Creating Your Own Show Garden at Home
Lawn Solutions Australia brand ambassador and Australian Landscaper Charlie Albone shares his secrets to creating the perfect show garden at home.
Creating a show garden is not just about producing something that is breath taking and beautiful, you also need to meet a brief – just like designing a garden for a client in a design business, or simply creating a home garden for yourself.
The Brief
What a lot of people do not understand when you enter a garden show is that you need to tell the judges who the garden is supposed to be for and what you are trying to achieve. For example, the garden might be a family friendly space, an entertainers delight, a chic city courtyard or even a conceptual piece inspired by an experience you have had.
Once you have your brief in place the garden must meet the criteria you have set in every way possible. Like all gardens a great design starts with the layout, placing your spaces throughout the area in a way that gives a usable format with impact and having the correct scale and proportion is the best place to start.
When I designed my second Chelsea Flower Show garden in 2016, I designed a chic city garden with a stylish sunken lawn and this was one of the first spaces I laid out on the design. Former garden selector for the Chelsea flower show, head lecturer for the London College of garden design and a friend of mine, Andrew Fisher Tomlin, once told me “a lawn should never be so small so you cannot lay out on it and enjoy staring up at the sky.” This stuck with me as I started the planning of this garden.
The Details
Once you have a layout you can start thinking about the details – this is often the junctions where materials meet, the layout and pattern in the paving and the selection of the plants. For me the plants are the biggest and most exciting part of any garden be it a home garden or a show garden. In real life a garden is always evolving, as plants grow micro climates change and things come and go with the changes of season. In a show garden the whole planting palette needs to be horticulturally correct at that moment in time and its judged against the brief you put in. This also comes down to the variety of lawn you select – remember it is a plant too!
Lawn Choice
For a family friendly garden, you would want a lawn that is hard wearing, something like DNA certified Sir Walter. For a drought tolerant garden TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is the only grass in the world with a water accreditation approval so it would suit perfectly. For a chic city garden or a luxurious and stylish space Sir Grange Zoysia would be a great choice.
Designing a show garden is also about pushing the boundaries so you can inspire the thousands of people who come to see the garden. As a designer we are always looking for the new ways to turn the standard on its head and with grass this comes in the form of Sir grange Zoysia.
This turf variety is unique in the fact when you mow this grass to a standard backyard height it gives you a manicured fine leaf and stylish appearance but if left unmown it grows to an even 300mm, doesn’t get covered in seed heads where it can look scrappy but instead looks like a vibrant, luscious green native looking feature grass. Having this versatility in a single variety of grass means you can create great impact by leaving the edges and areas around trees wild and deep green and still hitting the mark like a traditional grass where it is mown.
Caring for a show garden is a very different concept to caring for a garden in the real world. Show gardens only last for a maximum of one week where as home gardens are for ever (unless you get bored and change the whole thing!) and this is something that needs to be considered when selecting all your plants and lawn.
When designing your very own Show Garden at home, follow these 5 steps:
1 . Think like a show garden designer by collating a brief for yourself, think about what you are trying to achieve and how you want to use the space.
2 . Draw up a layout of the garden to make sure you are making use of the spaces, that everything has enough room and the interactions between the spaces works – it also means there are no wasted spaces.
3 . Select your materials from the things you love, prioritise the areas that will be used and seen the most and direct your budget to these spots first.
4 . Pick your plants wisely so they succeed for your aspect and climate and this also means get your turf right to suit your theme.
5 . Design for the amount of maintenance you can give your garden as a good looking space is one that is well looked after.
Floral Workshops at Home
For those who were looking forward to our Floral workshops at the Show this year, Melbourne Flower School has launched online workshops that you can do from the comfort of your own home!
Each pack is delivered to your door and comes with seasonal blooms, a tool pack, instructions and a link to the scheduled Zoom class.
Learn to perfect the posy or recreate our garden bowl – brighten up a space in your home or create a gift for Mother’s Day!
#RediscoverYourGarden with NGIV
Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria have just launched their Rediscover Your Garden campaign. They’re bringing growers, nurseries, retailers and gardeners together to educate an audience that is new to gardening. There is a lot of buzz around gardening right now and they want to help satisfy the thirst for knowledge from those who are getting familiar with seeds, spades and soil for the first time.
