Phillip Withers

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW WINNER 2017

Multi-award-winning design firm Phillip Withers with the support of presenting partner, Yarra Valley Water will showcase Victoria’s iconic coastline and the importance of water conservation in their 2020 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show landscape, “It’s Our Time”.

The zero-waste garden will see over 3,000 native plants from across Victoria’s west coast, primarily from the Otway and Warrnambool plains and Otway ranges, used to celebrate the importance of locality, encourage biodiversity, promote water conservation and the ecological role it plays in maintaining the quality of our soil, water and air. Firm Director and sustainability advocate Phillip Withers said inspiration for ‘It’s Our Time’ stemmed from the firm’s strong belief that now, more than ever, we must work with nature and not against it.

“As more than half of the state’s vegetation has been cleared since European settlement and we face the reality of climate change, we want to champion the use of our local nature for future development and ensure we move forward with a conscience,” – Phillip Withers.

“Uniquely Victorian, ‘It’s Our Time’ will highlight the use of native vegetation to reduce our impact on the state’s precious water supply, a key priority for Yarra Valley Water”, said Managing Director Pat McCafferty.

“Yarra Valley Water is proud to support Phillip Withers to encourage sustainable planting and celebrate Australia’s native vegetation.

As our climate gets hotter and drier, our need to conserve water increases which is why these concepts are so vital,” said Pat McCafferty, Yarra Valley Water Managing Director.

2020 will mark Phillip Withers’ sixth appearance at the Southern Hemisphere’s largest garden show. In line with the 25th anniversary of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, and as a previous winner of the ‘Award of Excellence for Best in Show’, Phillip Withers have been invited to design an honorary landscape, exhibiting alongside the ‘Best of the Best’.

‘It’s Our Time’ is the unique vision by Phillip Withers landscape designers, architects and horticulturalists who alongside many industry collaborators will create the 250sqm landscape over 11 days contributing over 300 hours to the concept and build.

Beloved native flora Common Heath, Epacris impressa, the sculptural Moonah tree, Melaleuca lanceolata and Xanthorrhoea johnsonii are just a few of the iconic plant life, remnant to the region that will feature in the landscape in addition to marsupial habitat plants Banksia marginata and Rice flower Pimelia humilis – some of Australia’s most magnificent plant life.

See Phillip Withers, as well as several other Best In Show designers all coming together for the 25th Anniversary of the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.