MIFGS 2017.

Designed by Phillip Withers
Landscape by Avoca Landscape Construction
Photography by Amelia Stanwix

A show garden built under the elms at Carlton Gardens for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. A decomposed granite path runs between dry stone walls of scoria and bluestone, past herbs and cabbages growing hard against the edge, and opens onto a clearing. Carved timber poles stand at the far end among cactus and agave. Everything you sit on is stone, cut rough and set on its own footing.

The approach.

Decomposed granite path curving through dense planting toward the carved timber poles

The path narrowing between grass trees and olive, poles and cactus closing off the view

Carved and limewashed timber poles standing with tall cactus beside a recycled timber wall

Dry stone walls of scoria and bluestone holding back the beds either side of the path — Dry stone walling in scoria and bluestone

Bluestone stepping pavers hand etched with looping lines, set into the granitic sand — Hand etched bluestone pavers

The clearing.

The stone table lit from beneath, timber poles standing behind it in low sun

The stone table on the edge of the lawn, agave and grass trees behind

The stone table seen from the herb garden path between dry stone planters

Painted timber stools around the sunken fire pit, agave and barrel cactus beyond

The full fire circle in chevron cut crazy paving, stone tables set around its edge — Sunken fire pit, chevron cut crazy paving