Experts will be covering everything from how to create a herb garden to caring for your cyclamens. And look out for some famous faces.
They want to help you succeed and turn your enthusiasm into a lifelong passion. So they’re sharing short video tips from the industry experts, offering up their top gardening tips. The things they wished someone had told you when you were getting started. You can #RediscoverYourGarden on their Facebook page – helping turn budding gardeners into lifelong fanatics.
Here’s a taste of the gardening tips from industry experts that they’ll be sharing!
Trevor Bullen of Bullen’s Wholesale Nursery gives us his top tips to care for Cyclamens. #rediscoveryourbackgarden
Staying at home DIY: How to install an instant lawn
Lawn Solutions Australia is dedicated to helping you grow and maintain a sustainable lawn. Your lawn is a safe space, where you can focus on health and wellbeing with your family. Lawns are the perfect place for exercise, gardening or simply for some space and fresh air.
If you are looking to install a new lawn or repair an existing one, the team at Lawn Solutions Australia have an easy to follow step-by-step guide to show you how it’s done. While laying out the turf itself is an easy job, you’ll get best results if you spend some time measuring your lawn area correctly, preparing the area and follow our tips to get your lawn well established afterwards.
With a national network of turf suppliers offering ‘contactless delivery’ there couldn’t be a better time to spruce up your outside space with a new lawn
Let’s Show Our Support
Today marks what would have been Opening Day of the 2020 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. There’s no denying it, it would have been a glorious day out there today in the Carlton Gardens & Royal Exhibition Building, & even though the physical Show can’t go on, there is still so much to celebrate!
Our amazing line up of retail exhibitors continue to work hard behind the scenes to bring some incredible products & offers to our Show community. Show them your support, have a browse through their deals & offerings below to grab a bargain for your backyard.
The Show was set to host some of Australia’s top talent in floristry, proudly showcasing their remarkable talent. Many of which have online stores where you can order a bunch of flowers to brighten your, or your friends, day! Check out the exhibitor list from C01 – C48 to find your local florist & arrange that special delivery today.
The Best
A blend of the inspirational and the informative, The Best is a trusted source for everyone who loves their garden. Discover the importance of using a registered Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers member and the services that they provide in landscape design, construction and maintenance, along with the latest product trends from Landscaping Victoria supplier partners.
40% OFF Lemon + Orange Fruit Salad Trees
Melbourne Flower Show VIP Special! Hurry, offer ends 19 April 2020
Grow Meyer Lemons for the majority of the year alongside your choice of Summer Oranges (Valencia) or Winter (Washington Navel Oranges or Blood Oranges).
They are the perfect size for in the ground or pots, and now is the perfect
time to plant!
Use promocode: MELBOURNESHOWVIP which enables you to receive
40% off Lemon + Orange Fruit Salad Trees. Fruit Salad Trees make
perfect gifts for friends and family. Why not gift some to your friends?
Plus, you’ll then have the option to sign up to receive regular tree care
reminders and tips from our nursery team.
The Show Must Go On!
Despite the show being cancelled The Diggers Club’s dedicated events team made the decision to build their display garden remotely to share with disappointed ticket holders. The garden features the Diggers Mini Plot vegetable garden packed with the very best heirloom varieties and a stunning ornamental perennial display as well as their legendary pumpkins. During the five days the show would have run (Wednesday 25 March – Sunday 29 March), The Diggers Club are sharing elements of their garden, inspiration and tips and tricks from edible and ornamental experts on their website, Instagram and Facebook. Follow to join the conversation.
Gardening is not cancelled.
Your local Independent Garden Centres are still able to trade. They are doing all they can to remain open and with plenty of great stock, now is the time to “Discover your own Backyard”.
To ensure safety for both staff and customers many have been thinking outside the square with some great initiatives. Kerb side pick-ups, home delivery, contactless advice (instore, online or by phone) are just some of the ways Independent Garden Centres continue to provide the service they are known and loved for.
2020 has been one of the toughest years in our history and it’s heartening to know that when it gets tough, we can all work together and support one another. Plants and Gardens are Proven Therapy for Body and Mind so now more than ever it’s time to Discover your own Back yard.
