Joel Barnett – Pocket Profile
What can you tell us about your garden at the Show?
The overall message behind the garden is the power of a positive mindset and seeing the beautiful things in life rather than focusing on the negatives. The majority of the garden if full of beautiful soft, deep garden beds surrounding three different areas for you to be outside and enjoying life’s beauty! There’s an undercover entertaining area complete with fireplace reflection pond, bbq, fridge and dining space. There’s the lawn combined with the projector where the family can sit on the lawn and watch a movie together. And there’s even an outdoor bathroom with a bath, shower/feature and vanity, to really get people outside as much as possible! These areas are all about getting outside and enjoying life, and focusing on the positive things in life. Around the back of the garden is a darker, more negative area, full of dark foliaged plants to symbolise the negative things in life and to show that, while they do exist, there are far more positive things and experiences in life, especially when that’s what you’re focusing on.
http://www.instylegardens.com.au//
What are you most excited to see at the show this year?
I’m most excited, as always, to see the people at the show. Being a spectator at the show last year, I was blown away with the feeling of love and joy I had just by being back at an event I adore so much, around THE greatest people in the industry. The designers, builders, stall holders, organisers. It’s honestly such an amazing feeling being here, and a really special event to be a part of. I’m extremely grateful at getting to be involved.
What is your favourite current industry trend?
As you’ll see from my garden, I’m loving balls! Plants shaped into balls like the Buxus and Teucrium, Concrete Balls as a feature, paving cut into circles, round concrete steppers, curved planters. It’s amazing how many different topiary plant varieties are emerging and how well the softens of a plant works together with a concrete ball.
What sustainable practices have you seen highlighted in the industry at the moment?
I heard a fella on The Landscaping Victoria podcast recently and was fascinated to hear how much can be done to reduce landfill and recycle so many products. It’s great to see more people actually caring about the waste on a site and this was really evident last year with the Robert Boyle/Warners Garden which had zero waste. I’ve designed and specifically selected plenty of elements in my garden this year to be re-used in the future.
Fast Five
Favourite Flower/Plant Frangipani?
The flower, the form, the fragrance!
Pineapple on a pizza?
It’s perfection on EVERY pizza
Gardening Gloves or Bare Hands?
Nature gave me gloves, also known as calluses. Bare Hands
Favourite Season?
Summer. The hotter the better
Foliage or Flora?
Foliage – I want things always looking amazing
