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Main Portfolio
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MIFGS 2023
MIFGS 2023
MIFGS 2024
MIFGS 2024
About Us
About Us
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Services
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Design Fees & Packages
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Media Publications
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Plants

All the posts published

Recent Posts

Chelsea Flower Show 2026 Highlights and Trends
How Garden Designers Create a Connection Between People and Nature
Designing a Garden That Grows With You
What Summer Reveals About Your Garden (And How to Fix It)
Simple Garden Tips to Set Your Garden Up for 2026

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inspiringlandscapes.com.au

🍅 STOP APOLOGISING FOR YOUR MESSY GARDEN. 🍅⁠ ⁠ In

🍅 STOP APOLOGISING FOR YOUR MESSY GARDEN. 🍅⁠
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In a world full of picture-perfect garden photos, it’s easy to think every bed should be weed-free, every row straight, and every plant thriving. But real gardens are rarely perfect.⁠
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They have weeds, overgrown corners, forgotten pots, and plants doing their own thing. Yet despite the mess, they still produce tomatoes, herbs, beans, pumpkins, and countless moments of joy.⁠
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A thriving garden isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence.⁠
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So if your garden looks a little wild right now, don’t be discouraged. Every flower blooming, every vegetable growing, and every bee visiting is proof that nature doesn’t need perfection to work its magic.⁠
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💚 What’s growing in your “imperfect” garden right now? Drop a photo or tell us in the comments; we’d love to celebrate the beauty of real, lived-in gardens with you!⁠

Chelsea’s hottest trend? Going Australian. 🌿⁠ ⁠ Th

Chelsea’s hottest trend? Going Australian. 🌿⁠
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The 2026 Chelsea Flower Show unveiled the garden trends set to influence outdoor spaces around the globe, but a few of them might feel surprisingly familiar.⁠
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Think stunning landscapes that work with nature, clever design ideas that save water, and a colour trend that’s about to be everywhere.⁠
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The question is, which of these global trends actually make sense for Australian backyards?⁠
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We’ve rounded up the biggest takeaways from Chelsea and revealed how you can bring them home without needing a royal-sized garden. 👑🌱⁠
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👉 Read the full blog and discover the trends worth watching (and the ones your garden will thank you for): https://inspiringlandscapes.com.au/chelsea-flower-show-2026-highlights-and-trends/⁠

🧺 WHO SAID YOU NEED TO DRIVE ANYWHERE TO HAVE A GR

🧺 WHO SAID YOU NEED TO DRIVE ANYWHERE TO HAVE A GREAT PICNIC? 🌳⁠
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It’s National Picnic Month, and we’re here to remind you that one of the best picnic spots might just be a few steps from your back door!⁠
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Your backyard already has everything you need: fresh air, sunshine, birdsong, and a front-row seat to your favourite flowers, trees, and garden visitors. No traffic, no crowds, and no fighting for the perfect spot under a tree.⁠
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Spread out a blanket, pack some snacks, pour a cold drink, and suddenly your garden transforms into your own private outdoor retreat.⁠
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🌼 Bonus points if you can spot a bee visiting your flowers, a butterfly passing through, or a cheeky bird hoping you’ll share your lunch!⁠
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Sometimes the best adventures aren’t found miles away; they’re waiting right outside your window.⁠
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🥪 What’s your ultimate picnic food? Tell us in the comments and tag someone you’d love to share a backyard picnic with this month!⁠

💃 Meet the drama queen of the garden, the fuchsia.

💃 Meet the drama queen of the garden, the fuchsia. 🌸⁠
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Honestly, if flowers held talent shows, fuchsias would be taking home the trophy every year. With their colourful blooms dangling like tiny ballerinas twirling in the breeze, they know how to make an entrance.⁠
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And the colour choices? Oh, they don’t do subtle. We’re talking pinks, purples, reds, whites, lavenders, and combinations so gorgeous they almost look photoshopped. 😍⁠
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The best part? They’re not just showing off for us. Bees absolutely adore them, so while you’re admiring the flowers, the pollinators are busy treating them like the hottest restaurant in town. 🐝🌺⁠
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Whether they’re hanging out in baskets, showing off in pots, or stealing the spotlight in the garden bed, fuchsias have one job: making everything around them look fabulous.⁠
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✨ So, fuchsia fans, we have to know: are these garden divas growing at your place? Share a photo below or tell us your favourite variety. Bonus points if you’ve ever stopped mid-walk just to admire one! 🌸👇⁠
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📸 Glen Iris @pk____photography

