Enid’s Garden

A gray cat sitting beside a stone water basin in a garden with lush green plants and trees, and a backdrop of dried vines and a bamboo fence.
Close-up of green bamboo leaves and stems against a clear sky.
A small garden with various green plants, a stone well, and decorative items, including a small figurine of a girl, surrounded by pebbles and stone pathways.
A garden scene with lush green leaves and plants surrounding a dropped used syringe on the ground.
A small, lush garden with stone pathways, various green plants, bushes, trees, and a stone water basin with a bamboo water feature.
A small fern growing amidst thick, green moss on a forest floor, with blurred dark soil and foliage in the background.

We packed a lot into this small Japanese-inspired courtyard, small in size but rich in detail.  

Every element was carefully considered. The original red bricks were kept for their warmth and texture while the existing shed was transformed. Its timber was carefully charred to help it dissolve into the background.

The existing roller door was celebrated with a bold burnt- orange coat of paint to contrast with the overlapping bamboo curtain. Through the seasons, Japanese maples will blaze in Autumn and layered plantings will offer texture, colour and scent.

A carefully positioned rock is a perfect seat to capture the sun, for our clients or Enid the cat.

Footscray

A small, round wooden sauna with glass door is situated among lush greenery and flowering plants in a backyard or garden setting. Path stones lead to the sauna.
Footscray-12.jpg
Close-up of lush green grass with tall and short blades, some patches more dense than others.
A garden with lush green bushes and plants, a wooden fence, and a pathway, with trees and houses in the background.
Close-up of green maple leaves with a clear blue sky in the background.
A concrete pathway with grass growing in the shapes of a watering can and a watering can handle, surrounded by green plants and leaves.
A lush garden with various green plants and bushes, enclosed by a beige wooden fence, under a clear sky.
An outdoor shower with a copper pipe and a rain showerhead, surrounded by green leafy vines, against a blue sky background.
View of a backyard garden with various green shrubs and plants, a wooden deck on the right, and a black wooden fence with a neighboring house and trees in the background, illuminated by sunlight.
A lush garden path surrounded by various green plants and shrubs, with stepping stones and a black metal handrail visible.

Our brief for the Footscray project was to create a lush, green tropical garden that would soften and complement a modern addition to a charming 1920s double-fronted home. Designed for relaxation, the rear garden unfolds in two distinct areas, separated by the footprint of the house but visually connected through large windows that frame the views.

On one side, a private retreat is forming complete with a sauna, outdoor shower, and a future bamboo 'shower curtain' for privacy. Bluestone crazy paving provides a practical and beautiful path from the house to this spa-like zone.

On the other side, a soft Zoysia lawn invites you to stretch out and listen to the gentle flow of water in the pond. A green screen of bamboo ties both gardens together, creating a cohesive backdrop of calming green.

The front garden offers something entirely different. A native bird-friendly planting palette designed in a loose cottage style. It provides privacy from the street while feeding local birds and insects. Bluestone stepping stones allow for easy vehicle access and maintain a simple, natural rhythm.

Brunswick East

A small outdoor patio area with a brick wall, a garden bed with green plants, a wooden bench, a fire pit, and a partially open wooden gate leading to a paved area.
A cozy outdoor patio features a small wooden deck area with a tree, potted plants, a wooden bench, a table, and a stool, enclosed by a wooden fence and privacy panels, with greenery visible.
A variety of lush green plants and purple flowers in a garden bed with a sky and clouds in the background and part of a metal structure on the right.
Rusty metal storage cabinet beside a small flowering tree and a wooden deck with stairs leading to a house with open door and white siding.
An outdoor garden area featuring a brick wall with greenery, a wooden gate, and trees with green leaves. There are potted plants with white flowers, a wooden bench, and a small firepit.
A backyard patio featuring wooden stairs leading into a house with an open glass door. There is a metal fire pit on the brick ground and a wooden bench attached to a garden bed with green foliage. Inside the house, a dining table with black and white
A wooden patio with potted plants and outdoor furniture, adjacent to a house with white siding. There are stairs leading down from the patio, and a wooden privacy fence with trees and a blue sky in the background.
View of a backyard patio with wooden decking, a small tree, potted plants, and a wooden fence with a gate, seen from inside a house through an open door.

We worked closely with our clients to design a practical and versatile courtyard to make the most of a compact space.

Though small, the garden is perfect for entertaining with brick paving, timber decking and an inbuilt timber seat to maximise function.

A productive garden sits neatly atop a custom Corten steel storage shed, designed in collaboration with Lump Sculpture Studio. The rear timber gate opens onto a laneway and is framed by a recycled red brick fence creating a textured, natural backdrop that grounds the garden in its inner-urban setting.

Recycled materials were central to the design, particularly the use of reclaimed bricks, which bring warmth and character to the space.

The planting palette is pared-back and elegant, chosen to meet the client’s needs and provide a low-maintenance, timeless garden.

Alphington

Modern black wooden house with large glass windows, silver stairs, and outdoor seating, surrounded by green trees and plants.
A young tree with green leaves growing in a narrow vertical space between black wooden walls, with a clear sky overhead.
Indoor scene with large green fern plant inside a glass enclosure near a wooden wall and window, sunlight coming through outside.
Green fern plants on a wooden deck with stairs and glass windows in the background.
Stone steps in a garden with green plants and grasses on the side.
Close-up of a garden bed with various green plants, a large rock, and mulch, with a dark wooden fence in the background.
Close-up of fern leaves with a blurred background.
A stack of old, textured bricks with moss and small plants growing around the base.
View through a glass window showing lush green fern plants and wooden fence outside.
Sunlight casting shadows of fern leaves onto a wooden fence in a garden.
Stone pathway leading to a modern house with wooden exterior and large glass windows, surrounded by greenery and ferns.

This award-winning house in Alphington celebrates natural, raw materials and a bush-inspired garden that connects seamlessly to the Yarra River landscape. Local basalt rock forms structure and seating, while a planting palette of Australian and New Zealand native plants reflects our clients’ cultural heritage and softens the home’s strong architectural lines.

This expansive garden features a vegetable garden, generous lawn and a timber deck that captures borrowed views of the park beyond, giving the home a sense of being immersed in nature. A permeable driveway planted with strips of greenery further blurs the line between built form and landscape. Every space is designed to balance beauty with function.