The Best 2020

ISSU E 04 | 2020 TH E MAGA ZI N E O F L AN DSC API N G VI C TO RIA MA STER L AN DSCAPERS

THE BEST

IDEAS INFORMATION INSPIRATION FOR EVERY LANDSCAPE

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THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

CONTENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT............................ 3 THE PERFECT GARDEN............................4 THE LATEST: BRONZE & COPPER............ 7 THE OUTDOOR COMMON ROOM.........8 A LIGHT FILLED LANDSCAPE: THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING YOUR LIGHTING SCHEME EARLY..................... 12 TAKING THE PLUNGE WITH A POOL.....16 GET TO KNOW VICTORIA'S NEW POOL RULES...........................................18 THE LATEST: BRIGHT.............................. 21

TURNING CITY SPACES INTO URBAN FARMS TO FEED A HUNGRY CITY ........ 24 SUSTAINABITY AT THE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW..................................... 27 KIDS IN THE GARDEN............................ 28 GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE: SO MUCH MORE THAN MOW AND BLOW.............30 TIME TO LEARN ABOUT LEUCADENDRONS................................ 32 FIND A PROFESSIONAL: THE LVML MEMBER DIRECTORY............................ 35

COUNTRY APPRENTICES THAT GO THAT EXTRA YARD......................... 23

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Our cover features the Sorrento Project of Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper Member, COS Design. This award won Steve Taylor and his team the 2019 Residential Landscape of the Year, Landscape Design over 200 square metres and the Plants in the Landscape award at the 2019 Victorian Landscaping Awards. You can read more about COS Design and this project on pages 4 and 5.

Cover Photo by Erik Holt.

Georgia Harper, President of Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers, left a corporate career behind her 15 years ago, retrained as a landscape designer, and hasn’t looked back. Her ethos is to create individual gardens for individuals – covering a vast array of styles, sizes and locations throughout Victoria and interstate. Her gardens have won awards at MIFGS, the National AILDM Awards and Landscape Victoria, and been covered in countless publications.

Welcome to the 2020 Edition of The Best!

As life becomes busier and more complicated, more and more people are recognising the value of creating an oasis at home - both for increased well-being and to add value to the home.

In recent years, there has been a real push towards creating personal spaces that are calming, enriching and inclusive of family.

Our members are working with people all over the state to achieve these special places - from large acreage to tiny balconies, there really is no space that can't contribute to the resident's quality of life. You'd be amazed what these transformations can create in terms of long-term benefit to quality of life and adding to your property investment - and it all starts with a chat with an experienced Landscape professional.

You may need to renovate a tired area; you may have inherited an overgrown garden containing hidden gems; you may want to create a multi-function space that can grow with your family over the years - what ever the situation, it's always a good idea to start with some great advice, and that's where our members come in.

Landscaping Victoria members are vetted for qualification, reputation, skills and insurances - so you know that if you're talking to an LV member, you're getting a professional who knows what they are doing.

Likewise, Design Members can inspire and give your space a brand-new personality more in keeping with your lifestyle. Our Construction Members are held to exacting standards, and you can be sure that their workmanship and attention to detail is second to none. it's the detail that can make a great garden a true pleasure to be in.

In this edition of The Best, you can learn everything that you need to know to turn your garden into that oasis with the help of our Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper Members.

Our Maintenance Members are the people to see if you need a refresh of your existing garden space and bring their enormous knowledge and passion to work for you to achieve great results.

The Best is published once a year. For all advertising and editorial enquiries please contact the editor.

Publisher: Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers | w www.landscapingvictoria.com.au Editor: Jo Reid | t 03 8761 9137 e marketing@landscapingvictoria.com.au Design: PufferfishMarketing | www. pufferfishmarketing.com.au

The Best ©2020. The material contained in this publication is general comment and is not intended as advice on any particular matter. No reader should act on the basis of any article. Readers should consult professional advisors. All care is taken in the preparation of the publication but no responsibility is accepted by Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers for the accuracy of the published information.

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THE PERFECT GARDEN OUR COVER STORY

What makes a garden "perfect"?

Is there a magic recipe or does it just take that X Factor?

Steve Taylor, Director at COS Design, examines what it takes to create a garden such as their award-winning Sorrento Project, as featured on the cover of this edition of "The Best".

Photography by Erik Holt.

Great gardens come in many different forms, styles and sizes but a great garden doesn’t just happen, and some gardens don’t appeal to everyone. The perfect garden is one that fulfills the dreams and the desires of the people who own, view and use that garden every day. The consensus of the masses becomes an irrelevant point of view. Whether a formal garden is clipped daily or a coastal garden is left to grow wild, freeform and natural, the beauty of the garden only needs to be in the eyes of the owner.

Gardens simply need to reflect and compliment the personality and lifestyle of the owner. However, there are some general design rules that need to be followed. Firstly, the garden does need to enhance and belong in and around the architecture and interiors of the home from an aesthetic perspective.

Secondly, it needs to provide convenient, functionality through good design.

Usable zones in and around the green elements that enhance the lifestyle requirements of the homeowners are essential.

Every project is different, and in a slight contradiction to the above, if a garden is being created purely for capital improvement then the consensus of the masses does become relevant and the design needs to reflect this.

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THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

So, what is the magic formula that will create your “Perfect Garden”? I will try and condense the answer as best I can.

