THE GREAT OUTDOORS

This year's Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show provides plenty of inspiration for South African gardeners with a love for outdoor living

- SUSANNA PARKER

Every year at the end of March, the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne is transformed into a magical display of landscaped gardens, plants and features. Then the Victorian Royal Exhibition Building is filled with cut flowers for the start of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. The show features the best garden design and floral art talent Australia has to offer, alongside international artists, for five days of garden shopping, workshops, entertainment and food to delight everyone, young and retired.

Of special interest to gardeners are the show gardens that artfully bring together ideas and inspiration we can all use in our own gardens. Much of the plant material used in Australian designs comes from our country and any others can easily be substituted because of our similar climates. Australian designers are passionate about lifestyle in the great outdoors (like we are) and this certainly shows in these creations. Here are some of the features we loved.

Container Garden

Container living is becoming more popular by the day, but these big metal boxes don't come with a big aesthetic. The best and most valuable way to link containers is to build a garden. The designers of this garden even won the coveted Best on Show award for their design. The focus of this design was the use of the outdoor space as the area most utilised for entertaining, relaxing, cooking and spending quality time with friends and family. Mission accomplished!

Art Deco Glamour