Photography: Martina Gemmola
This garden looked innocuous when Ed and his family first moved in, but it hid a surprising secret. Ed, his wife Esther, and their children Felix, 12, Bassie, nine, and Jasper, six, had only been living in the North Melbourne home for a short time when they decided to embark on a garden makeover. The grassy lot looked unremarkable with palm trees, red brick paving and a smattering of gravel. But appearances were deceptive, as landscape designer Andy Murray and landscape constructor Josh Norman soon found out.
“The whole of the backyard had been concreted, with grass placed over the top,” recalls Ed. This solved the mystery of why the grass was dying and water kept pooling under the house. It was clear this bandaid solution needed a deeper fix, so the family briefed Andy on what they wanted from the garden makeover. This included an outdoor space complete with a swimming pool, plenty of room for the boys to run around, plus a studio out the back for Ed’s work as an audio producer and composer. The final request? “No straight lines,” adds Ed.
Perennial flowers
The garden makeover began with excavation, which involved removing 32 cubic metres of concrete, then levelling the sloping yard. Once the area was ready for planting, Andy crafted a palette of herbaceous perennials and native Australian shrubs. This mix ensured that no matter the season, the garden was continually evolving. “Herbaceous perennials are like a tapestry or an Impressionist painting,” shares Andy. “It’s a bit blurry, but you can always see a little detail. It’s loose and structured all at once.”
Paving and decking
The existing deck was retained during the garden makeover, so the main hardscaping elements are the custom pool fence, made of sand-blasted steel to create a rusted appearance, and a winding path of ‘Alba’ crazy paving from Better Exteriors. Plantings elevate the pool fence into an enigmatic feature that blends in with the organic scene.
Together with Josh, Andy positioned the custom steel fence in the garden bed, where evergreen Miscanthus spills out between the vertical fence posts. This means that when viewed from the deck, the pool is evocatively glimpsed, rather than being a standout feature. “It leaves you wanting more, playing with anticipation in the design,” he explains.
The result of the garden makeover
One of Ed and Esther’s favourite aspects of the garden is that, though they are situated in a busy city, their outdoor area feels like a complete reprieve. The weaving garden path contributes to this, interrupted by triumphant bursts of greenery
The different zones in this garden tick all of Ed and Esther’s boxes. The existing deck houses the outdoor living and dining settings, perfect for summer entertaining. The pool and grassy areas provide the boys with room to play. And Ed’s studio suits his working-from-home needs. A herb and vegetable garden completes the garden makeover.
Source book
Landscape design: Andy Murray Landscape Design, andymurraydesign.com.au
Landscape construction: Josh Norman Landscapes, normanlandscapes.com.au
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