Garden of the Week: A Low-Maintenance Garden for Philosophers
See how a garden designer brought low-maintenance nature to a city plot, complete with philosophical twists and turns
Vanessa Walker
3 June 2019
Houzz Australia & New Zealand Editor-in-Chief
In a Q&A format, we talk to the designers – and examine the creative thinking – behind some of Houzz’s most loveable rooms.
Images by Tim Turner
Answers by Sean Dowling, creative director at Bayon Gardens
Who lives here: A couple with one child and their small dog
Location: Glen Iris, Victoria
Purpose of the space: Front and back gardens used by the family and for entertaining
Answers by Sean Dowling, creative director at Bayon Gardens
Who lives here: A couple with one child and their small dog
Location: Glen Iris, Victoria
Purpose of the space: Front and back gardens used by the family and for entertaining
Brief
The clients wanted a raw and natural palette, to bring a sense of nature inside their city-dwelling home (the rear wall of the house is floor-to-ceiling glass). An area to gather around a fire pit was a necessity for entertaining and connection. They also wanted a garden that was relatively low-maintenance and provided a space to relax both outside and inside the home.
The clients wanted a raw and natural palette, to bring a sense of nature inside their city-dwelling home (the rear wall of the house is floor-to-ceiling glass). An area to gather around a fire pit was a necessity for entertaining and connection. They also wanted a garden that was relatively low-maintenance and provided a space to relax both outside and inside the home.
The front of the house showing the garage
Starting point
This garden was a blank canvas, as it was a new house build.
Find a local landscape architect or designer on Houzz and browse images of their work
Starting point
This garden was a blank canvas, as it was a new house build.
Find a local landscape architect or designer on Houzz and browse images of their work
The backyard
The fire pit
Plant palette
Plant palette
- Acer palmatum ‘bloodgum’
- Agave attenuata
- Fatsia japonica
- Festuca glauca
- Ophiopogon jaburan
- Lomandra
- Seascape
- Dichondra ‘silver falls’
- Senecio serpens
- Trachelospermum asiaticum
- Succulents
- Textilis gracilis
- Grass trees
- Chinese star jasmine.
What was your thinking behind the arrangement?
The plant choices bring in all different tones and shades of greens and purples. A mix of ground covers and creepers brings trails of colour at different heights and shapes.
The plant choices bring in all different tones and shades of greens and purples. A mix of ground covers and creepers brings trails of colour at different heights and shapes.
Key principles behind the planting design
We chose a selection of native and oriental plants. The colour palette used was greens and red/purple tones.
Mounds of plants were used as features to view and ponder as you walk down the philosopher’s pathway (the clients work in philosophy).
We chose a selection of native and oriental plants. The colour palette used was greens and red/purple tones.
Mounds of plants were used as features to view and ponder as you walk down the philosopher’s pathway (the clients work in philosophy).
It was important for the plant palette to have a mixture of ground covers, creepers and different shaped plants to soften all of the hard materials, which brings a sense of balance.
Challenges you worked around
The building site has some drainage issues, so once the landscaping commenced, we installed more drainage than a normal site would require to control the water-flow direction.
The building site has some drainage issues, so once the landscaping commenced, we installed more drainage than a normal site would require to control the water-flow direction.
The front of the house
The front entry was a small area and required a creative design to maximise space, so we used curved raised planters to address both the slope of the front without closing off any space with straight edges or harsh corners.
The front entry was a small area and required a creative design to maximise space, so we used curved raised planters to address both the slope of the front without closing off any space with straight edges or harsh corners.
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature of this garden? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like and save this story, and join the conversation.
More
Take a look at last week’s Room of the Week: An Oh-So-Chic Manhattan Pied-à-Terre
What’s your favourite feature of this garden? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like and save this story, and join the conversation.
More
Take a look at last week’s Room of the Week: An Oh-So-Chic Manhattan Pied-à-Terre
Related Stories
Quizzes
What’s Your Dream Garden Style?
Answer seven questions in our fun quiz to reveal your perfect style of garden
Full Story
Most Popular
5 Steps to Finding the Right Landscape Designer for Your Home
If you dream of a green retreat but your reality is more backyard bungle, knowing how to choose a landscaper is key
Full Story
Gardening
Heritage to Modern: Which Garden Style Suits Your House?
Selecting the right garden style may come down to personal taste, but you should factor in your home's architecture too
Full Story
Garden Design
8 Common Landscaping Challenges and How Experts Solved Them
These USA landscape pros tackled everything from steep slopes to poor drainage in homeowners’ projects – here's how
Full Story
Garden Design
7 Ways Your Garden Design Can Boost Wellbeing
Support your physical and mental health with these garden design ideas spotted at the UK's RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Full Story
Houzz Around The World
Spain Garden Tour: A Mediterranean Makeover With Colour & Texture
Once neglected, this naturalistic garden is now a series of outdoor rooms with idyllic spots to swim, dine and relax
Full Story
Garden Design
Winning Gardens: Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Inspo alert! Don't miss the award-winning show gardens at Australia's biggest and best annual garden design fair
Full Story
Garden Design
Fabulous Ideas to Borrow From Achievable Garden Entries at MIFGS
Tertiary students led the way with their achievable garden ideas at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Full Story
Picture Perfect
18 Beautiful Japanese-Style Gardens, Indoors and Out
Our coffee-break escape offers you five minutes' worth of images to inspire and delight. Jump right in...
Full Story
Garden Design
Pro Panel: How Do I Design a Garden Layout?
By Kate Burt
Stumped about where to start with the layout of your garden? Let our three UK landscape design experts guide you
Full Story
Don't know about low maintenance - that much mulch will still need weeding/ relaying fairly regularly, even if there isn't any mowing. Beautiful though I would have liked to see something incorporated for the dog
Last time I checked Japanese Maples were deciduous and piles of leaves everywhere is not my idea of low maintenance...raking up leaves on gravel is also a pain...
At least w deciduous in all happens fairly quickly, so it is only a task for a couple of weeks a year