The simple recipe is as follows.

THE BRIEF. Every garden starts with a great brief whether it be images of gardens that appeal to you along with a list of functional requirements. My advice is to break the brief down into two separate categories - form and function.

THE DESIGN. This ultimately needs to respond to the brief and tick the boxes of both form and function. At this stage of the process you should engage a professional landscape designer/architect.

PLANNING AND PERMITS. What you want to have may not be allowed by your local council/building authority. This is where a landscaping industry professional can be worth their weight in gold.

CONSTRUCTION. Many of your garden structures will need building permits and be carried out by a registered VBA building practitioner who will give you the correct permits, warranties and insurances. Always engage the services of a Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper, who will have the necessary VBA registration.

MAINTENANCE. The difference between a professionally, well maintained garden and one that is maintained as a weekend burden is clear and the science of true garden care is an art within itself so consider this in your ongoing budgets.

Creating the Perfect Garden however is more than just following a recipe.

It is about creating a garden with a personality, a life form and a soul of its own and really knowing what the garden owners want, getting to know them and what makes them tick. We then need to express that individuality in the form of an outdoor piece of living garden artwork.

We need to be brave enough to tweak the recipe as we go. Don’t be scared to evolve the design as the garden is being built and having your designer engaged throughout the build can be the difference between a great garden and the perfect garden.

What’s on paper should not always be set in stone. Making a wall 200mm higher or lower, or changing the plants to create a better foliage contrast can often make all the difference to even the very best documented design.

That special formula, where all elements come together, happened with our stunning Sorrento project, featured on the magazine cover. The natural coastal setting of mature, gnarly wind-swept trees with years of character in the form of the scars created by the harsh elements was there.

The result is simply breathtaking; anyone who enters the garden immediately feels a sense of calm with an immediate connection to the heart and soul of the garden. It’s that special intangible feeling that you simply can’t explain in words.

Immersing yourself in the garden just makes you feel good.

There is no right or wrong in landscape design but there is a distinct difference between a garden that just follows a recipe and one that has a soul and truly belongs and engages with the user and surrounds.

It’s that sense of belonging and that intangible magic formula that all perfectly combine to create a garden soul that personally connects to the owners, and to me and this is what makes “The Perfect Garden”.

The Sorrento Project won Residential Landscape of the Year, Landscape Design over 200m2 and Plants in the Landscape at the 2019 Victorian Landscaping Awards for Steve and his team from COS Design. Landscape Construction - Tintuppa Landscapes

The architects had designed an incredible home and the clients had a clear brief and were open for us to stamp our creative flair to the external spaces with their full trust and support What was on paper did evolve a little along the way to obtain the best result. In response to an evolving brief, additional retaining walls were required, some plant species were tweaked, and several critical decisions were made on site where all the existing and external elements needed to be carefully considered.

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THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

THE LATEST Natural tones such as copper, bronze and rust and materials such as timber provide a stunning contrast to compliment the lush greenery of your garden.

These stunning products are now available from Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers Supplier Members.

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THE OUTDOOR COMMON ROOM The Victorian Schools Garden Program (VSGP) Grants are designed to encourage schools to plan and plant new gardens or rejuvenate existing gardens by providing funding towards school's garden projects. As part of the VSGP, Warners created the concept of the "Outdoor Common Room". Ian Firth from Warners takes us for a wander through their first collaborative community project - Berwick Lodge Primary School's Outdoor Common Room.

In a world where children are spending increasing time on screens, there is more reason than ever to get them out into the garden. Gardening provides children the chance to get their hands dirty, develop a love of the outdoors and cultivate a true appreciation of nature, seasons and eco systems. Gardens give young people the chance to see the little things, hear the sounds and breathe in the invigorating scents of nature. Moreover, gardens need nurturing, and this means an opportunity for children to collaborate and actively care for their environment as they learn to take responsibility for their surroundings.

The Victorian Schools Garden Program (VSGP) recognises the importance and value of gardens and outdoor spaces in progressive modern education.

Established in 1977, the Victorian Schools Garden Awards (VSGA) have a long history of bringing the joy of gardens and gardening to school aged children. Held annually, the program recognises and rewards the achievements of students and school communities in their school gardens.

A review of the VGSA in 2014 led to the introduction of Grants (the VSGP) designed to encourage schools to plan and plant new gardens or rejuvenate existing gardens by providing funding towards school’s garden projects.

As part of the VSGP, Warners created the concept of the “Outdoor Common Room”. The idea of the Warners Grant was to provide incentive to develop a shared outdoor space for the health and wellbeing of school communities.

Warners are proud to donate plants (and advice) to help create the Outdoor Common Room to encourage learning through collaboration and to help develop friendships and a sense of belonging, whilst simply creating a beautiful outdoor space for children to chat, play and “hang out” with their mates.

Warners Nurseries worked with Berwick Lodge Primary School to create the first Outdoor Common Room. Together the School and Nursery designed the garden incorporating students’ ideas and suggestions; weaving them into the final design. These ideas included areas for a giant marble run, Jenga, dominoes, blackboards, tee pees and mindfulness spaces and seats. Unfortunately, the swimming pool didn't make the cut. The final designs utilised recycled materials and finished structures were painted and decorated by students. Plant selection was based on durability, hardiness and a variety of trees and shrubs offering varied sensory components including smell, colour, and texture. In the process a very plain area of the school grounds was transformed into a wonderful area for sitting, reading, playing and learning.

