Ebony Cetinich
London College
Challenger Achievable Gardens Award Winner – Gold
—
Discover the thinking behind Ebony Cetinich’s beautifully restrained garden design, where calm, resilience and quiet surprise shaped every decision. In this Q&A, Ebony shares the standout moments, challenges and lessons from creating a space that left such a lasting impression on visitors.
—
Describe your garden in 5 words
Restrained, calm, resilient, considered and surprising.
What was the question you were asked most often?
The Diplolaena grandiflora definitely stole the show. I’d say around 75% of the questions I was asked were about this plant.
What piece of feedback will you always remember?
That people felt a sense of calm when observing the space and appreciated the restraint in the planting. That was always the intention with my design, but being so pared back and different was a bit of a gamble, so consistently hearing this feedback was really special.
What was an obstacle you had to overcome and how did you do it?
Being based in Mildura, the logistics of transport and sourcing plants was a real challenge. I overcame it by being extremely organised upfront, making elements in advance for transport and growing a large portion of the planting myself from tube stock sourced through local native nurseries.
Would you do it again?
Absolutely, maybe after a bit of a rest first. It was by far one of the most mentally and physically exhausting challenges I’ve undertaken, but the sense of community and camaraderie makes me want to return every year. It was such an amazing experience, and I’d love to explore other categories in the future.
The stage is yours – what do you want to say?
I’m so grateful to everyone who supported me along the way, and to the industry for being so kind and welcoming. For anyone thinking of doing this, plan what happens beneath the surface in advance. Your subframe and method of plant propping [supporting] will save you time and stress. Consider planting in trays where possible, and don’t underestimate the value of reducing mulch, it makes a huge difference to clean-up.