A well-groomed landscape of grand scale and historical significance.
One of Melbourne’s finest period homes, Invergowrie, a stunning example of Gothic Revival architecture, was built in 1851 and sits within an established parkland-style, meticulously-maintained garden. The residence, which claims a high point in Hawthorn, has long been a local landmark, admired for its architectural grandeur. Today, it is equally admired for the landscaped grounds that envelop it.
As with any garden of such great age, it has constantly evolved over the years with each new owner and landscaper shaping its progress and adding their own touch. For the past seven years, Hendrik van Leeuwen, managing director of Van Leeuwen Green Horticultural Services, has been at the helm, overseeing the weekly maintenance program and working closely with his team of experienced consultants, landscape architects and heritage advisors to plan for the heritage garden’s on-going success.
“This is a garden layered with history and character,” says Hendrik, “and we wanted to both respect and build on that. The owner’s brief was to bring the garden back to its glory days and, in the long-term, achieve recognition as one of Melbourne’s great historical gardens. In the past, the garden had been, on occasion, open to the public and the owner hoped to be able to do that again at some point in the future.
“When we took on the garden, it clearly required expert horticultural knowledge and attention with many areas in need of rejuvenation or restoration. So we are not just maintaining it — we are progressively improving the garden and have carefully developed, in consultation with the owner, a long-term vision for the implementation of an evolving masterplan.”
Invergowrie’s garden is expansive and when the team first stepped in, it was very overgrown and neglected, so the initial challenge was prioritising what to do first.
“Much of the regular weekly maintenance has concentrated on the areas around the living spaces, buildings and entrances. Also managing trees, keeping hedges trimmed, ensuring irrigation systems are operating, and general presentation,” says Hendrik.
“So that we can achieve more than ‘keep tidy maintenance’ and really restore and improve the garden, we have started a long-term masterplan and redesign process. Part of this is tree restoration, tree surveying and mapping out important shrub species to be retained and rejuvenated for long-term health, shape and form.”
In the 2022 Victorian landscape Awards, the Van Leeuwen Green team took top honours in the Landscape Management and Maintenance (Residential) category for their sterling work at Invergowrie.
In bestowing the award, the judges said: “Hendrik and his team at Van Leeuwen Green have demonstrated professional maintenance skills throughout this garden with their very high standard of work which is reflected in the impressive views and layers in the garden. The overall impression is simply breathtaking.”
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