If it's flower power that you have a hankering for, then the 2013 Melbourne international flower show is where you needed to be. There were over 400 floral exhibits housed in The Royal Exhibition Building, and the displays were manicured, creative, yet simplistic, and with a touch of humour, resulting in a mesmerising event.
The large outdoor show gardens were impressive in their magnitude. The emerging trend outdoors was the marriage of indoor and outdoor living. Plantings featured the blending of hardy perennial flowering plants with the strong lines of drought tolerant staples such as succulents, grasses and foliage plants. Edible plants and crops featured strongly in the indoor outdoor entertainment gardens, with an emphasis on how easy it is to grow your own.
'Kids under cover', the national cubby house challenge, engaged families from the start, and was a tremendously innovative way to encourage children to the outdoors, by re-inventing an iconic tradition.
Here is a snapshot to give you inspiration for your gardens:
Surf & turf
The white waves, (which looked remarkably like the Sydney opera house) set the backdrop for a new look coastal garden.
Heirloom Gourds
Heirloom gourds were a popular crop at Diggers Club. Diggers have Australia’s largest range of heirloom vegetables, cottage flowers and fruit plants on www.diggers.com.au. Some varieties can even be sent to New Zealand.
Cycas Landscape
Pools were a highlight at the show, this gold medal garden, featured a covered outdoor veranda, outdoor paved areas and large orange dahlias on the white washed walls.
Cacti
Quirky, prickly and vibrant, the grafted cactus were popular at the show. These are available in New Zealand, at specialist nurseries.
Cube 2
Cube 2 by TLC Design won best in show and a gold medal. Judges were impressed with its clever lay out and use of inside and outside space. The indoor dining area flowed seamlessly into the outdoor pool area, and then back into the house, which was a modular design that featured vegetable planters, herb baskets and indoor plants.
Terrariums
These small enclosed gardens are used indoors, and miniature plants, paths, pebbles and animals can feature. This type of gardening on a reduced scale is making a come back.
Resilience by Peta Donaldson
This garden earned a gold medal, it was an immaculate garden, superbly orchestrated and finished.
Water Feature
The clean crisp lines of this water featured, are enhanced by the sophisticated white background, structured plants and landscape design.
By Rachel Vogan
What do you think of the gardens? Leave your comments below:
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Melbourne Flower Show Comments
would have love to have seen some floral art designs from the show - they use plant material too! love your newsletters!
judy williams
Thanks Judy, we did see a couple of pictures of the floral art designs - they were very impressive! Thanks, Gemma (Tui Team)
gemma
When is the 2014 Melbourne garden show?
colette
Hi Colette, the 2014 show is March 26-30. Thanks! Gemma (Tui Team)
gemma