2023 Winners Announced
Today, Australia’s most breathtaking horticultural designs were crowned at the 2023 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show presented by Scotts Osmocote. Marking the official opening of the Show’s 26th iteration, the awards recognised some of the country’s best garden and floral experts and their enchanting works that will be showcased throughout Carlton Gardens and the world-heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building until Sunday 2nd April.
The prestigious City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show was awarded to Charlie Albone of Inspired Exteriors for his Show Garden, “The Container Garden”. A homage to outdoor living featuring two recycled shipping containers and an upstairs terrace, Albone’s display was also recognised with a Gold Show Garden Award and the Horticultural Media Association Award for best use of plant life.
Also receiving Gold Show Garden Awards were “The BAM Stone Garden” designed by renowned landscape architect Peter Donegan from Ireland, and “Aurum” by Darin Bradbury and Scott Wynd of MINT Pool & Landscape Design. “Aurum” was also bestowed with the Mark Bence Construction Award, People’s Choice Award and Innovative Design Award presented by Peugeot
The recipient of the Silver Gilt Show Garden Award was “Consciousness” designed by Nadia Cole of Platylobium Landscape Design, with a four Silver Show Garden Awards presented respectively to “Villa Di Lusso” designed by Renee Reiter of Invidia Landscapes, “Lunaria Pods” designed by Inge Jabara of Inge Jabara Landscapes, “Mindset” designed by Joel Barnett of InStyle Gardens, and “Composition” designed by Christian Jenkins of Christian Jenkins Landscape Design. “Alone, Together” designed by Matt York of Budling Design was presented with the Bronze Show Garden Award.
Showcasing the best of small space horticultural design, first place for the Boutique Garden Award went to Elliot Summers and Alistair Kirkpatrick of Stratis Landscape Architects for their 5m x 5m fire-inspired design titled “Karrikin Garden”. Top spot for the Ryman Healthcare Balcony Garden Award went to “Escape to the Balcony” designed by Rebecca Mitchell for Little Footprint Studios, and first place for the Border Garden Award, went to “Seijaku” designed by Rachael Saulle for Calibre Gardens.
The creativity and skill of tertiary students was recognised in the Achievable Garden Competition with the Award of Excellence going to “Tea in the Woods” designed by Oliver Ashworth-Martin from Melbourne Polytechnic.
In the Visual Display floral category, Matthew Landers, Olivia Coutts of Florals by Pemberley of Malmsbury, and Collectors Corner Garden World tied for the Gold Award. Dayne Robinson of Pinkie Promise taking out top spot for the Floral Display Competition. Giang Truong from Monstera Flowers secured first place in the Shop Window Floral Design Competition. The full list of 2023 award winners can be found below.
SPIRIT OF THE SHOW
Carlton Gardens – Semken Landscaping
Great Hall of Flowers – Peninsula Wildflower
GOLD SHOW GARDEN
The Container Garden designed & constructed by Charlie Albone of Inspired Exteriors
Aurum designed by MINT Landscape Design
BAM Stone designed by Peter Donegan and constructed by Semken Landscaping
SILVER GILT SHOW GARDEN
Conciousness designed by Nadia Cole of Platylobium Landscape Design
SILVER SHOW GARDEN
Villa Di Lusso designed by Invidia Landscapes
Lunaria Pods designed by Inge Jabara
Mindset designed by InStyle Gardens
Composition designed by Christian Jenkins
BRONZE SHOW GARDEN
Alone. Together designed by Budling
HORTICULTURAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION (HMA) AWARD FOR BEST USE OF PLANT LIFE
The Container Garden designed & constructed by Charlie Albone of Inspired Exteriors
MARK BENCE CONSTRUCTION AWARD
Aurum designed by MINT + Landscape Design
INNOVATIVE DESIGN AWARD PRESENTED BY PEUGEOT
Aurum designed by MINT + Landscape Design
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD (SHOW GARDENS)
Aurum designed by MINT + Landscape Design
LANDSCAPING VICTORIA BOUTIQUE GARDEN AWARD
1st Place – Karrikin Garden designed by Elliot Summers and Alistair Kirkpatrick of Stratis Landscape Architects
2nd Place – SLANT designed by Riley Cooper Landscape Design
3rd Place – Tectonic Fluidity designed by Paul Pritchard Landscapes
RYMAN HEALTHCAE BALCONY GARDEN AWARD
1st Place – Escape to the Balcony designed by Rebecca Mitchell for Little Footprint Studios
2nd Place – City Sanctuary designed by Angelina Fox for Porch Envy
3rd Place – Mosman Hideaway designed by Mitchell Kushturian for Exotic Living
BORDER GARDEN COMPETITION
1st Place – Seijaku designed by Rachael Saulle for Calibre Gardens
2nd Place – Urban Wildlife Haven designed by Vivian Scarpari of Vivid Tones Horticulture
3rd Place – An All-Aussie Bush Border designed by Tyler Howard
THE AVENUE OF ACHIEVABLE GARDENS
Award of Excellence – Tea in the Woods designed by Oliver Ashworth-Martin from Melbourne Polytechnic
Best Use of Plant Life – Urban Wild designed by Suzannah Kennett-Lister and Josie Wilson from Swinburne University
Creative Space Award – It’s Not Nothing designed by Pauline Lane from Swinburne University
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD (FLORAL DISPLAY)
Florals by Pemberley of Malmsbury
VISUAL DISPLAY
GOLD VISUAL DISPLAY
Matthew Landers
Olivia Coutts of Florals by Pemberley of Malmsbury
Collectors Corner Garden World
FLORAL DESIGN
GOLD FLORAL DESIGN
Dayne Robinson of Pinkie Promise
SHOP WINDOW FLORAL DESIGN COMPETITION
1st Place – Giang Truong from Monstera Flowers
2nd Place – Eunice Tan from ET Blooms
3rd Place – Ashley & Grace from Judah Rose
ADVANCED STUDENT COMPETITION
1st Place – Imogen Redgrove of Homesglen
2nd Place – Anieka Knevett of Melbourne Polytechnic
3rd Place – Tia Carter of Marjorie Milner College
INTERMEDIATE STUDENT COMPETITION
1st Place – Bridie Conway – The Gordon
2nd Place – Kerry-Anne Fyffe – Marjorie Milner College
3rd Place – Olivia Lee – Marjorie Milner College
OPEN FLORAL COMPETITION
1st Place – Narelle Phillips – Brave Botanics
2nd Place – Sally Taylor – PEPPERBERRY Flora
3rd Place – Susie Portelli – Marjorie Milner College
RETAIL AWARDS
BEST VISUAL DISPLAY (EXHIBITOR)
Drewitts Bulbs
Open Gardens Victoria with Emma Sheppard-Simms
SUSTAINABLE GARDEN PRODUCT OF THE SHOW
Shokunin Store – Ergonomic Slim Offset Handle Secateurs by Toyama Hamono
HANGING BASKET COMPETITION
1st Leana Rose Cox – Ethereal Beauty (Melbourne Polytechnic)
2nd Karina Davison
3rd Emily Joyce – Battle of the Joyce’s WIP
4th Preston Garden Club
5th George Zhuo – Urban Hive (CX Landscape)
6th Peppertree Group 2 – Kevin Heinze Grow
7th Helen Bennett – Esther and James The Fairy Explorers
8th Sarah Taylor – Time for Tea
9th Wendy Furniss – Bee-inspired
10th Jacinta Culhane-Pomponio (Melbourne Polytechnic)
