Take a look at this garden
The Gardens at Cranbourne were developed by the Melbourne Botanic gardens as a new garden to display exclusively native plants in new and innovative ways. They are set in 363 ha of remnant bushland, about 45 minutes south east of the city. Not easy to get to without a private car but well worth the effort.
The first stage of the Australian garden was completed and opened only in spring 2006. It is built in part of the site that was a sand quarry in it’s previous life. Design for the garden by Kevin Taylor, Kate Cullity and Paul Thompson was accepted back in 1996, following many site surveys and acceptance of a master plan for the site as a whole.
Stage 2 covers another 11ha. This is a work in progress, due for completion this year.
This is a native garden unlike anything you have seen before. It makes no attempt to display the plants in a "natural" setting. This setting is very man made, ordered and contrived. The effect is stunning as you will see:
The Red Sand Garden featuring large circles of Saltbush and a central band of Paper Daisies.
A close up of the edge of the red sand garden showing the sculptures that I believe represent crusty salt deposits.
The Escarpment Wall and Rockpool Waterway.
The Dry Riverbed Gardens featuring drifts of Calothamnus, Saltbush, Eremophilas and Scaevola.
Stage 1 covers 11 ha. Works comprise the visitor centre, the very impressive spectacle of the Red Sand Garden, several semi-permanent demonstration gardens, the Escarpment Wall (a 90m long rusting steel sculpture) and a watercourse, desert gardens, dry riverbed gardens and several Eucalyptus woodland ecosystems.
Magnificent rockwork in one of the developing Eucalypt Woodlands.
Detail of the building design for the Cafe, shop and entry facilities.
If you love your native plants and you want to see some innovative ways to use them then you will find this garden truly inspiring.
posted by Evan Prentice - 2010-03-02