All Things Great And Small

The garden of an old townhouse in Melbourne’s Fitzroy North is a lesson in how to do a lot with a little

- Alice Griffin

For all the benefits of inner-city living, there are still some drawbacks. If you’re one of the few not priced out of the market completely, concerns usually revolve around space — namely, not enough of it. Aside from smaller rooms, perhaps the biggest downside for city dwellers relates to the outdoors. For the good majority of urbanites, having the space to cultivate a garden and connect with nature from the comfort of one’s own home just isn’t possible. As nice as windowsill veggie patches are, they don’t quite replace a good garden space. Addressing these spatial limitations made up the bones of the brief provided for the transformation of a townhouse garden in Melbourne’s Fitzroy North.

Combining the outdoor overhaul with interior renovations, the owners, a young professional couple, wanted their home and gardens to be intrinsically connected, with spaces that felt cohesive and tailored to their lifestyle and interests. They looked to Ian Barker and his team to design and construct their new outdoor spaces.

The brief for the front garden was pretty straightforward: sleek and simple, a modern complement to the historic townhouse that would provide a warm welcome to guests.

“Our design for the front garden featured a serene, minimalist-style water bowl, surrounded by buxus spheres,” says Ian Barker, director of his eponymous landscape firm. “This added contrasting greenery all year round against the light-coloured bowl, outdoor setting and front facade.”