the rooftop was without challenges as everything was curved!
On the ground floor, the team installed concrete and timber furniture including custom-built pieces. A herb and vegetable community garden has become very popular with the residents.
In addition, the company took over the management of the green wall system (including irrigation) after the engaged contractor went into administration mid-build.
Plantings
The plantings included the development of inaccessible garden areas outside the balconies of the accommodation, designed to be maintenance free, along with a formal lawn area, green walls, and even the retention of bowling greens.
The completed community herb and kitchen gardens on the ground level were a particular highlight, while the rooftop gardens included lush tropical species to create a resort-style atmosphere.
The result
Complementing magnificent architecture, the gardens of The Langlee celebrate community living with design-led communal entertaining areas, especially on the rooftop.
The judges of the Landscape Excellent Awards called it ‘an impressive job with a very high level of detailing and quality finishes in both the hardscape and softscape’, noting that hardscape elements were finished to the millimetre, and were complemented by high-quality softscape with every plant looking to be in best of health and further complemented by the ongoing maintenance.
‘The plant selection, soil profiles used, quality of plant material and maintenance is excellent,’ said one of the judges.
About the awards
The Landscape Association’s (TLA) Landscape Excellence Awards celebrate the very highest standards and achievement in Landscape Construction, Design and Maintenance, in the Residential and Commercial sectors. Recognising innovation, creativity and outstanding craftsmanship, the Awards are the highest accolades in the industry.
The Awards are just one of many TLA benefits that are included in a TLA Membership. To find out more about membership or to contact the team directly, visit www.landscapeassociation.com.au.
All images supplied by The Landscape Association.