We wanted to create an environment that got the kids away from the television, let Angela enjoy a bit of gardening and just simply got everyone outside. Toast a marshmallow, have a glass of wine and dance around to some Tom Jones in a natural environment, designed in harmony with the seaside conditions of the Bellarine Peninsula.

As you walk out into the rear garden you stumble down into a sunken area that is defined by a curved blackbutt timber bench seat, crafted beautifully by the team at  InStyle Gardens. Natural rounds have been utilised for the surface and the steps, some as large as 3 metres, have been carefully cut to suit the space. Bluestone rocks are positioned along the edges of the paths to help define the area.

Our plant palette had to be hardy, biodiverse and embrace the local conditions, choosing native and exotic species that could spill colour and texture throughout the seasons. Aulux cancellata, Conostylis candicans, Teucrum fruticans, Eremophila glabra ‘Kalbarri Carpet’, Euphorbia myrsiniotes just to name drop a few. Architectural plants like Brachychiton rupestris, Banksia integrifolia and Agave Americana help to define spaces and lead your eye through the soft foliage.

Stepping up and into the bluestone fire pit area the vegetation changes, becoming edible and full of use. Espaliered citrus such as limes, oranges and lemons live alongside a Spanish olive tree, with easy to pick herbs surrounding its base such as rosemary, thyme, oregano and parsley.

The garden has then looked to be wrapped in a grow frame which will soon be filled with native vegetation to further blend with the natural surroundings. It’s a place alive with colour, changing with the seasons, but more than that, it’s a place that will grow with the family and as the family grows, it will remain as an escape for all to enjoy together.