In all his pink tutu glory, Chris took to the streets of Carlton Gardens where the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show was taking place.
We interviewed the Garden Designers, took photos with many people, made educational videos about some of the plants, and so much more! Follow us on our socials and stay tuned for all the incredible content we’ll have coming out in the next few weeks.
We wanted to take some time to express our love and appreciation for Melbourne’s horticulture industry and all the hard working people within it. We were truly so impressed by the breadth of talent and horticulture knowledge at the show (although not surprised at all).
We’ve always said that Victoria has the best horticulture industry in Australia, and its become even more apparent with the innovative garden displays at the show.
Did you know the International Melbourne Flower and Garden Show is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest floral and garden event? We went on one of the supposed ‘quietest’ days of the week, but the place was still teeming with people.
If you weren’t able to make it to the show, let us guide you through some of our favourite displays.
We started off inside with the great variety of flower bouquets for sale and chatted to Eliza about how well thought out the displays were. It’s such a great idea to have something you can take back to remember the show by, or a delightful gift you can give to a loved one.
We admired the wonderful displays inside, in particular the Growth sculpture created by Sarah Coffey using completely repurposed items from last year’s show caught our attention. It’s so important that we are taking care of our planet and being thoughtful with our purchases.
After that we moved outdoors where we fell in love with every garden display, and the themes they were conveying.
Nostalgia called back to a time of colourful cottage gardens brimming with flowers, bees and butterflies. Designed by Paul Pritchard we were reminded of the joy that can be found in taking the time to really care for your garden, and that there’s no such thing as too much colour.
Doable, designed by Jason Hodges, examined our need for instant gardens and encouraged the cheaper route of buying small plants that grow and evolve with your family. A truly beautiful sentiment that more people need to hear.
The green and white garden, Spires and Sounds, circled one of the musicians stages, creating a multi-sensory experience of beautiful visuals and beautiful sounds. It actually made us discover a plant we had never seen before! Designed by Ellen Freeman we loved the way different textures and shades of green were used to create interest and beauty.
Timeless Outdoors oozed elegance and class, but the plants themselves are actually not that expensive at all! Now we won’t speak for the paving and appliances, but the actual garden itself could be recreated for quite cheap! Designed by Aaron Leslie & Kelsey Johns, we definitely found ourself imagining a summer’s night spent sipping some wine here.
The Straightcurve Breaking Free display designed by Bayley LuuTomes Design and Bespoke Landscapes made us even more excited for autumn then we already were (which we didn’t think was possible). Already some of the trees were transforming into their fiery autumn hues, creating quite a spectacle that is only going to keep getting better as the weeks go on.
Then we stumbled upon a line of mini-garden stalls that drove home how space doesn’t stop you from having a beautiful garden.
We started with Jake McCorkell’s low maintenance garden, titled Evergreen Escape, that was filled with lush greenery of all shapes and sizes. A really great takeaway from this was layering. One reason why this garden was so beautiful and could fit so many plants was the way they used vertical space. Starting at the bottom with Native Violet, then Tractor Seat, then Bamboo and Magnolias to top it off, there was even a planter box on top of the seats to fit more greenery in the small space.
Next, we spoke to Adam Clements with his gorgeous Mediterranean inspired garden (he told us he carefully selected the word inspired so that he could also fit in some natives without getting in trouble). Appropriately titled Mediterranean Musings, this is a garden that makes us feel like we’re on an exotic getaway. We really like how this garden showed that you can create a luxurious escape in your own garden.
An explosion of colour greeted us in the next stall with the Mi Casa Es Tu Casa garden designed by Mia Zielinski. It was created out of her travels in Mexico and love for their culture. There was so much to admire in that small space but it didn’t feel cluttered at all, which goes to show how you can still have a colourful garden even if you are very limited by space.
Our final stop was appropriately the show’s winning garden designed by Rob from Distinctive Gardens, and wow, what a well deserved win it was.
We adored every detail that came together to create a lush, luxurious garden that made you feel like you were on a high class getaway. We really think more people need to put the effort into making their gardens serene sanctuaries that they can use to relax and rejuvenate in.
We hope you enjoyed this mini tour through the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, whether it was a recap on your own experiences or a peek at something you would otherwise not have had the chance to see. Be sure to follow us on our socials to see all the wonderful videos that come out from this day.
If you see any of these gardens and you’re like WOW I NEED THAT RIGHT NOW, we don’t blame you. It can be difficult knowing where to get started or how to replicate it, which is why we offer a Free Garden Design service. Book yours here.
Feeling inspired to create your own garden, but want some expert advice? Try our one-on-one garden design service with Chris. Together you’ll come up with a selection of plants along with a layout plan that gives you the look you want, as well as being suitable for your local soil and conditions.
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