Please stay healthy and support local businesses and enjoy your garden.
MOUNTAIN Gin Distilling are giving 25% off
Use coupon code ‘ENJOY25’ for 25% off MOUNTAIN Gin 500mL bottles and MOUNTAIN Gin+Tonic Cans 24x330mL
20% Discount and Free Shipping from The Prosecco Van
The Prosecco Van’s elegant little 3 wheeled converted mobile bar may have had to park up and switch off it’s engine for the moment, but that doesn’t mean the bubbles have to stop flowing. You can enjoy their Italian prosecco in the comfort of your own home when you purchase their delicious Italian prosecco by the bottle. Whether it be for yourself, or purchased as a gift, the minimalistic, yet elegantly designed bottle will be sure to impress all. For the month of April, they are offering a 20% discount & free shipping on a case of prosecco!
Friends of The Arboretum – Join Today!
The Melbourne Arboretum are thrilled to announce the launch of Friends of the Arboretum.
Our planet needs us. How can YOU make a difference? Become a friend! Friends of the Arboretum work together to ensure a positive and sustainable future for the earth by:
- Supporting the trees of the Melbourne Arboretum- Aiding the preservation and research of many important Eucalyptus species and helping educate others on the importance of trees
- Contributing to the growth of this project during its crucial development phase.
You will also:
- Be kept informed about special events and guided tours
- Receive VIP Member Benefits and an exclusive Value Code for our online store
www.lepinparasol.com is Open for Business!
A new tablecloth may be just what you need to brighten your space while on lockdown and welcome your future guests for a big party at the end of this stressful episode!
Table linen are also great presents for Mothers’ Day, birthdays, Christmas presents …
Take advantage (and tell your friends!) of the show specials which will remain valid until 15th April:
- 10% discount on all floral designs: tablecloths, placemats, napkins and bread baskets …
- Free postage on all orders over $100
- All orders over $100 will also receive a $10 credit to be used for future purchases
Start a Native Plant Project with our Plant Boxes delivered to your door
Visit Native Plant Project’s e-nursery, pick from over 60 different native varieties to create a box to suit your garden of either 4,8 or 16 tube stock plants.
Grown with love, packed with care and sent to you with planting guide. From $49.95.
Special offer for Melbourne Flower & Garden Show – 10% off. Enter Code: MIFGS at check out.
Order online at www.nativeplantproject.com.au – inspiring you to celebrate Australian flora.
20% off Secateurs and Free Freight on orders over $100
2WP Garden Tools have attended every Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) since it began in 1995. We are devastated that MIFGS could not proceed in its 25th year, and we will miss all the fun and smiling faces we have experienced over the last 24 years.
As it is the first time in 25 years we will not be able to attend, we want to
share an unbelievable 25th anniversary offer that we have never offered
before. We are
offering 20% off our secateurs
and free freight on orders over $100 (excluding freight) until midnight Thursday 2nd April. Please share
with your friends and family.
If you need assistance with servicing your 2WP tools please make contact with us.
Garden Express New Autumn Catalogue Out Now
One great thing about Autumn is our Rose catalogue, and this year’s offerings are extremely exciting! Amongst other new release roses, we have a whole new range of beautifully fragrant roses, the Award Winning “Parfuma” Range. These have been selected for outstanding fragrance and flower shape and we are sure they will be very popular.
Of course we still have our usual old favourites as no rose garden would be complete without Iceberg, Mr Lincoln, Peace or Just Joey, but equally so, there are so many other outstanding roses it’s a huge job to narrow them down to the selection we have here. Rest assured, every rose included in our catalogue has the potential to become a new ‘old favourite’ as they are all just so gorgeous.
Other highlights of this catalogue are the first of the Produce plants for the cooler months; and of course, a wonderful selection of really lovely shrubs and other beautiful plants. Now is the perfect time to rejuvenate your garden and get planting with all of these as the soil is still warm and the real heat for the season is easing so establishing new plants in the garden is much easier.
As always, we hope you enjoy our Autumn catalogue as much as we enjoy sourcing the new plants to feature in it, and above all else, Happy Gardening!
