Welcome to the jungle – sort of! These are our favourite gardens from 2019!
No matter if you prefer a leafy city rooftop, rugged native landscape, or perfectly manicured suburban lawn – we’ve got you covered with this epic lineup of inspiring green spaces!
There are six bell tents installed within the garden of St Erth, allowing guests a luxury overnight stay in the incredible garden. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.
The gorgeous old sandstone cottage was built in the 1860s. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.
A New Way To Experience The Garden Of St Erth
The Garden of St Erth was initially cultivated by The Diggers Club in 1996, and is located in Blackwood, Victoria. This green oasis offers glamping stays, so roll out of Melbourne CBD and slide into this patch of absolute paradise!
River views! The garden has direct frontage to the Yarra River. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
Sarah loves the tranquillity of the garden. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
‘We eat in the garden a lot in summer. It’s such a beautiful place to sit and have a meal’, says Sarah. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
A Spectacular Riverside Garden In Melbourne
Perched on the edge of the Yarra in Toorak, Sarah Laidlaw’s garden has been transformed from a steep and awkward site, to a magical family garden inspired by Guilfoyle’s Volcano garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne! Eckersley Garden Architecture have created a ‘free and easy’ garden that is both eclectic and tranquil.
Roraima Nursery is 4.5 acres of retail nursery and gardens at Lara, just north of Geelong in Victoria. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.
After many years of work, Lyle opened the gardens at Roraima to the public around two years ago. They are a wonderland of sculptural and unusual plants and a great way to showcase the potential of many of the plants for sale in the nursery. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.
A Plant Collector’s Wild And Wonderful Paradise
Lyle and Cheryl Filippe love weird, wonderful and collectible plants, which they share with customers at the incredible Roraima Nursery in Lara. From the tropics to the desert, this collector has plants from all corners of the globe. Our gardens columnist Georgina Reid describes ‘it is wild, wonderful and slightly mad’ – just the way we like it!
Anna and the team at Pepo Botanic Design are constantly tweaking the planting in the garden. It’s a never-ending process! Photo – Daniel Shipp.
Lush planting frames the pathway leading from the entry garden to the eastern lawn. Photo – Daniel Shipp.
Beneath the eastern lawn lies a shady, leafy garden meandering around Bronte gulley. It’s a magical place. Photo – Daniel Shipp.
Anna and the team at Pepo Botanic Design are constantly tweaking the planting in the garden. It’s a never-ending process! Photo – Daniel Shipp.
An Exceptional Heritage Garden in Sydney
This property has an incredible history, established in the mid-1800s. We take a tour through this expansive site with custodian Anna van der Gardner, whose enthusiasm for this site sings off the screen! Take a tour through time at the Bronte House and gardens.
Klaus and Anne Schindhelm’s spectacular apartment garden, designed by Adam Robinson. Adam’s focus was the central planting area of the garden. The bones of it –the paving, stairs and retaining walls – were retained. Photo – Sue Stubbs
Clipped plant forms contrast with loose, grassy plants to create visual interest and movement within the garden. Photo – Sue Stubbs
The garden is very exposed – receiving full sun all day and very strong winds. Photo – Sue Stubbs
A Robust Rooftop Garden In Rozelle
You might think downsizing from a one-acre property to an apartment in Rozelle would mean saying goodbye to a beautiful garden… but for Klaus and Anne Schindhelm it was an opportunity to explore what an urban garden could be!
Revisit this amazing rooftop garden here!
Eco Outdoor’s Endicott Split Stone natural stone flooring tiles feature in the garden’s dining area with a fireplace. Photo – Felix Forest.
The aim was to maximise the feel of the outdoor spaces by creating individual areas that lead to one another but are visually separated by vegetation,’ says William Dangar. Photo – Prue Ruscoe.
The site offers rare views across the iconic Sydney skyline right through to the Blue Mountains. Photo – Prue Ruscoe.
Eco Outdoor’s Endicott Split Stone natural stone flooring tiles are featured in this incredible design. Photo – Felix Forest.
A Factory Rooftop Turned Lush Penthouse Garden
Who said inner city living was all about concrete!? This rooftop garden created by William Dangar of Dangar Barin Smith is the city oasis of SJB director Adam Haddow. A seriously perfect rooftop in Redfern!
Ben Shaw in his Geelong garden. Photo – Marnie Hawson.
Photo – Marnie Hawson.
Peas! Photo – Marnie Hawson.
Suburban Backyard Turned Thriving Permaculture Garden
After purchasing this Geelong property ten years ago, permaculture expert Ben Shaw shares his flourishing, edible paradise. Ben’s garden may only be suburban size, but he uses the space to full effect, and shares his experiences through workshops to highlight how growing food can be accessible to all. A delicious and beautiful garden!
Cheese expert, writer and TV host Will Studd in his gorgeous sub-tropical Photo – Caitlin Mills.
Will and his son Sam picking zucchini flowers in the garden. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
He worked with local plantsmanMike Lickfold and his partner Helen Fawell, who did all the ornamental planting. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
Will Studd’s Sub-Tropical Wonderland in Byron Bay
Will Studd is both a brilliant cheese maker (SO DELICIOUS) and passionate gardner. His lush sub-tropical wonderland in Byron Bay features over 180 species of palm trees, and a sprawling vegetable garden. Talk about life goals!
