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This garden in Melbourne’s east previously comprised little more than some grass, concrete pathways, and a golden elm tree.
After renovating the house, the owners — landscape architect of The Sunday Garden Tylah Ingram, and her husband Dylan Farquhar of Alwyn Projects — began work on the equally important front and back yards, using the golden elm as their starting point.
‘This beautiful canopy tree guided the layout of the entertaining area as I wanted to utilise its shade canopy and create different sections for entertaining and gathering in the garden,’ says Tylah.
‘I knew I wanted the garden to feel peaceful and inviting, and you can see the softness of the garden beds and natural materials and shapes used to evoke that feeling.’
The project was also driven by the unusual shape of the block and the varying degrees of sun across the 570-square-metre site.
Tylah explains, ‘The property is at the end of a quiet court so the shape of the block is unusual with a small frontage that expands in a triangle shape with the rear garden tucked into one of the back corners.
‘This challenging shape created opportunities to design small pockets of garden around the house.’
Tylah chose a diverse but visually cohesive planting palette encompassing natives and exotics, which are layered across the site to suit various conditions.
Kidney weed (Dichondra repens) groundcover is used to create a ‘carpet’ of lush green, tar bush (Eremophila glabra) wraps around the curved seating area, and Carex comans ‘frosted curls’ spill over paths and garden borders.
‘I selected this plant as I had never used it in my designs before and wanted to test its growing habits. I can confirm it’s hardy and a sun lover!’ says Tylah of the frosted curls.
Helleborus sp brightens the garden in winter when the elm branches are bare.
The built elements of the garden pair perfectly with the house itself – light limestone paving from Eco Outdoor complements the home’s white weatherboards, and recycled or sustainable materials have been used wherever possible, echoing the home’s sustainable design.
‘The open pergola, nestled into the elm tree’s canopy, is constructed from sustainably sourced macrocarpa timber from CERES Fair Wood and I’m really happy with how it looked,’ says Tylah. ‘It’s definitely a timber I would specify again.’
The outdoor chimney was constructed from the bricks salvaged from the original home. ‘It created the perfect spot for a weekend wine with friends or a place to relax with a tea after having a session in our sauna,’ says Tylah.
She calls the garden ‘simple’ and ‘uncomplicated’ — providing everything one needs to enjoy the outdoors.
‘Gardens don’t have to be overly complicated, they just need to be designed to meet your needs and evoke feelings of relaxation,’ Tylah says.
The garden was installed over June and July 2023, and the images you see here were taken seven months later.
‘I am so happy with how it filled out in that time!’ says Tylah.