The VSGP helps promote and engage children in gardening and landscaping.

The students learn how to prepare for planting and watering. At the Berwick School Project, ninety grade five students each had the opportunity to dig a hole and place a plant within the new Outdoor Common Room garden space. Students and the school community worked together to nurture and instil the skills and passion to inspire a life-long love of gardening.

One clear message that came across during our planting at Berwick and presenting at the school program was the importance of the wider school community being involved. What a great opportunity for parents, carers and friends to lend a hand, share some skills, and nurture the next generation of gardeners. It also helps to inspire to create beautiful spaces at home for kids to experience the delight of a well-crafted and thought out garden. Involvement in these programs go a long way towards bringing to life the VSGP motto of “Every student a gardener, every garden a classroom” and getting children away from the blue glare of screens and into the green of the garden, be it at school or in their own backyard.

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

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MIFGS Designer: Peta Donaldson MIFGS Photography: Jason Edwards Outdoor Lighting: Gardens at Night

MIFGS 2019 Designer: Rob Waddell Photography: Jason Edwards Outdoor Lighting: Gardens at Night

Landscape Designer: COS Design Landscaper: Outer Spaces Landscaping Outdoor Lighting: Gardens at Night Photography: David Eaton

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THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

A LIGHT FILLED LANDSCAPE:

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING YOUR LIGHTING SCHEME EARLY Lighting is an essential element for any well-designed landscape. Our Australian landscape and home are central to our lifestyle, and lighting plays an important role when connecting the indoors with our outdoors. With a well-considered lighting plan stunning outdoor spaces can be achieved.

Sarah Liacos from Gardens at Night tells us how.

From task lighting to lighting for safety, there are a number of different scenarios that should be identified early. Are you lighting an alfresco dining, BBQ or services area? Similarly, knowing where you would like the lights to be controlled from can assist in the smooth installation of your lighting to save you time and money.

Start also by ascertaining your existing or future site conditions including making provisions for access to cabling across driveways or hard surfaces. The simple task of pre-installing cannisters in retaining walls or steps can also assist with efficient construction and time management.

Landscape Designer: COS Design Landscaper: Outer Spaces Landscaping Outdoor Lighting: Gardens at Night Photography: David Eaton

When designing an entertaining space consider the height of your lighting for your guests to move around. This awardwinning project by Lisa Ellis Gardens (pictured at left) incorporates hanging lights against a canopy of contrasting lush greenery which is both functional and beautiful in design.

As well as the visual impact of lighting in your garden, it is important to understand how people will move through the space. Are there changes in the levels or is there a water feature? Do you require a well-lit entrance and are there entry and exit points including doors, gates, pathways and intercoms to consider?

Once identified you can start to think about how lighting can be used to enhance features and draw the eye around your space.

Creating a focal point which can be viewed from multiple locations can also help to create height and depth. The density of foliage, branch structure and height of trees are also a factor when planning your lighting for each unique landscape.

By ‘grazing’ a textured surface with accent or inground lighting or by using underwater lighting to emphasise moving water, dramatic results can be achieved.

Accent lighting can also be adjusted as plants mature and throughout the changing seasons.

No matter the size or style of your garden, a well-designed lighting scheme will help to create a safe and inviting environment you want to spend time in.

Whether you're designing an inner-city courtyard or a formal garden with different zoned living areas, there are a number of ways you can create and define each space to be admired both day and night.

No matter the size or style of your garden, a well-designed lighting scheme will help to create a safe and inviting environment you want to spend time in.

Landscape Designer: Lisa Ellis Outdoor Lighting: Gardens at Night Photography: Erik Holt

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TAKING THE PLUNGE WITH A POOL Before you spend all your hard-earned cash on that fantastic new pool, you need to do your homework.

Where do you start with that and what do you need to look for? David Jarman, Managing Director of Coolabah Landscaping, Pools and Construction and Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers Board Member has been building pools for 35 years and shares his experience with you.

You’ve taken the plunge (so to speak) and have decided to install a pool in your backyard. But where do you start? The time you take to make sure everything is being done correctly at the start of the process will save you a lot of time and potential heart break at the end. Follow these tips and I’m sure that you will be very happy swimming pool owners come next Summer.

I would recommend looking for a business that will do all aspects of the process for you. One that will design your landscape AND build your pool as this makes everything flow seamlessly.

Rather than having one business doing your landscape design and a separate business building your pool and doing your landscaping. This will just make life a lot easier for everyone involved.

Firstly, you need to consider having your area designed by a landscape designer. A great design is the best money you will spend in this entire process. A designer will position your pool in the correct part of your backyard and the correct distance from any easements or load bearing objects. Your design will then be used for engineering permits and contracts and will also show all requirements for pool safety, such as your barriers. Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers (LVML) are a good place to start in looking for your designer. Look under Find a Professional on their website.

When you are at the point of making a final decision, contact SPASA or LVML to discuss your options. Ask the contractor for details of up to five of their last projects. Where possible, contact those clients and ask how they found working with that contractor. And ask if you can inspect their projects for quality and workmanship.

