By Patrick Regnault
Before the Australian Landscape Conference 2025 was held in Melbourne recently, Outlandish Ventures organised a tour of various gardens in the Mount Macedon region and the surrounding district. We visited five very different gardens, and each garden provided food for thought.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Gabrielle Stannus
Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV) launched its inaugural Plant of the Year awards late last year, with the winners announced during the annual Australian Horticultural Trials Week in December. I spoke with the breeders and growers behind these plants at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, where their award-winning cultivars were receiving much attention from those in attendance, to find out their landscape uses.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Gabrielle Stannus
Designed by Rob Cooper from Distinctive Gardens in Adelaide and constructed by Yergan Landscape and Desert Flower Landscaping, show garden ‘ǝ’skāp’ took out the City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show, as well as a Gold medal, at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS).… Continue reading
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Paths need to be designed for practicality, whilst still being aesthetically pleasing (Image: Patrick Regnault)
By Patrick Regnault
Designing a garden requires a multiskilled approach. Plant and soil knowledge, an understanding of the influence of topography and geology on weather patterns, an ability to observe the local fauna and flora, a good grasp of engineering and construction, planning and scheduling proficiency, communication skills, and basic financial comprehension are all needed.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Gabrielle Stannus
Plans are well under way for Australia’s third Summer Olympics to be held in Brisbane in 2032. But did you know we have never held a ‘Horticultural Olympics’? According to the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), hosting such an event could provide the opportunity of a lifetime for one Australian city to recreate an urban landscape, leaving a permanent green legacy for its inhabitants.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Lynne Testoni
This lush coastal garden has allowed the homeowners to expand the entertainment space in their holiday house.
The owners of this holiday house have created a coastal haven designed for entertaining and relaxing. Located on the NSW South Coast, this was a large and ambitious project for the owners, who wanted a beautiful space where they could escape from the daily stresses of life, relax, and have their children play.… Continue reading
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The Floral Clock at Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne (Image: Stefan Schäfer, Lich via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).
By Gabrielle Stannus
Bedding out is temporary and labour intensive. So why should we do it? What are the pros and cons of this type of design and the plants used to fulfill its intent? Jeremy Critchley from The Green Gallery took time out of his busy schedule overseeing the construction of a new, large, high-tech wholesale production nursery at Mangrove Mountain north of Sydney to answer my questions.… Continue reading
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Dwarf citrus in pot. If maintenance and nutrition is carried out correctly a citrus can last well and be productive (Image: Sue McClymont)
By Patrick Regnault
Small backyards, balconies, limited outdoor spaces, and short or unsecured rent leases are not as conducive to long-term tree planting. For those who can afford to buy and settle, they may have a shrunken backyard or a courtyard; for others, it will need to be pots.… Continue reading
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A new lawn provides space for children to play, along with a clear line of sight from the house to the new pool in this backyard designed for privacy (images supplied by the Landscape Association)
By Lynne Testoni
This Palm Springs-inspired design includes plenty of space for children to play and adults to relax.
The design of this beautiful backyard on Sydney’s northern beaches combines beauty and practicality. Inspired by mid-century modern architecture and the iconic homes of Palm Springs, the house is a contemporary version of these early homes with a minimalist façade.… Continue reading
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3D visualisations showing the integration of an architecturally-designed glasshouse into a modernistic residential design in rural Tasmania (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio)
By Gabrielle Stannus
How to incorporate a greenhouse into a building design? This is the unusual request my partner received from a client who requested a glasshouse to be integrated into their new home in rural Tasmania. The structure was to be their home’s focal point and entertaining hub, linking two building wings whilst also providing a space to overwinter lemon trees.… Continue reading
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