We set out to design a piece of nature for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in 2017, a place where we could celebrate a beautifully simple sentiment — “I step out the back door, I see nature, I see wild.”

Slabs of bluestone rise from a patchwork of hand-carved pavers and luscious grass bordered by plants, herbs and flowers. In the background stand several natural timber poles, mirrored by arms of towering cacti. Every glimpse of this environment reveals something special about this garden. “I wanted a space where we could be immersed in nature. It’s a garden you want to sit out and be in,” says Phil.

A vibrant celebration of biodiversity. Hulking crowns of Agave pop against the soft green tones of nearby bushes and plants. It’s a native backdrop but in the foreground it’s about a biodiverse palette of plants that work together that you can both use and feel good in. Fruit like strawberries, figs and feijoas are interspersed among other shrubs and flowers. Parsley, rosemary and thyme rest in their lush surroundings alongside leafy greens. Lemons and olives are planted by the fire pit.

Everyone involved in this project made community engagement their priority and so we involved local Indigenous groups to help design and engrave the custom bluestone pavers. Fourteen boys from Warrnambool’s Clontarf Academy collaborated to create the paving design, which tells a story through Indigenous symbols.

Sustainability was also a principle concern in this project and one of the things we wanted to work on with this garden was a no-waste build campaign, evidenced by our use of recycled materials from mulch and toppings to a fort built from recycled apple carts by Castle and Cubby.

I See Wild was awarded the Gold Show Garden Award and the City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show and is a true testament to what our company stand for in regards to biodiverse environments.