Now that you have your plans, it’s time to start looking for a contractor to build your pool. Make sure your contractor is registered with the Swimming Pool and Spa Association (SPASA) and with LVML if they are also to carry out any landscaping works. Both associations ensure that their members who carry out pool building works are registered with the Victorian Building Authority. Engaging a registered builder means that you will always have back up if something does happen to go wrong with the process.

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Once construction begins, your next step is to make friends with your contractor.

Meet with them daily or weekly. This will only take 10 minutes and will be time well spent. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always keep an eye on your agreed specifications. It is far better to raise concerns as they happen rather than waiting to the end of the project.

As you can see, the process is a long one.

It can take months for you to reach the point where you are ready for excavation to begin. However, that time spent researching a landscape designer and a pool contractor will set you up for a great experience with your build and a wonderful pool and backyard that will make your family happy for many years.

Then it’s time to request quotes. Always ensure you ask about the after service of your pool and if the business will return three months after the project is complete to check everything is operating as it should be. These should be factored into your quotation.

After you have worked through all of this and you have decided upon your pool contractor, make sure the contract you sign is a SPASA contract or if you are signing a contract that includes landscaping works, you should be signing an LVML contract. Make sure that you understand how long the job will take, that you have a copy of the builder’s warranty insurance and that you understand the payment schedule throughout the project. Read your contract from back to front and make sure you have a good understanding of the project ahead. Never make your final payment until you are 100% happy with your new pool.

Coolabah Landscaping, Pools and Construction, Brighton East Project Photography: Patrick Redmond

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

Coolabah Landscaping, Pools and Construction, Brighton Project Photography: Patrick Redmond

Coolabah Landscaping, Pools and Construction, Camberwell Project Photography: Patrick Redmond

Coolabah Landscaping, Pools and Construction, Kensington Project Photography: Patrick Redmond

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Pool by: Domain Pools Photography: Patrick Redmond

GET TO KNOW VICTORIA'S NEW POOL RULES The Victorian Government has introduced strict new regulations regarding swimming pools, spas and their barriers. In this article, the Victorian Building Authority explain what this means for you and what you need to do to ensure your barrier is compliant.

There’s no doubt about the health and lifestyle benefits of swimming pools – they provide a great opportunity for friends and families to enjoy being outside together.

However, the sad fact is that drowning is the most common cause of preventable death of young children (aged under five) – and the most common location for these drownings is home swimming pools.

What’s more, these tragic deaths don’t tell the whole story. For every fatal drowning of a young child in a private swimming pool, there are approximately six non-fatal drowning incidents. Nonfatal drownings can have devastating consequences, including severe brain damage or long-term behavioural and learning difficulties.

Constant, active supervision of young children in and around swimming pools is vital. But aside from a lack of adult supervision, problems with safety barriers are the biggest cause of child drownings. Coronial findings reported that in 20 of the 27 fatal drownings since 2000, safety barriers that did not comply with the relevant technical standard may have played a direct role in the deaths.

These sobering facts are why, last December, the Victorian Government introduced new stricter safety regulations for swimming pools, spas and their barriers.

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THE NEW REGULATIONS Swimming pool and spa owners already had a legal obligation to ensure that they maintain the effective operation of swimming pool and spa safety barriers, and this hasn’t changed. Gates and doors must remain closed except when entering the pool or spa.

But owners are now required to register their pool and spa with their local council. They also need to arrange regular inspections of their safety barriers and submit the certificate of pool and spa barrier compliance to their council.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS If you already own a pool or spa, you need to submit a registration application to your local council by 1 June 2020.

Once the council has your application, they’ll establish the date of construction of the pool or spa. This will determine which barrier standard applies – you only need to comply with the technical standards that existed at the time of construction. You don’t have to upgrade your existing safety barriers to current standards.

New pools and spas constructed after 1 June 2020 need to be registered within 30 days of receipt of the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection.

The new requirements apply to most relocatable swimming pools and spas too. You’ll need to submit the registration application once it has remained erected for three consecutive days.

If you are unsure of your obligations to register your pool or spa, contact your local council.

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Owners of registered swimming pools and spas must arrange for an inspection and certification of their barrier. Your local council will tell you when the first certificate of pool and spa barrier compliance is required.

The inspections can only be carried out by registered building practitioners in the categories of building surveyor, building inspector and building inspector (pool safety).

If the inspector finds that your barrier complies with the applicable standard, they will give you a certificate of pool and spa barrier compliance. You’ll need to lodge the certificate with your local council and pay a lodgement fee.

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

Pool by: Enki Pools Designed by: Dan Gayfer Photography: Dean Bradley

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR BARRIER IS NON-COMPLIANT? If the inspector finds that your safety barrier does not comply with the applicable barrier standard, what happens next depends on how serious the problem is.

If the issues with the barrier are minor, you may be given a certain amount of time (not longer than 60 days) to bring the barrier into compliance, and it will then be reinspected.

FIND OUT MORE For information on how to register your pool or spa, and fees or fines that may be charged, check with your local council.

For more pool, spa and barrier safety information, including safety barrier selfassessment checklists, visit the Victorian Building Authority website:

https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/consumers/swimming-pools Supervision is key to keeping young children safe around backyard pools however pool barriers also have an important role to play as they are proven to reduce the risk of drowning.

For barriers that pose a more immediate and significant risk to life and safety, the inspector will issue a certificate of pool and spa barrier non-compliance.

They will lodge it with the relevant council, and the council will issue you with a notice to pay the required fee. The council’s municipal building surveyor will issue you a notice or order specifying what you must do to make your barrier complaint.

