In 2013, a team of gardeners that included landscape designer Phillip Johnson and horticulturalist Wes Fleming became the first Aussies to take out the prestigious Best in Show Award at the Chelsea Garden Show with a display patriotically titled, ‘Australian Garden’.
Now, ten years later, that initial landscape concept has bloomed into a real-life, permanent garden that is 20 times bigger than the original. Chelsea Australian Garden is located within the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden on Wurundjeri Country, and features an enormous waratah sculpture (which stands at nine metres tall), a waterfall, billabong and more than 15,000 plants – including more than 400 native Australian species and endangered varieties like the Wollemi Pine.
The garden has transformed a formerly unused grassy section of the Olinda Golf Course into a rich biodiverse habitat where both native plants and wildlife can thrive – be sure to keep an eye out for the many frogs, birds and insects that call the site home. There are winding paths, spacious lawn areas (picnic, anyone?) and spectacular vistas that you’ll want to grab your camera for.
Most importantly, the garden also boasts a sustainable and water-wise design, a bushfire protection system and solar power. Many of the man-made structures have been crafted using recycled and reclaimed materials, such as the seating which was built in partnership with the Dandenong Ranges Storm Recovery Program.
The Chelsea Australian Garden is open seven days a week. For more information, head to the website.
