Box Hill Garden Project

Back in 2013, Ian Barker Gardens were engaged to enhance the landscape around a charming 1880’s property in Box Hill, a suburb in Melbourne, Australia.

Their garden loving clients were empathetic to their home’s history and were committed to giving the home upgraded surroundings.

Mindful of the home’s heritage, Ian Barker Gardens worked with existing garden features and hardscape elements to ensure practicality and functionality were retained.

Their design used seasonal planting and landscape design elements to replenish the garden’s beauty and warmth.

The brief called for a perennial-packed front garden in-keeping with the traditional home whilst creating a more contemporary garden at the rear.

The front door to the home is located to the side of the property.

So it was important it had a sense of arrival.

To achieve this, Ian Barker Gardens widened the existing front path to 1500mm to give it the appropriate scale for a primary entrance approach.

The path led to a 3 x 3 m paved area outside the front door that acted as an external foyer.

Ian Barker Gardens also used structural plantings with an ‘old world’ charm to flank the front door – Viola at ground level with layers of boxed hedge, Salvia and Camellia sasanqua.

In contrast to the naturalistic mixed perennials, Ian Barker Gardens transitioned to a deliberately simple layout at the rear consisting of lawn, a pool, and an outdoor room.

To ensure a smooth fusion, they used a mauve and blue colour palette as well as bluestone paving throughout to link the front and rear spaces.

As if often the case when refurbishing a garden, varying plant varieties and some unsalvageable infrastructure can be inherited.

For this project, the outdoor room where a stable once stood, was restored within its original footprint.

And the original bricks were reused.

New recycled beams were sourced from the Kinglake district and a 2.2m x 2m sliding gate made from recycled spotted gum on a metal slider was installed at the entrance of the outdoor room.

That enabled the area to be enclosed, creating a more private outdoor space.

The clients are keen entertainers and cooking enthusiasts so an area to make and eat pizza was high up on their wish list.

The Ian Barker Gardens team and their clients wanted a relaxed look for this garden design.

So they selected plants of mixed size and maturity, with seasonal plants that will grow to differing heights to add interest.

They used a select mix of perennials that have intrinsic beauty throughout all seasons – deliberately choosing varietals where their flower and seed head look as good when they are decomposing as they do when they are alive.

Set on a 1,300m2 site, the generously sized garden beds provided scope to use more varieties of planting than usual.

Eight different perennials were used in the mix: Echinacea purpurea, Geranium Renardii ‘Philippe Vapelle’, Verbena bonariensis, Nepeta faassenii, Salvia and Sedum varieties, Iris and Agastache ‘Sweet Lili’.

The clients, committed and passionate garden enthusiasts, understand and respect the perennial lifecycle. They embrace the ‘down time’ whilst choosing to top up here and there with their own season-friendly varieties.

This garden has a naturalistic and comforting feel that people are naturally drawn to and the clients love.

Key Products Used

Viola labradorica
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Echinacea purpurea
Geranium renardii ‘Philippe Vapelle’
Verbena bonariensis
Nepeta faassenii
Salvia ‘Mexicana Lolly’
Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’
Agastache ‘Sweet Lili’
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowqueen’
Bluestone paving
Red brick pizza oven
Recycled spotted gum sliding gate

Project Details

Project size – 1,300 m2
Completion date – 2013
Building levels – 1

Project Team

Design and Construction

Ian Barker Gardens

Ian Barker Gardens is an award-winning landscape design, construction and maintenance service based in Canterbury, Victoria.

Founded by Ian Barker in 1996, the Ian Barker team comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge, offering you a level of professionalism that is unsurpassed in the landscaping industry.

www.landscape.net.au

Photography

Claire Takacs

Claire Takacs is a photographer inspired by light, nature and beauty. Gardens are her canvas and she always strives to capture the essence of any garden she visits and the beauty of fleeting moments in these special places.

She knows it’s a privilege to see what she does, working with some of the world’s best designers, gardeners, writers, editors, and publishers.

www.takacsphoto.com