Pool by:Domain Pools Designed by: Stephen Javens Photography: Vince Pedulla

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WHAT does a LANDSCAPE DESIGNER

plan drawing from Robert Boyle & Associates

DO?

A Landscape Designer is like a creative interpreter of your needs and your site’s abilities.

The Designer works with your ideas, listens with care and helps to transform those ideas into reality.

The design process usually includes the following steps: SITE ANALYSIS

~ taking levels and measurements of the site, soil analysis and noting existing vegetation.

PREPARING A CONCEPT PLAN FOR DISCUSSION

~ in essence a scaled layout of the new garden, based on the brief and expanded with the designer’s ideas.

PREPARATION OF THE MASTER LANDSCAPE PLAN

~ includes levels, measurements, materials to be used, specifications, plantings. This is the working drawing that can be used by clients for obtaining quotations to install the works by landscape contractors.

How much does it cost?

Designers’ fees can vary, with some charging an hourly rate, whilst others simply charge a lump sum for plans. The cost is dictated by how grand your plans are, how much information needs to be factored into the working drawings and how complicated. Ask the designer for a fee schedule up front so you know what you are buying.

Know what you are buying Anyone can present themselves as a Landscape Designer so look for these four things: • do they have qualifications in horticulture, landscape design or architecture?

• do they have Professional Indemnity Insurance?

• are they a member of Landscaping Victoria?

• what is their fee schedule?

www.landscapingvictoria.com.au

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

THE LATEST The latest bright and shiny things that will not only make your garden come alive but will also make it work smarter for you. All available from Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper Supplier Members.

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Orange Mediterranean Sweet, www.warners.com.au Lump Faceted Sculpture, www.lump.com.au BucketBarrow, URBAN88 / PRO130d, www.bucketbarrow.com Smart Irrigation Controller, Rain Bird: ESP-TM2 Irrigation Controller, www.smartwatershop.com.au StrathAyr TifTuf Instant Lawn, www.strathayr.com.au

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THE BEST MAGAZINE  |  2020

COUNTRY APPRENTICES THAT GO THAT EXTRA YARD Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers (LVML) encourage interested members of the public to consider pursuing a career in the landscaping industry which offers a broad range of job options, skills and lifestyle choices. If you wish to make landscaping your career or are considering a career change, contact us for further advice, support and information via our website,

www.landscapingvictoria.com.au

One of the Registered Training Organisations that LVML works with is Holmesglen Glen Waverley Campus. Holmesglen offer many Certificate III options in fields such as Landscape Construction and Diplomas in Horticulture and Landscape Design, just to name a few.

With thanks to the Landscape Construction staff and Apprentice Central at Holmesglen, this article profiles some of their current students who travel to the Glen Waverley Campus from Country Victoria each week.

All show their keen dedication to their careers in the landscaping industry.

At Holmesglen Glen Waverley, we are always looking for that apprentice who is willing to make the extra effort without looking for a pat on the back.

BEN WALLACE Ben came from a farming background and travelled in from Sale every week to attend trade school. Ben was always on time and never fell behind with his theory or practical assessments. He set a great example to the other apprentices.

Ben has now successfully completed his apprenticeship.

JIM LEGIONE Jim comes in from Wonthaggi on a weekly basis, although he does like to leave a little early at times to miss the car park which is the Monash Freeway. Travelling from Wonthaggi each week shows great commitment.

TOM MILLER Tom is a standout Country Apprentice.

He commenced trade school in 2017 at Holmesglen Waverley as a first year landscape apprentice while working for a Gippsland based landscape business.

Initially, he was asked to do his training on site as living in Inverloch might have been an issue. Not for Tom.

He soon realised that he was missing out on not just on practical activities but the interaction with his peers at TAFE. This was a key part of why Tom insisted on attending on a weekly basis.

Driving up from Inverloch is a fair effort but Tom always arrived on time and with a great attitude.

He is well liked by his fellow apprentices and loves coming up with a one liner every now and again. Tom loves a challenge but has never won a Kahoot quiz in class, he will probably tell us otherwise when we see him next!

At Trade school Tom gets involved in group projects, goes about his work with a minimum of fuss and his theory and practical work has regularly been of a high standard.

Out of work, Tom has been involved with the Inverloch Football Club, getting away on weekends four-wheel driving with his mates and, of course, living down on the coast the beach and surf is never far away.

Tom has only a couple of units to complete here at Holmesglen before he becomes fully qualified.

All the landscape staff will miss him when he leaves. We hope to see him set up his own business further down the track, become a LVML member and hopefully he can send an apprentice or two our way.

If Tom, Jim and Ben sound like they have the kind of careers and lifestyle that you might be interested in, contact LVML via their website for more information on your move into Landscaping.

Tom Miller travels to Holmesglen Glen Waverley from Inverloch each week.

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TURNING CITY SPACES INTO URBAN FARMS TO FEED A HUNGRY CITY Can two inner city car parks produce enough fruit and vegetable to feed two adults for an entire year? It’s a concept that is explored by Biofilta Director, Brendan Condon.

In the November of 2018, staff at Cirrus Fine Coffee in Port Melbourne agreed to give up three car parking spaces at their Port Melbourne Roastery and build a pop-up urban farm directly on top.

