This superb formal landscape is a perfect fit with the majestic home
Grand almost seems too small a word to convey the scope and opulence of this lavish landscape. David Franklin of Franklin Landscape and Design, who describes the style as “formal meets Palm Springs”, has created for the owners of this prestige property, front and rear gardens that are a design triumph.
The openness of the rear garden, with its expansive lawn and light-coloured travertine paving, is irresistible. It draws you out of the house and down to the luxurious formal swimming pool. The entrance to the pool is flanked by Anduze pots planted with geraniums and as a backdrop there is a feature wall with an urn as a focal point and bougainvillea for a splash of dramatic colour.
Nearby is a timber arbour which continues the formal theme. The entrance to this space is framed by larger Anduze pots, this time planted with cycads, which lead the eye to a garden seat where family or guests can sit, relax and survey the exquisitely landscaped surrounds.
In both the front and rear gardens, the layered planting scheme relies on evergreen plants for structure; in particular, the box hedge borders. Resort-style flourishes were provided by accent plantings of bougainvillea, bird of paradise, clivea, cycad, liriope, gardenia and Arthropodium spp. In the front garden, the bougainvillea is trained on stainless steel wires, creating ropes of colour either side of driveways which frame the garden.
Used as feature plantings, mature Canary Island palm trees, each weighing more than 10 tonnes, were craned into place in the front garden palm trees. These help to frame the entrance to the house. In the rear garden, mature ‘Little Gem’ magnolias were used as feature trees. To keep the plants in good health, a 40,000 litre water tank was installed under the back lawn to feed the irrigation system.
In the rear garden, the pool isn’t the only place family and friends congregate. The patio area, which features stunning outdoor lounge and dining settings from Kasbah Moroccan Imports, is the perfect space for indoor-outdoor entertaining, especially at night when the all-embracing landscape lighting scheme comes into play.
for more information
Landscape design and construction by Franklin Landscape and Design 197A Bay Road, Sandringham Vic 3191
Photography by Patrick Redmond
