Gardens and outdoor spaces have become more and more extensions of the interiors of a home and are enjoyed more than ever before for what they are. Outdoor spaces are for entertaining, personal space, private downtime and creating a green environment to refresh the mind and soul. They need not be high maintenance, but simple need to be well thought out, designed to suite the individuals, who will use these spaces for their enjoyment.
This above image is of a garden that belongs to a project in Melbourne, an inner city town house, where space was crucial, andwhere the design became extremely important. Not only to create a functional and stylish green space, but to create something that was a joy to be in, somewhere to replenish and refresh oneself from the hustle and bustle of the city beyond the walls.
Paint colour became a major component in the finishing of the garden. The high walls you see are of a building next door, so it was important to select the colour that blended this monumental structure into the closed courtyard. A shade of deep mulberry was chosen, although at first it may have appeareda dominate colour to use, once the Virginia Ivy had taken hold, it became the perfect backdrop for all seasons. Winter is bleak in Melbourne, and the deciduous nature of the Ivy, allows the space some colour, a reprieve from grey winter Melbourne environment, just as in spring and summer the ivy in full green display, is shown off to advantage by the background colour. More subtle shades of slate grey were selected as feature colours, which blend in with the limestone walls of the house and floors of the courtyard.
Architectural features such as the antique carved marble bath from Turkey turned into a striking water feature and the French Glazed Terracotta Pots, planted with mature lemon tress, gives the space a very European feel.
We enjoyed working with other specialists to create this unique inner city space, a green sanctuary, an oasis in the centre of Melbourne that will continue to bring joy to those who live here for many years to come, and, will actually look better with time, as it matures into a splendid outdoor area.