SHOP ONLINE NOW AT WWW.GARDENEXPRESS.COM.AU
If you can’t get online the lovely ladies in customer service are also available to take calls on 1300 606 242
Gecko Decko are offering Free Delivery
London College of Garden Design wants you to Embrace Your Garden
LCGD recently ran a competition with the winners due to be creating their planting design exhibits this week at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. At LCGD, we are committed to supporting new designer talent through planting design both in Australia and the UK and so the competition hasn’t been cancelled, it’s just been taken online with our new International Garden Show. Over the next few weeks we hope to share these creations being made by designers in their own gardens and backyards.
You can also get involved!
If you can safely get out into an open space and create a new planting design, whether it’s your own garden or a community space we want to hear from you. Even if you can’t get outside we want to see what you have designed on paper. There’s even a photography category.
2020 ROCKLEY FLOWER FOTO AWARDS by Focus Force Kids With Cameras – Winners Announced
We’ll be adding to this page regularly so check back again soon to see what else is on offer…
Creating A Veggie Garden From Scratch With The Diggers Club
Now is the perfect time to build that veggie patch you’ve always dreamed of. Get outside, get dirty & grow your own! Check out the basics below provided by The Diggers Club:
LOCATION
Ideally you should site your vegie garden in an area of full sun, although cane fruits, brassicas and perennial vegetables will all tolerate some shade where a site is only partially in the sun. It makes good sense to site your vegie garden near the house, the shortest walk possible encourages regular visits, even in bad weather, to harvest crops, check on progress and do a bit of regular maintenance.
You will need to have easy access to a water supply, edible plants need regular watering. Whatever shape or size you make your beds will depend on the amount of room available, but it advisable to have them no more than 1.2m wide, so you can comfortably reach the crops from either side of the bed without having to stand on the soil, causing compaction.
Allow room for compost bins, home made compost really is a fantastic way of recycling your kitchen scraps and garden waste into a highly prized resource.
SOIL
Healthy soil is the most important element of a vegie garden if it is to be successful. As food is harvested, we take nutrients from the plants, and from the soil, it is vital that we replace this on a continual cycle.
Soil texture is classified into 5 main groups, clay, sand, silt, chalk and peat. Each has its own merits and disadvantages, but all types will benefit greatly from the addition of organic matter, both incorporated into the soil such as home made compost or well rotted animal manures as well as mulches such as lucerne or sugar cane mulch.
Also essential for soil fertility are the wide range of organisms that live in it, beneficial fungi, bacteria, microscopic insects and visible ones, like earthworms and beetles. All these organisms break down the organic matter to produce humus, a dark coloured, sticky substance that builds good soil structure, helps retain water and stores and releases nutrients.
NUTRIENTS
The three major nutrients required by plants are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). You will see these letters on fertiliser packaging, followed by the percentage of each nutrient. Nitrogen is essential for green, leafy growth. Phosphorus is necessary for the chemical reactions in plants that stimulate cell division, so promotes growth of healthy roots and shoots.
Potassium is essential for plant metabolism, promoting strong, hardy growth, disease resistance and good colour and flavour to fruit and veg. Magnesium, calcium and sulphur have essential roles, but are required in much smaller quantities. There are also essential trace elements, or micronutrients, required in even smaller quantities; the most important of these are iron, manganese, copper, molybdenum, boron, chlorine and zinc.
WHAT TO GROW
When it comes to deciding what to grow, the world really is your oyster, but there are a few things you should consider when making your choices. If space is limited, growing crops such as potatoes and cabbages, might not be the best use of space as these plants take up a lot of room for a long time and are fairly cheap to buy. It may be more beneficial to grow crops that would be expensive at the shop, such as capsicums, salads (particularly baby leaf gourmet mixes), beans and soft fruits.
Growing hard to find crops too, such as heirloom tomatoes, golden beetroot and multi coloured carrots are also worth considering. Grow what you like to eat! It may sound obvious, but so many people grow things that they don’t love, or they grow so many of one thing that they end up with a glut. Instead of sowing a whole tray of seeds in one go, such as lettuce, only sow 10 seeds, but sow them every week, this way, you’ll have a succession of harvesting, which you’ll be able to keep up with in the kitchen.
