The Winter Garden

Located in Arthurs Seat on the Mornington Peninsula, Annie and Paul's garden is a great example of how a designer and gardener can work together to create something special. After many years building up the back garden with a mix of perennials and natives, they sought the expertise of Timothy Mitchell to convert their unused tennis court. By repurposing the concrete slab and the chainlink fence, they have proved how using the constraints of existing materials can yield a unique and sustainable outcome.

I had the pleasure of visiting the garden last week for the Global Gardens of Peace fundraiser. Despite the strong easterlies, it was a beautiful evening of garden-lovers gathering to learn and share. You can hear more from Annie on The Sentimental Gardener podcast.

Above: The converted tennis court with concrete wicking beds, a water feature, and phytoremediating plants to improve the soil (sunflowers and cornflowers).

Above: The back garden as it wraps around the house. A riot of colour surviving only on rainwater and the occasional tank water top-up.

Above: The bottom of the slope as the garden meets the paddock. More native plants creep in to complement the existing banksias and make use of the borrowed landscape.

Above: The kitchen garden tucked around the side of the house with gorgeous dahlias.