Note: This garden was opened in 2016
This informal ‘garden of rooms’, set on half an acre, is the private garden of landscape designer Sandra McMahon. It flows beautifully around an intriguing passive energy ‘Arts & Crafts Revival’ home, and is designed to provide interest both at different times of day and of year.
In all her work, Sandra designs with an emphasis on the use of plant material for structure, and this garden showcases a very broad range of plants. The garden provides ample opportunity for experimenting with both native Australian and exotic species.
The Australian plant garden at the front is inspired by the landscapes of Victoria’s High Country. This part of the garden leads to a Japanese-inspired stroll garden, incorporating a dry pebble stream and flowing water. An enormous Elm at the rear of the house is underplanted with a range of woodland plants coping well in dry shade.
Other ‘rooms’ in this garden include a border of grasses and perennials, rose garden, vegetable garden and informal Mediterranean-inspired fruit tree grove.
The creation of a seamless transition between these different areas has been of paramount importance in the design of this garden. This is an aspect of garden design which constantly exercises Sandra’s mind.