Outdoor Design Issue #39 2020

Welcome to the summer edition of Outdoor Design, a magazine dedicated to celebrating the art of great landscape design — and to showcasing the work of this country’s leading landscape architects, designers and landscapers. The landscape designers you will find within these pages are some of Australia’s most innovative design professionals, many of them award-winners. While winning an award isn’t the only indicator of whether a designer has the right stuff, it does tell you that one of the country’s peak professional bodies has judged their work to be of exemplary standard. Every year, the Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers (AILDM), the national professional body for landscape designers, holds the AILDM National Landscape Design Awards. The aim is to recognise the very best landscape designs and projects from…

There are two keys to creating a successful garden: a clearly defined, well balanced structure and the generous use of a select number of materials, shapes and colours. The proof of this philosophy can be found in the pleasingly proportioned outdoor spaces that wrap around this newly built home on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. The design brief given to Justin Dibble at Fluid Design was to create a modern yet classic, stylish yet relaxed vibe for the pool and garden areas. Equally important was establishing a seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces. Justin’s clean-lined, contemporary design is both stylish and family friendly. Throughout, the emphasis is on quality finishes and the use of greenery to soften the hard scaping elements. With the design finalised, the exterior works were undertaken by Jason…

To be considered a design success, a garden must have a true sense of connection. It must be in harmony with the architecture of the house and its broader surrounds yet still convey something about the unique personality of the residents. Most importantly, it must meet the owners’ lifestyle needs, not just now but well into the future. Dean Herald of Rolling Stone Landscapes took all of this, and a great deal more, into consideration when designing this outdoor retreat. Explains Dean, “The brief from the homeowners was to provide a family-friendly entertaining area with space for outdoor cooking, dining and lounging — and it was essential it cater for the needs of all ages, including the owners’ young grandchildren. “Due to the change in levels in the back garden,…

When did you make your start? After leaving school at 15 I started my training in landscape construction, drawn to the industry by my love of the outdoors. Soon, I developed a keen interest in architecture and the use of space. By 19 I had started my own company which allowed me to develop my skills in design and construction. What is your design philosophy? I often say that each landscape project has three clients. Firstly, there is the actual client who brings with them a personal brief and set of preferences; then there is the architecture, which has a voice and needs to be considered and respected. Lastly, there is the environment. This includes everything from the fall of the land, which affects drainage, to the aspect, which determines…

With work already underway on the clients’ new home, Tom Fritsch, director of Vividgreen Landscapes, was called in to design a garden that would complement the scale, architectural style and finish of the contemporary two-storey abode. The owners sought a structured garden; one that would look good from every angle and require scant maintenance. What Tom delivered was an elegant garden with a modern formal feel, a simple, logical layout and well-proportioned spaces, the view of which can be appreciated from both inside and outside of the home. “I kept the lines clean and the number of hard surface materials to a minimum so the planting palette, with its mix of contrasting textures, shapes and colours would be the main point of interest,” explains Tom. “That said, it was important…

What drew you to landscaping? I grew up surrounded by passionate gardeners and that inspired me to pursue a landscaping career. After school, I had to decide between studying landscape architecture and jumping straight into a practical landscape construction apprenticeship. I chose to work for some of Melbourne’s leading landscape companies as an apprentice, garnering invaluable knowledge. During my 15 years in the industry, 10 of which have been under my own banner, I have also achieved a design certificate and extensive project management and estimating experience. How do you define good design? A well designed garden should be functional and well balanced with a simple yet contrasting combination of materials, textures and planting. And it should create different areas of interest that can be appreciated every day and from…