Stickybeak of the Week: Versailles Transcends on a Humble Courtyard
A small courtyard in Melbourne adorns a garden design even the Sun King would applaud – take a stroll through
When it comes to designing a garden, size isn’t everything – a theory Anthony Trumble of Designer Gardens adheres to. This show-stopping parterre by Trumble was recently featured in the 2014 NGVWA Garden Day event and it’s easy to see why. This manicured retreat lies behind an unsuspecting home in the leafy suburb of Toorak and invites visitors to explore every surprising inch.
Before deciding on the design of the 8m by 8m wide courtyard, Trumble sat down with the homeowner over lunch to find out what she wanted from the space.
“We started with the idea of a pond and as lunch progressed, the design got more and more grand,” he says.
Trumble both designed and executed the project, which also included a well-positioned sunny conservatory.
“We started with the idea of a pond and as lunch progressed, the design got more and more grand,” he says.
Trumble both designed and executed the project, which also included a well-positioned sunny conservatory.
The elegant lace-work fountains add a unique element of interest as they criss-cross and fall lightly on the water below. A cute two-seater bench, which the homeowner sourced at an antiques store in England, is positioned overlooking the fountain to soak up the view.
The Gardenia Augusta ‘Florida’ seen here is an evergreen plant and produces sweet-smelling white flowers that waft throughout the courtyard. The homeowner loves to arrange flowers and regularly picks the gardenia to display in the house.
PRO TIP: You should have a garden that serves your needs. For example, if you enjoy arranging flowers like this homeowner, you should plant picking flowers throughout your garden such as various species of roses, to always have them on-hand.
The Gardenia Augusta ‘Florida’ seen here is an evergreen plant and produces sweet-smelling white flowers that waft throughout the courtyard. The homeowner loves to arrange flowers and regularly picks the gardenia to display in the house.
PRO TIP: You should have a garden that serves your needs. For example, if you enjoy arranging flowers like this homeowner, you should plant picking flowers throughout your garden such as various species of roses, to always have them on-hand.
The fountain is the centrepiece of the garden and takes over the majority of the space while the patio area and conservatory occupy the 8m by 10m area above.
At night the fountain comes to life with customised lighting. Each of the jets land on individual lights, creating a theatrical feature to look out to from the house.
Trumble chose to use a green and white colour palette for the space, which contrasts beautifully against the slate-coloured backdrop of the lattice fencing and walls. It adds to the drama of the design and creates more uniformity.
Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’
are cut into spirals and punctuate the boundaries of the courtyard.
Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’
are cut into spirals and punctuate the boundaries of the courtyard.
Everything in the garden was added by Trumble, with the exception of the flowering dogwood (Cornus Florida) in the lower corner, which was an original feature of the property. The splash of colour from the pink flowers breaks up the overall symmetry of the design.
The small space was customised to match the homeowner’s personality and needs with an added touch of her pre-loved finds, including these lion statues, putting her stamp on the overall design.
“The space is not practical, but it is really beautiful to look at,” Trumble says. “When I sit down and plan a design with the client, the first thing I ask is, ‘What do you want out of your garden?’ For example, if you want it to be a space for entertaining, make sure there is enough room for a barbecue.”
“The space is not practical, but it is really beautiful to look at,” Trumble says. “When I sit down and plan a design with the client, the first thing I ask is, ‘What do you want out of your garden?’ For example, if you want it to be a space for entertaining, make sure there is enough room for a barbecue.”
The patio provides a small space for the homeowner to entertain guests while still making the main focal point the water feature below.
Although a parterre in a small back garden isn’t a common sight, Trumble’s design showcases that the style doesn’t simply translate to Versailles-scale spaces, but can be adopted into the everyday courtyard.
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Although a parterre in a small back garden isn’t a common sight, Trumble’s design showcases that the style doesn’t simply translate to Versailles-scale spaces, but can be adopted into the everyday courtyard.
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As seen in this picture, a birds-eye view showcases the intricacy of the design. The sharp edges of the box (Buxus) hedges and geometric shape of the fountain depicts the true parterre style and defines the boundaries.