Their intention was to turn the organic by-products of the coffee roasting process (coffee chaff and grounds), into a valueadding input for their very own vegetable garden. Sustainability is at the heart of Cirrus’ values and diverting their waste streams is one of many initiatives they are undertaking to minimise their impact on the environment.

The Sustainable Landscape Company (TSLC) designed and constructed the space, allocating two of the car spaces for food production and the other as an outdoor staff meeting area/lunch spot.

TSLC used recycled pallets for seating and plantation timber with recycled rebar for trellising and to articulate the space. TSLC collaborated with Biofilta, an urban farming company who designed and manufactured the modular wicking gardens beds used in the pop-up farm.

The wicking beds are designed specifically for urban environments and for people with little gardening experience. They are easy to use, water efficient, low maintenance and pump out enormous amounts of fresh produce.

The space was used by Biofilta to conduct research on how much food could be grown in one car space, in one year, using their innovative wicking garden beds. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a healthy adult human should eat 400 grams of fruit and vegetable each day. That equates to 150kgs each year. That then became the goal - to produce 150kgs of fruits and vegetables in each car park within the year. Which is 300kgs in total for both car spaces. The wicking beds smashed this target.

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Between November 2018 and November 2019, the pop-up farm produced over 460kgs of food, enough to feed three healthy adults and valued at over $5000 based on major supermarket prices.

These numbers are not only a huge endorsement for Biofilta’s wicking beds, but they also answer a broader question concerning the viability of urban food production. There are car parks, vacant lots, industrial spaces and rooftops throughout our cities, not to mention backyards, that represent huge potential for cities to grow more of their own food.

Biofilta is on a mission to transform these under-utilised urban spaces into thriving urban farms.

Eily, one of two staff members in charge of the pop-up farm thinks that this isn’t far away.

“The beauty of a garden like this is that it is perfect for the modern world. I come to work, check on my babies, watch them grow, harvest every now and again and do a reset a couple of times a year. I water less than once a week, there are almost no weeds and I can come back from a hot and dry weekend knowing that they’ll still be happy and healthy.”

But urban farming is not just about growing food. Biofilta Director, Brendan Condon, acknowledges that urban farming will never supplant broad acre agriculture, nor should it. However, there are many functions that urban farms can serve beyond the local production of fresh fruits and vegetables. Urban farms have the potential to increase biodiversity in cities, improve mental and physical health, close resource loops and improve environmental literacy amongst cities dwellers.

Urban farms can also feed disadvantaged segments of our community. While some of the food from Cirrus’ pop-up farm is taken home by staff, they donated all the excess to OzHarvest, a food charity that collects food and distributes it to where it’s needed. Partnerships like these could improve access to healthy and nutritious food for the most vulnerable.

“The Sustainable Landscape Company and Biofilta are working together to build pop up farms in schools, rooftops, backyards and public spaces, to help feed hungry cities. Biofilta is also happy to work directly with any landscaper or designer across Australia to supply their easy to install wicking beds and help build efficient food gardens and urban farms.”

For Ben, another gardener at the pop-up farm, it couldn’t be simpler.

“It’s no secret that the people in the modern world are losing their connection to nature. I think a great way to reacquaint yourself with the earth is to stick your hands in it and watch things grow. If we can do that for some people working in an office on their lunch break, that’s a win.”

Clockwise from top left: Brendan Condon with a handful of the bountiful produce from the pop up farm; Great opportunities for staff to take a bit of time out in the garden; Over 400 kilograms of fresh produce has been grown in one year from 2 car spaces; The Biofilta foodcubes clad in different finishes; Each harvest was weighed and compared to supermarket prices.; Eily Schultz taking part in one of the harvest days at the pop up farm.

Photography: Will Hamilton-Coates

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

“It’s no secret that the people in the modern world are losing their connection to nature. I think a great way to reacquaint yourself with the earth is to stick your hands in it and watch things grow. If we can do that for some people working in an office on their lunch break, that’s a win.”

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THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW Have you ever wondered just what happens to all the amazing gardens and floral displays at the end of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show? Darren Free from Van Schaik’s Bio Gro explains the process, as the proud Sustainability Partner of the show.

Each year at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS), questions are asked as to where all the garden displays go when the show is over? As a result of this, prior to the show starting last year, Van Schaik’s Bio Gro was appointed Sustainability Partner of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

With its highly recognised capacity and capabilities in organics processing, the Van Schaik family were honoured to be given this prestigious opportunity to recover and recycle all the organic materials at the conclusion of MIFGS. For more than 40 years, Van Schaik’s Bio Gro has been a leading innovator, working in partnership with companies and local councils to achieve optimum recovery of organic material. Recovered forestry material, construction timbers, agricultural by-products, green and food organics are composted and processed into a variety of high-quality products.

Unique to the resource recovery industry, Bio Gro has a circular recovery model. Bio Gro processes and composts pine bark recovered from the timber industry and turns it into premium growing media.

This is then used by the nursery industry to grow plants and trees, including pine trees and thus completing the circle.

This growing media is also bagged and sold into the retail market for home gardeners.

Subsequent to the success of the project at last year`s show, Bio Gro signed a long-term agreement to be the ongoing Sustainability Partner of MIFGS. Enabling MIFGS, year on year, to increase its sustainability targets is our priority. Last year we were able to recover and divert from landfill an estimated 550m3 of organics, including mulch, flowers and structural timbers. This is the equivalent of 25 kerbside waste trucks dumping at our recovery site in South Dandenong rather than going to landfill.