Freezing and storage capabilities of crops are important, peas, beans, blackberries, raspberries and currants all freeze beautifully, so can be planted in abundance. Potatoes, onions and pumpkins all dry store well, while root vegetables all sit quite happily in the garden until you’re ready to harvest them, but make sure you catch them before the run to seed or they will become woody.
Important information regarding the 2020 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Due to recent guidance from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) in light of the evolving COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation which advises against non-essential, organised public gatherings of more than 500 people, we regret to share the 2020 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show presented by Lawn Solutions Australia has been cancelled.
This decision was made after careful consideration, with the health and safety of everyone involved remaining our top priority.
Please be assured we are working with our ticketing partners to ensure ticket purchases are refunded to you as soon as possible. We thank you for your support and patience.
Please direct any questions to [email protected].
DELIGHT Your Senses With Our Floral Wonderland
Teams of floral designers, florists and flower enthusiasts including a number of Gold award winning designers from years past will transform the Royal Exhibition Building into the Great Hall of Flowers, filling the interior of the building with dozens of stunning installations to inspire.
An extraordinary lineup of past visionary Gold Floral Design award winners have been invited back to join the 2020 Show celebrations, including: Pinkie Promise, Australian Association of Floral Designers, Matthew Landers, Melbourne Flower School, Collectors Corner, Holmesglen Institute, Exzibit Design and Melbourne’s beloved floral institution, Flowers Vasette X Chyka.
Great Hall of Flowers
The Great Hall of Flowers features a glorious and vibrant exhibition from Victoria’s leading florists and floral designers. Be sure to check out the Fresh Flower Market by Flowers Victoria at site C45 where people can buy fresh blooms direct from our Growers.
Flowers Vasette X Chyka
Visit site C09 & 10 to see Melbourne’s largest floral events business, Flowers Vasette, celebrate their 30th anniversary at the Show with a special collaboration alongside Melbourne’s premier event expert, Chyka Keebaugh. Alongside a global community of florists, Flower Vasette will present Bloom Aid, an activation created by a group of passionate and dedicated florists to raise funds to assist the recovery activity needed to regenerate the native flora and habitats devastated by the Australian bushfires.
Wedding Floral Showcase
Brides and grooms-to-be will be enthralled by the designs and dresses at this year’s Wedding Floral Showcase at site C38. Bigger and better than ever, this year’s exhibit will give designers the chance to showcase the latest and greatest wedding floral design trends with some of the pieces also featuring on the Main Stage during the floral-inspired fashion runway show on at 12.15pm Saturday 28 March.
Victorian Flower Growers Wall
Local Flower Growers will work in collaboration to create the stunning Victorian Growers Wall, a visual floral feast as you enter the Royal Exhibition Building, site C44. Proudly supported by Monbulk Rural, the Floral Wall will highlight the incredible range of abundant florals available right here on our doorstep.
Floral Workshops
We have a great range of hands-on Workshops for visitors to book into this year, on every day of the Show, including creating your own floral & foliage table centerpiece with Melbourne Flower School, wearable florals with internationally acclaimed Flowers by Julia Rose, Kokedama making with Botanical Workshops, floral clip workshops by Chrysco Flowers and more.
RMIT Floral Fashion
Each year RMIT Fashion Design students are given a theme on which to base their amazing and creative plant-based designs. The RMIT Floral Fashion competition forms part of the students’ curriculum for their third year of study, as part of a design studio in which they explore exhibition as a mode for contemporary fashion enterprise. These designs will be displayed in the Great Hall of Flowers across the five days of the Show at site C27.
The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show returns to the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens on the 25 – 29 March
Gourmet Bites, Botanicals & Bubbly Under The Night Sky
GARDENS BY TWILIGHT, FRIDAY 27 MARCH
For one night only this autumn, Carlton Gardens and the Royal Exhibition Building will transform into a sprawling twilight wonderland as the sun sets on the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show presented by Lawn Solutions Australia, Friday 27 March.
Until 9pm, city dwellers can wander the extensive grounds and witness some of the best landscape and floral designs the country has to offer under a whole new ambience at Gardens by Twilight. With an indulgent offering of tasty gourmet food and delicious botanical beverages, the 25th anniversary of the southern hemisphere’s largest horticultural event has Friday night plans sorted.
