Paul Pritchard has dedicated three decades to transforming outdoor spaces into breathtaking gardens throughout Melbourne and beyond. His journey in the world of landscape design is marked by a deep-rooted passion for harmoniously blending nature, functionality, and aesthetics, all while customizing each project to cater to the unique desires and requirements of his clients. We are thrilled to welcome Paul back to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, within the Show Garden competition. Check out a sneak peak into his garden, Nostalgia.
Show Garden – Nostalgia
The garden draws inspiration from a nostalgic era, echoing the distinctive style of mid-century Australian residential homes. It aims to capture the spirit of proud homeowners who once dedicated their weekends to crafting gardens that celebrated their personal achievements. This vision is deeply rooted in my family’s tradition of weekend gardening, a practice that was widely shared by others in our aging community, including those now affected by conditions such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
By honoring my family’s legacy and acknowledging the broader community facing these challenges, the garden strives to raise awareness and appreciation for the caregivers and support networks helping individuals navigate these debilitating diseases.
We are privileged to collaborate with Dementia Australia, whose involvement lends significance to our mission. Through the garden’s design and storytelling, we hope to engage viewers and highlight the struggles faced by Dementia patients and their caregivers. The garden’s theme is an eclectic fusion of mid-century Palm Springs charm, blended with a distinctly Australian touch. From the house façade to the carport, every element radiates a bold and welcoming aesthetic, featuring a carefully maintained lawn, inviting pathways, and a cozy front porch leading to the entrance.
Incorporating a variety of features that can be adapted to different home styles, the garden’s plant selection harmonizes with the house’s colors, bringing vivid hues to the beds. Thoughtfully chosen furniture enhances the nostalgic atmosphere, while unique garden accents spark conversations among visitors. The ultimate goal is to create a space that is vibrant and full of life, drawing attention to an important cause that deserves widespread recognition and support.
Pocket Profile
What’s the one element of your show garden you’re most excited for people to see?
I’m genuinely excited for visitors to experience the many captivating elements of the garden. One highlight is the way the design invites people to wander through the space, immersing themselves in its beauty while sparking reflections on their own memories and past experiences. This interactive and emotional connection is something I hope resonates deeply with everyone who visits.
As this is a garden show, I’m particularly thrilled to showcase the vibrant and diverse plant palette we’ve carefully curated. Each plant has been thoughtfully selected to create a stunning visual experience, and their impeccable quality is thanks to the talented teams at Chartwell Nursery and Warners Nursery. Their expertise has truly brought our vision to life, and I’m excited for visitors to see the rich tapestry of colours and textures that define the space.
Ultimately, I hope the garden not only captivates the senses but also evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and connection, making it a truly memorable and meaningful experience for all.
What are your favourite current trends or themes in garden design?
I believe there’s a growing emphasis on the horticultural aspect of garden design, with plant selection playing a crucial role in creating thoughtful and sustainable spaces. As residential spaces in urban areas become smaller and the impacts of climate change become more pressing, green spaces and gardens are increasingly vital. I’ve also noticed a renewed appreciation for using native and indigenous plants, which I fully support. These plants not only reflect the local environment’s unique character but also contribute to biodiversity and resilience in our gardens.
What’s your favourite plant, flower, or feature in this year’s garden, and why?
One of my favourite plants that we are using within the garden is Persicaria amplexicaulis due to its long-lasting blooms, vibrant colours, and textural appeal. The slender flower spikes, in shades of red, pink, or white, provide continuous colour from summer into autumn, while its airy flowers and lush foliage add movement and interest to garden beds. This low-maintenance plant thrives in a variety of conditions, tolerates moist soil, and requires little care once established. It’s also a wildlife-friendly choice, attracting bees and other pollinators, and fits beautifully into naturalistic planting designs, blending effortlessly with ornamental grasses and perennials. I love this plant for its adaptability, ease of growth and the beauty it brings.
What’s a gardening tip or trick you swear by?
Improve your soil and mulch!
Focus on improving your soil health, it’s the foundation of a thriving garden. Regularly add organic matter like compost, well-rotted manure, or leaf mulch to enrich the soil, improve drainage, and boost its ability to retain moisture. Healthy soil supports strong root systems, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, and encourages beneficial microorganisms.
Mulching with organic materials also suppresses weeds, conserves water and regulates soil temperature. Whether you’re growing flowers, vegetables, or shrubs, investing in your soil will pay off with healthier, more resilient plants.
Also……compost! Everyone should have at least 1 compost bin or worm farm (or both). Use your all of your green waste, food scraps, leaves etc. and compost these down to put back into the garden. This will not only improve your soils and water retention, it will also help to lessen the waste into landfill and resources required.
What’s the one tool or piece of equipment you can’t live without?
One of my favourite gardening tools is my battery-powered lawn mower. It’s not only perfect for maintaining my small lawn areas but also doubles as a great tool for garden clean-up. I use it to mulch the green waste generated when cutting back plants, creating finely chopped organic matter. This material is then collected and added to my compost, eventually transforming into nutrient-rich mulch and soil conditioner. It’s an efficient, sustainable way to recycle garden waste and improve soil health.
If you could invite anyone (past or present) to stroll through your show garden, who would it be and why?
I look forward to having my wife, mother and mother in-law walk through my garden with me and wish that my father and father in-law could join us. Sadly, my father passed away in May 2024 and father in-law in 2015. Both passed with the Alzheimer’s disease. This has inspired me to create this garden as I have seen firsthand the incredible people that were present and helped with our families to negotiate this awful and debilitating disease………possibly Monty Don, can this be arranged?
