Sam Egan, Kew East

Far too often, large blocks of land in Melbourne give way to large houses. Mansard House in Kew, circa 1970’s, is an exception.
Our involvement started after building works had commenced. We worked on a landscape design for our clients that needed to address specific requirements, being:
• A garden that invited people in & encouraged them to wander through
• Connection to the surrounding parklands & street, rather than being closed off
• Space for parties for the large extended family
• Visual & seasonal interest in the garden
• A refuge that was the right proportions for people so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by its vastness but rather a sense of calm
A significant amount of work was carried out initially to achieve the gentle grading on site, to drain it properly, as it’s a flood zone, and to avoid the root systems of some very significant trees. These established trees provided scale, so we focused on the middle to lower planting. To provide balance to the hard surfaces, we allowed the planting to creep in as much as possible and creating curves assisted with this softening.
Our lovely clients are quite involved with their garden and its maintenance and will often assist our gardeners during our regular visits.