In an exciting first, night owls can seek out the all-new Gin Garden hidden amongst a forest of flora. Inside, attendees can sip a selection of award-winning Mountain Gin inspired by locally foraged botanicals from the Macedon region such as pepper berries, aromatic orange, lemon myrtle, juniper and coriander. Upping the ante on the classic G&T, the Mountain Gin pop-up bar will provide a delicious menu of cocktails and mixed beverages to suit all palettes.
Made from sustainable materials including recycled wood, The Garden’s edgy design and spacious seating area will provide the perfect hideaway for visitors to soak up the spectacle of the Show under the twilight sky. Guests can savour the taste with Mountain Distilling’s finest collectables available for purchase at the pop-up retail store.
In addition to their signature flute of bubbly, The Prosecco Van will offer a smooth espresso martini blend exclusive to Twilight attendees. Those in search of something a little lighter can select a range of tasty pale ales and draughts from Holgate Brewhouse.
Making his Show debut, local singer/songwriter and triple j Unearthed artist, Harrison Storm, will treat guests to an intimate and captivating performance on the entertainment stage, nestled within the gardens from 7:30pm.
Inside the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Flower School will offer a ticketed evening floral design workshop at 6pm. Award-winning floral displays, a fresh Flower Market and floral fashions designed by RMIT students will fill the halls, as hundreds of exquisite original artworks line the upper gallery level; all available for purchase.
For less than $32, ticket holders can experience everything the day program has to offer in a whole new light with the added bonus of exclusive evening entertainment from stilt walkers, fire artists and LED hoop artists. Stroll through life-size sculptures from hundreds of Australian artists inside the revamped Arts & Sculpture Precinct; taste heirloom veggies, fruits and delicious jams at The Diggers Club; pat trained pups at the Guide Dogs Victoria tactile garden; and chat with some of the best floral and landscape designers in the country.
Whether its date night, after-work drinks, an overdue catch-up with friends or an excuse to get out and about, Gardens by Twilight will be a night to remember, no matter the occasion.
Date: Gardens by Twilight, Friday 27 March until 9pm
Venue: Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, Melbourne
Naturally Balanced, Bringing Nature Indoors
The decisions we make every day can have huge impacts on the quality of our lives. We believe that identifying what truly matters is the key to happiness. Quality, aesthetics and functionality are important values, Iittala believes in interior and object design that lasts a lifetime. As a Nordic brand, Iittala has always had a deep and close connection to nature, representing a lifestyle of wellbeing and balance of the essential through new inspiration and experiences – seeking to get the best out of life.
In 2020, we evoke our senses by bringing nature into our homes. We seek balance with nature to find harmony with ourselves. We become naturally balanced.
Humans are attuned to nature, gardening is found to be grounding and soothing which is good for wellbeing and mental health.
The sensory elements that nature can bring indoors have immeasurable benefits;
- Foliage can be used for screens and clever usage can create privacy for comfort zones or for more focused-work areas
- Soften industrial looking spaces and hard-edges throughout interiors with plants in a functional yet natural way
- Further immerse your senses by bringing plants to a close range to increase the positive effects – take in the colours and textures as well as the scents
- You can experiment with herbs, flowers, living plants, dried flowers or branches.
- Pots in different sizes and shapes create an eclectic feel.
This year, discover how nature provides balance and wellbeing through Iittala’s new collections in home and giftware.
By choosing Iittala you choose thoughtful design in keeping with the ever-changing nature of life, from year to year, generation to generation.
Visit us at Stand 48, near High Tea inside Royal Exhibition Building
- Experience why Iittala is the Official Homewares Partner of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.
- Enter to WIN $1000 of Iittala Homewares.
- Be immersed in a creative environment
Featuring Sunday only, at the Stand
11:00am Iittala and Designers
1:30pm Glassblowing
3:00pm How-to get the most out of your vase and plant pot
Featuring Sunday, Main Stage 11:45am
Naturally Balanced: Bringing nature indoors has immeasurable benefits for your interior and wellbeing
Official Homewares Partner