Clockwise from above: A collection point for materials to be recycled from last year's MIFGS; Used materials being collected to be transported back to Bio Gro in Dandenong South; MIFGS materials back at the Bio Gro site in Dandenong South.

At our processing site the display garden construction timbers, including pallets, were ground up and graded into garden and roadside mulches. The flora displays from the Great Hall, along with the soil and mulch from the outdoor gardens, were composted to create a horticultural media used to grow fruit, vegetables and plants.

“It’s a great feeling to know that the end of the show is no longer like a demolition site, it’s now a resource recovery site.

Thanks to Bio Gro, organic materials no longer go to landfill, 550m3 diverted, that’s good for everyone” stated award winning landscaper Martin Semken of Semken Landscaping after hearing last year’s total figure.

every year, this is an important demonstration of the endeavors and ability of Van Schaik’s Bio Gro to reduce the generation of environmentally harmful methane gas entering our atmosphere.

Emma Daly, Bio Gro’s General Manager of People and Culture, says “it’s all about landfill diversion. The more we recover the better for the environment".

Van Schaik's Bio Gro look forward to continuing their partnership with MIFGS as their Sustainability Partner in 2021.

With over 13 million tonne of organic material disposed to landfill nationally

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KIDS IN THE GARDEN Equipped with everything from a zip line and wooden tree house to a circuit track, this amazing garden is nothing short of a paradise for little ones. Peter Shaw, a landscape designer who, along with his wife Simone, runs Ocean Road Landscaping, shares his secret to get kids outside in a place where the stimulus is natural.

When we opened our own garden to the public a couple of years ago through Open Gardens Australia we watched to see what people gravitated to. The answer was unexpected, and it made me think a lot more about the relationship between children and natural spaces.

Over the weekend the garden was open, visitors — adults and children alike — were attracted to the bits specifically incorporated for our kids’ sakes. If you’re like us, keen to encourage natural play rather than hours spent indoors in front of a screen, you might find the following helpful. It’s what we’ve done, and done cheaply, and it seems to be working.

As a professional, I’m often asked to design and build landscapes with children in mind. As I’m also a parent, I often refer to my own experience with our four children who are 16, 15, 12 and 10.

Right from the beginning, even while we were still living in a construction zone, we’ve always had lots of things in the garden to attract play. In those days the children were younger and very happy to dig and fossick in piles of rocks, pebbles, soil and mulch. In the years since, they’ve grown and their needs have shifted so we’ve added things to suit.

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LOOPS ARE GREAT

A CRAZY LAWN

We’ve laid a circuit track through a bed of shrubs and under the trees, somewhere they can run along and hide, but, more importantly, there are places to visit along the way. A water bowl and firepit in a sitting area is a great place to go to read a book or sit aroundwith friends.

Until a little while ago we had a lawn like most other people, a flat zone of green.

And it was put to the usual good use.

But then we played with it and now have something with almost magnetic appeal.

Further along, the younger two have a fairy garden, furnished with a hammock and some logs. They’ve decorated the fence nearby with coloured chalk (it washes off, clearing the surface for new expression) and the rainbows they’ve drawn mean this place is now known as Rainbow Land.

Yes, it’s a bit more difficult to mow but almost everyone who visits — child or adult — takes off their shoes to sink their feet into our meet the drive so on coming home I often look through the trees and see my kids at play.

We took the lawn and divided it into a series of soft interconnected mounds in varying heights so that now just walking across our lawn is fun, or lying in the valleys between to read a book is fun — or sitting on top or playing with the dog or rolling around.

Photography – Peter Shaw

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

PETER’S TOP TIPS 1.

A single pallet on a lawn is a brilliant boat

2.

Make a simple tepee out of multiple straight sticks tied at the top.

3.

iver pebbles, sand and water are great materials to pull together, whether you put them into a sandpit or rig up something more elaborate with a recirculating pump.

4. Chalk on any surface is brilliant.

5.

Gather together a heap of branches and watch your children make a temporary cubby.

6.

Collect empty crates or boxes and they’ll arrange them into a whatever.

7.

Loose logs can be moved into endless settings for play.

8. Make an outdoor kitchen with old taps, sinks and even an old microwave (and don’t forget to add water and sand as the perfect ingredients).

TREEHOUSE WITH ZIP

WHAT WORKS AND WHY

AND THE POINT IS?

And then, after many years of scribbling dream designs in a notebook, we all built a treehouse together. We used tea tree logs and hessian rope and tied them up in the tree to create three platforms along the lines of something out of The Swiss Family Robinson.

Of course we could have gone out and bought a brand new wooden cubby and slide from a big shed store. Initially it would have seemed OK but there wouldn’t have been the same level of involvement possible for the kids — literally waking up with more to do each day to make the tree house happen. And so the interest in a delivered cubby must drop off because, nice as they are, there’s not much scope for change.

Simple: to get kids outside in a place where the stimulus is natural but without spending a lot of money and by giving them good reasons to be out there. If we watch what goes on, we tell them to go outside and they head out for about 10 minutes before coming back in. But if you can make something out there, something that’s exciting enough to make them want to go out there without being asked, you’ll be the ones calling them in.

