Georgina Honner (pictured), Sarah Jones and Megan Blair
The Gordon
Challenger Achievable Gardens Award Winner – Excellence Award
Challenger Achievable Gardens Award Winner – Gold
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Explore the story behind this beautifully restrained garden, designed as a quiet space to share and restore a sense of calm. In this Q&A, the designers reflect on creating a nurturing sanctuary using locally native plants, thoughtful spatial design and a planting palette that invited both people and wildlife to pause and breathe.
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Describe your garden in 5 words
A quiet space to share.
What was the question you were asked most often?
Amongst the many questions about the espaliered apple, the mirrors on the end wall and the humorous ‘How much are you paying those birds?’ (we had a pair of Magpie Larks that moved in for the duration of the show), the number one question asked, by far, was about the groundcover at the front of the garden. It was Pratia pedunculata, a soft-looking, but hardy low-growing perennial with masses of tiny, white, star-shaped flowers, native to south-eastern Australia.
What piece of feedback will you always remember?
The physical response so many women had as they took in our garden really stood out, more than any verbal feedback. The dropping of tense shoulders, an indrawn breath, a sense of quiet surprise and then something like recognition and understanding that this was a space we had created for them; a permission to allow themselves a calm and nurturing sanctuary in which to replenish their world-weary souls.
What was an obstacle you had to overcome and how did you do it?
Working in a 4 x 5 metre walled space was quite a challenge! Getting the deck proportions right was essential to balance the design and we used a series of mirrors to extend visual space and bounce light to shadier parts of the garden. Avoiding the use of mid-storey plants also contributed to a sense of spaciousness. We had to be very disciplined about what was included and what was left out of the finished garden.
Would you do it again?
Absolutely! Collaborating to create this design and bringing it to fruition was a great adventure, and one we hope to repeat.
The stage is yours – what do you want to say?
When looking at our soft planting palette, viewers were incredulous that most of our low-storey plants were locally native to the Bellarine & Geelong area. We’re passionate about using indigenous plant species that support native pollinators and other wildlife, create beautiful, climate resilient gardens and thrive with minimum maintenance. Visit your local indigenous plant nursery and explore which locally native plants are available in your area, and invite birds, bees & cups of tea into your outdoor space.