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Fleming’s Nurseries
The Fleming’s and Trailfinders Australian Garden
Designer: Mark Browning
Sponsor: Fleming’s Nurseries and Trailfinders
Contractor: Kiama Landscapes
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This garden is a relaxed, worldly space that would suit any contemporary city. The colours and textures have been selected to evoke emotions of mystery, romance and tranquillity.
It is practical in its clearly delineated areas, with low-maintenance planting and textured hard surfaces. It features art, a fish tank and pond.
The garden includes several iconic prominent hard landscape elements including a raised, covered platform of Australian bluestone that features built-in seating and a table. A large pond surrounds this area, which faces onto the lawn and is secluded and open at the same time.
The main dissecting feature wall encompasses a vertical fish tank and three steel and glass lighted etchings. This wall presents the opening to the more secluded area of the garden, where texture and colours of stonework in rocks and pavers enhance the colours and form of the soft elements.
Trees are the major feature within this garden, from the striking copse of Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, with its white bark and blue-green leaves, to the dramatic Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple’ and rear hedge of the same plant. Purple foliage is prominent with Fagus, Sambucus, Ophiopogon, Loropetalum, Cotinus and Heuchera. The dark plants provide contrast to the blue and grey tones that dominate the hard landscapes.
Foliage characteristics override floral interest in this garden, with an emphasis on flamboyant tones and textures. The pond includes plants such as Cyperus and indigenous Australian rush species. Dracaena draco is used in the garden at key focal points. They are used as architectural statements and also as treasures of the past.
One of the aims of this garden is to draw awareness to the important role that trees play within the urban environment and illustrate how they can be used successfully in relatively small spaces.