My vote goes for something that’s more natural and evolutionary as it has the chance to grow with the children. It might start off as a platform in a tree; then, as they get older, you could add some ropes, then a ladder and a sandpit below.

At our place, since the introduction of the zip line and the platforms, the garden has become a whole exploring space. I now watch my kids’ friends arrive and head off into the garden with no thoughts of going inside for some screen time.

Everyone was involved from stripping rope to building the ladders and it was a great bonding time.

There were many discussions about how to do things and I gave the kids the space to make a few mistakes. I also discovered that they had good ideas I hadn’t actually thought of. It was a great time together and I believe we ended up with a fantastic space because of that.

Oh, and did I mention the icing on the cake? The zip line that carries them off from the top level, out across the garden.

It’s been a huge success.

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Garden Maintenance in all photos by Van Leeuwen Green Horticultural Services. Photography by Izaak Todd

“We love maintaining these gardens because we know exactly why each plant has been chosen and what to expect from them in the short and long term."

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THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE:

SO MUCH MORE THAN MOW AND BLOW Hendrik Van Leeuwen of Van Leeuwen Green Horticultural Services is passionate about making sure you don't leave garden maintenance as an afterthought.

Here he discusses the three main areas of maintenance and garden services that Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper Members, such as Van Leeuwen Green, provide to make sure their clients have stunning, dynamic gardens, year after year.

As the owner of a landscape business that does everything from construction to garden renovation and maintenance, I would say that our garden maintenance division does the most important and long-lasting work for our clients. Our maintenance teams treat gardens and landscapes as living, dynamic systems which inevitably change. Gardens must be monitored, cared for and understood in terms of their original design and how this design evolves over time. Keeping a garden neat and tidy is still very important but after spending thousands on design, build and planting, maintenance must be a lot more than just cutting grass and firing up the leaf blower!

There are three main areas where Landscaping Victoria Gardener Members provide maintenance and gardening services.

The first comes after we provide input into the design, especially the plant selection, and we’re ready to maintain these gardens.

This happens once we’ve completed construction and the plants are in the ground. We know exactly what the client wants to achieve from the landscape and importantly, we have a good handle on how this landscape might change over time and how this will affect maintenance. For example, when trees go in the ground it can take several years for them to grow tall enough to start shading other plants. We’ll be there to prune and shape trees as they grow but also to replace any plants that may not be coping with the increased shade.

It’s this critical plant knowledge that tells us how plants interact with each other over time that professional gardeners pride themselves on.

The second scenario for high quality maintenance is where we provide a garden renovation service.

This is where we go to an existing garden and provide a major refresh of the whole landscape, focusing on transforming the space with new plantings. This usually involves removing plants that are dead, diseased or damaged or are simply no longer providing the delight (such as seasonal flowering) that they once did. These gardens often have no design history and our job is to effectively provide a new design, worked through with clients as we walk and discuss changes in the garden itself.

We love maintaining these gardens because we know exactly why each plant has been chosen and what to expect from them in the short and long term.

The last scenario is where we provide landscape maintenance for existing gardens with no landscape construction or renovation taking place.

In this situation we find that many clients are happy with the garden as it is but still want our gardeners to make suggestions for change and renewal over a period of months or years. Here it is important to build a relationship with the garden and the client over time, focusing on the essential tasks of weeding, mulching, pruning and mowing/blowing and offering advice and suggestions as they work through the landscape.

This is a service that involves systematic documentation of landscape goals and objectives. An example of this is Van Leeuwen Green’s relationship with the heritage Stonington Mansion gardens. For several years we had completed expansive renovation work at these beautiful gardens. I was extremely proud of what our maintenance teams had achieved there, using real gardening skills and plant knowledge to bring Stonington’s grounds back to life.

But what was missing was a solid documentation of goals, objectives and how to keep it all going through a well written landscape management plan. We commissioned Lia De Gruchy, a graduate of Burnley Horticultural College, to write a management and maintenance plan for the Stonington gardens. This plan now guides our on-going maintenance work here and helps us work towards a longterm vision for the landscape. This plan was praised by the Landscaping Victoria judges who awarded Van Leeuwen Green the Management and Maintenance award in 2015.

So, my strongest message about garden maintenance is, don’t make it an afterthought! And remember that the best landscape maintenance staff are qualified Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper Members who will care for a garden for years - and sometimes for decades - to come.

This long-term attention to detail is at the heart of high-quality garden maintenance and it applies to the smallest courtyard through to large, historic gardens.

This brings us to the importance of developing formal landscape management and maintenance plans.

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Burgundy Sunset

TIME TO LEARN ABOUT LEUCADENDRONS Leucadendrons! What are they? How should you use them? How do you look after them? Consider this your crash course in the lovely Leucadendron by Linda Sijpkes from Ausflora Pacific.

The Leucadendron is a genus of plants from the Proteaceae family and are native to South Africa. Other members of the Proteaceae plant family include Grevillea, Protea, Banksia and many more. They are dioecious, meaning the male and female are on separate plants.

The Female varieties produce colourful bracts which are often referred to as flowers such as L.‘Safari Sunset’ and are popular in flower arrangements. They later develop a cone which contains the seed which is why Leucadendrons are sometimes referred to as conebush. Some of the female varieties have attractive cones which can be a great garden feature such as L. ‘Purple Haze’ The Male varieties produce flowers which have prominent styles which present pollen. