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 one of the highest points 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 great age, it has evolved over the years with each new owner and landscaper shaping its progress and adding their own touch. For the past five 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 consultants, landscape architects and heritage advisors to plan for the garden’s on-going success.
“This is a garden layered with history and character,” says Hendrik, “and we wanted to respect and build on that. The 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 in the future.
“When we took on the garden, it 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 developed, with the owner, a long-term vision that will see the implementation of an evolving masterplan.”
Invergowrie’s garden is very large and when Hendrik and his team first stepped in, it was very overgrown and neglected, so the initial challenge was prioritising what to do first within the limits of the allocated contracted hours and budget.
“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,” he says.
“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 Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers Industry Awards, Hendrik and his team were pleased to win the Landscape Management and Maintenance (Residential) award for their stellar work at Invergowrie.
In bestowing the award, the impressed judges said: “This historic, private residential garden set amongst large significant trees is considered an icon in Melbourne. Van Leeuwen Green achieve amazing results given the allocated time to maintain such a large garden and those outcomes illustrate their efficiency and resourcefulness, such as taking proactive measures to divide and add plants as required to keep the garden looking its very best.
“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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