🚨 FOOTPATHS ARE NOT A SOLO ACT 😂⁠ ⁠ If your garden

🚨 FOOTPATHS ARE NOT A SOLO ACT 😂⁠
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If your garden path is just one material from start to finish, we need to talk.⁠
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Great footpaths aren’t about picking one thing and hoping for the best; they’re about mixing materials like a designer with a very stylish agenda. 😏⁠
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Think of it like this:⁠
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🧱 Stone = the strong, dependable lead actor⁠
🪨 Gravel = the laid-back supporting character who fills in the gaps⁠
🪵 Timber = the warm, natural storyteller⁠
🌿 Ground cover plants = the dramatic softening effect that steals scenes when you’re not looking⁠
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Put them together properly? Magic. ✨⁠
Put them together randomly? Tripping hazard meets DIY regret. 😬⁠
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A well-designed path does more than just get you from A to B. It guides the eye, controls movement, softens hard edges, and actually makes the journey feel like part of the garden experience. Nobody wants a “hospital corridor vibe” in their backyard. 😅⁠
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👉 Are your garden paths working together, or just existing side by side awkwardly like strangers at a BBQ? 😂👇⁠
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📸 Murrumbeena 2022 project detail @paul.osta.photography

🌴 Some views don’t need a filter; just your attent

🌴 Some views don’t need a filter; just your attention. 🌊⁠
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One look at Cairns Marlin Marina (hello school holiday escape 👋) and suddenly that never-ending to-do list doesn’t feel quite so urgent anymore. Funny how quickly your priorities shift when a landscape invites you to slow down and simply be present.⁠
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Still water. Swaying palms. Boats drifting gently in the marina. Mountains fading softly into the distance. It’s the kind of setting that quietly pulls you out of your head and back into the moment.⁠
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And that’s exactly why landscape design matters.⁠
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The most memorable outdoor spaces aren’t just beautiful to look at; they’re designed to make us feel something. A thoughtfully positioned tree, the calming presence of water, layers of greenery, and spaces that encourage pause and connection can help reduce stress, restore our focus, and create a sense of wellbeing.⁠
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Great landscape design isn’t simply about what we see; it’s about how a space makes us feel.⁠
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📍 Cairns Marlin Marina is a beautiful reminder that the best landscapes create moments of calm, connection, and perspective.⁠
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💙 What outdoor space instantly helps you switch off and slow down? Tell us in the comments.⁠
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📸 Cairns Marlin Marina in Cairns, Queensland

🌱 Every garden starts with hope. 🌱⁠ ⁠ Planting a g

🌱 Every garden starts with hope. 🌱⁠
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Planting a garden is one of life’s most optimistic acts. You place something small into the ground, nurture it, and trust that in time it will grow into something beautiful.⁠
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It’s a reminder that good things take time. That patience has rewards. And that even the smallest actions today can create something extraordinary tomorrow.⁠
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Whether it’s a single flower, a shade tree, or an entire landscape, every garden is a vote of confidence in the future. 🌿⁠
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👉 What are you planting, growing, or dreaming about in your garden right now? We’d love to hear what’s inspiring you this season. 💚⁠

🍂 If your pool spends more time collecting leaves

🍂 If your pool spends more time collecting leaves than people, we need to talk. 😂💦⁠
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If you’re constantly fishing leaves, flowers, and mystery twigs out of the water, your hedges may have mistaken the pool for an all-you-can-eat buffet, and they’re generous sharers. 😂⁠
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Sure, lush shrubs and privacy hedges can make your backyard feel like a five-star resort. But left unchecked, they can also become that one guest who shows up uninvited and makes a mess.⁠
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🍃 Pool skimmer: “I’ve had enough.”⁠
🍂 Filters: “Not another leaf!”⁠
😩 You: “I cleaned this yesterday!”⁠
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A little trim here and there can keep the peace between your plants and your pool, leaving you with more time to relax and less time to play the professional leaf collector.⁠
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The only things that belong in your pool are swimmers, floaties, and perhaps a refreshing beverage. 🍹😎⁠
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🏖️ Tell us: What’s your secret weapon for creating those holiday vibes at home? Palm trees? Frangipanis? Giant bird of paradise? Or are you proudly Team “Anything That Doesn’t Shed”? 😂👇⁠
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📸 Camberwell design 2024. Picture courtesy of Abercromby’s Real Estate

🌿 Confession time. I’ve never really trusted a pla

🌿 Confession time. I’ve never really trusted a plant that doesn’t need water. 😂⁠
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Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room (or should I say the plastic plant in the corner 👀). I’ll admit it, I’ve never been fully convinced by artificial plants.⁠
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Yes, modern ones can look extremely realistic now. Like, suspiciously good. But no matter how fancy the tech gets, they still can’t compete with the joy of watching a real plant grow, change, bloom, and bring a space to life. 🌱✨⁠
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That little moment when a plant you’ve nurtured suddenly thrives? You don’t get that from a dust-collecting replica. And speaking of dust, let’s talk about the not-so-glamorous side. 😬⁠
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Artificial plants might be “low maintenance”, but they definitely aren’t “no maintenance”. They collect dust and need cleaning, and they don’t exactly improve indoor air quality (unless you count giving your allergies a workout 😂).⁠
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Real plants? They actually do something: clean the air, shift with the seasons, and respond to how you care for them. At the end of the day:⁠
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🌿 Real plants grow with you.⁠
🪴 Artificial plants sit there looking pretty (and collecting dust if you forget them 😅).⁠
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So here’s the question I have to ask:⁠
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👉 Are you Team Real Plants (messy, alive, and worth it) or Team Artificial (easy, tidy, and a little bit “install and pretend”)? 😂👇⁠
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Read our blog to make an “educated” decision: https://inspiringlandscapes.com.au/using-artificial-plants/⁠
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📸 Murrumbeena project detail @paul_osta_photography

🍎 Imagine walking outside for a snack, and your tr

🍎 Imagine walking outside for a snack, and your tree hands you one. 🍎⁠
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There’s something pretty magical about having your own apple tree in the backyard. One minute you’re admiring the blossoms, and the next you’re biting into a crisp, homegrown apple that travelled a total of 10 metres to your kitchen!⁠
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🌳 Two simple tips to keep your apple tree happy:⁠
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✅ Prune during winter to improve airflow and encourage healthy fruit production.⁠
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✅ Give it a deep soak during dry periods rather than frequent shallow watering. Apple trees prefer a good drink now and then.⁠
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🤯 Fun fact: Apples are members of the rose family! That’s right; your apple tree is actually related to roses, strawberries, raspberries, and even almonds.⁠
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Whether you’re growing apples for pies, snacks, cider, or to enjoy the spring blossoms, an apple tree is one of the most rewarding additions to any backyard.⁠
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🍏 If you had an apple tree, what would be the first thing you’d make with your harvest? Apple pie? Crumble? Cider? Tell us in the comments 👇!⁠
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📸Glen Iris detail @pk____photography. An apple 'S’-shape‘ espalier, supplied by @merrywoodplants⁠

Not all great gardens are built overnight; this on

Not all great gardens are built overnight; this one is still unfolding. 🤍⁠
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This one’s been a slow, thoughtful journey, and honestly, that’s what’s made it so special.⁠
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The front garden is still evolving, with the clients implementing the planting in stages. We’ve been working through it together: checking in, adjusting things as they grow in, and making small tweaks along the way. ⁠
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It’s not a rush job; it’s a process, and it’s been really rewarding watching it take shape piece by piece.⁠
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There’s something nice about not having everything “finished” all at once. It gives the garden space to breathe and the clients time to connect with it as it grows.⁠ Parts of this project have been a real hands-on labour of love. ⁠
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The decking and basketball trellis were DIY, which adds an entirely different layer of meaning to the space. You can feel that personal investment when you’re there. It’s not just designed; it’s lived in.⁠
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Projects like this remind me that good gardens don’t happen overnight; they’re built slowly, with care, collaboration, and a bit of patience.⁠ A year on, it’s already starting to feel like home. 🌿⁠
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📸Pics 1-10: Wantirna project 2025⁠
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@dreamcourts
@andyconcreting

🐦✨ Want to know one of the quickest ways to tell i

🐦✨ Want to know one of the quickest ways to tell if a garden is truly thriving? Listen to it.⁠
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If your garden is alive with birdsong, fluttering wings, and the occasional cheeky visitor helping themselves to a snack, chances are you’ve created something special.⁠
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Birds bring so much more than beauty to a garden. Across cultures around the world, they symbolise hope, freedom, resilience, and connection to nature. For centuries, people have been inspired by their songs, mesmerised by their movements, and comforted by their presence.⁠
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And in the garden? They’re some of nature’s hardest workers. 🌿⁠
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Birds help pollinate plants, control insect populations, disperse seeds, and contribute to a healthier ecosystem. But perhaps their greatest contribution is something less tangible; they make a garden feel alive.⁠
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There’s something magical about spotting a fairywren weaving through the shrubs, watching a honeyeater dart between flowers, or hearing a magpie’s morning warble while enjoying a coffee outdoors.⁠
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Want to encourage more birds into your garden?⁠
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🌱 Plant a variety of flowering natives⁠
🌳 Include trees and dense shrubs for shelter⁠
💧 Provide a freshwater source⁠
🍃 Leave some areas a little wild and natural⁠
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The result isn’t just a beautiful garden; it’s a living, breathing space full of movement, sound, and connection.⁠
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👉 What’s your favourite bird to see in the garden? Let us know below and tell us why it’s earned a place in your heart! 🐦💚⁠
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📸Glen Iris detail - @pk____photography [figurine of a lovely blue wren]

🌱 The best part of a garden isn’t always what you

🌱 The best part of a garden isn’t always what you see; it’s what you’re waiting for. 🌱⁠
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Every garden holds a little bit of anticipation. The buds that haven’t opened yet. The seeds are quietly doing their thing beneath the soil. The plant you know is about to put on a show any day now.⁠
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It’s that feeling of “just wait” that keeps us coming back. Checking in. Noticing small changes. Imagining what the space will look like in a few weeks, a few months, even a few seasons down the track.⁠
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Gardening isn’t just about the result; it’s about the build-up. The quiet excitement. The belief that something beautiful is always on its way. And honestly? That’s where a lot of the joy lives.⁠
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👉 What are you currently waiting (a little impatiently 😅) to bloom or come to life in your garden?⁠

🐱🌿 Your garden might look beautiful, but is it saf

🐱🌿 Your garden might look beautiful, but is it safe for your cat?⁠
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Cats love exploring outdoors: climbing, hiding, sunbaking, and turning your garden into their own personal kingdom. 😹 ⁠
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A truly great garden for pets isn’t just enjoyable; it’s designed with their safety in mind, too.⁠
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🌱 A few simple ways to make your garden more cat-friendly:⁠
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🐱 Check your plants carefully: some popular garden plants can be toxic to cats, including lilies, azaleas, and certain bulbs.⁠
🐱 Create shaded retreat spots so they have cool, protected areas to relax during warmer weather.⁠
🐱 Avoid harsh chemicals like toxic pesticides or slug pellets that curious pets may come into contact with.⁠
🐱 Use mulch wisely: cocoa mulch, for example, can be harmful to pets.⁠
🐱 Add sensory planting like cat grass, catmint, or soft ornamental grasses so that they can safely explore and enjoy.⁠
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One of the best things that you can do is to design spaces where pets can be part of garden life instead of being treated like an afterthought.⁠
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👉 Does your cat have a favourite garden spot? A sunny patio, a hidden corner, or somewhere they definitely shouldn’t be?⁠
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📸Glen Iris: "Smokey” the adorable cat 💚

@pk____photography

🌸 Wait, your hedge can produce flowers THIS beauti

🌸 Wait, your hedge can produce flowers THIS beautiful and edible fruit?⁠
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Feijoa flowers are one of the garden’s best-kept secrets. With their fleshy white petals, bold burgundy centres, and tropical-looking blooms, they honestly look like something straight out of an exotic ornamental garden; yet they’re surprisingly tough and practical too.⁠
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And here’s the fun part: the petals are edible! 😍 They have a sweet, slightly fruity flavour and make a gorgeous addition to salads, desserts, or even just eaten straight from the plant while wandering the garden (because why not?).⁠
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Feijoas are the ultimate overachievers. Beautiful flowers, lush foliage, privacy screening, pollinator-friendly blooms, and delicious fruit later on. Talk about earning their spot in the garden. 🌿🐝⁠
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They thrive in Australian conditions, handle pruning well, and bring a real sense of seasonal surprise when they burst into flower.⁠
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👉 Have you ever tried feijoa petals before, or only the fruit? We’d love to know! 🌸⁠
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📸Glen Iris design project. Photo by @pk____photography

🌿 The best gardens don’t just look beautiful; they

🌿 The best gardens don’t just look beautiful; they make people feel something.⁠
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Ever wondered why some outdoor spaces instantly make you slow down, breathe deeper, and want to stay a little longer? That’s not accidental; it’s thoughtful garden design at work.⁠
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In our latest blog, we explore how garden designers create meaningful connections between people and nature through everything from sensory planting and seasonal change to spaces designed for curiosity, calm, and everyday interaction. Great gardens aren’t just about plants. They’re about experiences. 🌱⁠
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🌱The scent of jasmine drifts through the evening air.⁠
🌱The sound of grasses moving in the breeze.⁠
🌱Picking herbs straight from the garden.⁠
🌱Watching children explore pathways and discover hidden corners.⁠
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These are the moments that turn a garden into something far more powerful than a “nice outdoor space”. They create memories, rituals, wellbeing, and genuine connection to the natural world around us.⁠
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And honestly? In a world that feels increasingly fast and digital, that connection matters more than ever.⁠
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👉 Read the full blog to discover how thoughtful garden design can completely change the way people experience nature and their own backyard: https://inspiringlandscapes.com.au/how-garden-designers-create-a-connection-between-people-and-nature-2/⁠

😍 From drab to absolutely fab in less than two wee

😍 From drab to absolutely fab in less than two weeks! 🌿⁠
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This Surrey Hills garden transformation proves that the right landscape designer can turn your wildest garden dreams into reality. What started as a “drab garden” on a busy main road became a stunning outdoor sanctuary that exceeded all expectations!⁠
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✨ The Challenge:⁠
Create an outdoor garden room with privacy, hide those not-so-pretty garage doors, and design a low-maintenance space with seasonal colour that WOW’s year-round.⁠
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🌸 The Solution:⁠
A masterfully curated planting palette featuring fragrant favourites with serious seasonal impact, gorgeous textures, elegant travertine paving, and jaw-dropping custom garage screens that transformed eyesores into art!⁠
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💡The result? ⁠
A garden so beautiful it’ll make you want to spend every moment outside, from pink and apricot azaleas to striking Limonium perezii, lush green lawns framed by perfectly shaped hedges, and an outdoor room that’s pure garden goals.⁠
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💬 “Thanks, Parveen, for such an amazing transformation of my garden, as well as being incredibly wonderful and so accommodating to work with.”⁠
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“Parveen even returned after completion to run through the maintenance schedule going forward, which means that my gorgeous garden will grow into something really beautiful.”⁠
- Dean Matchett, Surrey Hills⁠
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Ready to transform YOUR outdoor space from drab to fab? Head on over to our website to find out more about our Surrey Hills glow up: https://inspiringlandscapes.com.au/portfolios/surrey-hills/⁠
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📸 Surrey Hills design project 2018

It’s funny how something so simple can completely

It’s funny how something so simple can completely shift how a space feels.⁠
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Today I picked up a couple of chairs and cushions, nothing over the top, and suddenly this little corner of my backyard feels like my own quiet escape. ⁠
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I’ve got some soft baby blue chairs on the way with white cushions to finish it off, and I can already picture it coming together.⁠
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I love sneaking out here, even if it’s just for five minutes. Sitting among the salvias, listening to the bees doing their thing, just slowing down for a moment. There’s something about being surrounded by it all that makes you feel grounded, like you can finally switch off.⁠
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This little spot has become my safe place. It’s where I go to reset, breathe, and just be myself; no noise, no pressure, just calm.⁠
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And now and then, I get the best kind of company… rainbow lorikeets dropping in and a pair of king parrots that like to visit. Those moments always feel a bit special.⁠
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It’s not a big space. But it’s mine, and that’s everything.⁠ ⁠
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📸 My spot in my garden 💚

❄️ Winter gardens: where optimism meets a little b

❄️ Winter gardens: where optimism meets a little bit of selective vision.⁠
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Let’s be honest, winter has a way of testing even the most committed gardeners. The leaves have dropped, the colour has faded, and suddenly you’re out there staring at what looks like potential. 😅⁠
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But here’s the thing: gardeners don’t see what is; they see what’s coming. Bare branches? Future structure. Empty beds? Space for something incredible. That “nothing happening” phase? Just the quiet build-up before everything takes off again.⁠
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There’s something pretty special about that mindset. It’s part patience, part imagination, and maybe just a touch of stubborn belief that it’s all going to come together beautifully (because it will 🌱).⁠
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Winter might not be the showiest season, but it’s where the planning happens, the ideas grow, and the groundwork is laid for what’s next.⁠
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👉 So tell us, are you out there planning, planting, or just convincing yourself everything is “resting”? 😄⁠

It’s National Great Outdoors Month, and while big

It’s National Great Outdoors Month, and while big hikes and coastal escapes are always a good idea, don’t overlook what’s right outside your door.⁠
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Your backyard has the potential to be your own little retreat. Morning coffee in the sun. Barefoot walks on the lawn. Kids playing, pets exploring, a quiet moment surrounded by greenery at the end of the day. It all counts.⁠
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The beauty of a well-designed garden isn’t just how it looks; it’s how it invites you to use it. To slow down, step outside, and reconnect with nature in a way that fits into everyday life. Sometimes, the best outdoor experiences aren’t planned.⁠
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👉 This month, make it a goal to spend more time in your own outdoor space, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day. What’s your favourite way to enjoy your backyard?⁠

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Plants - Page 10 of 15 - Inspiring Landscape Solutions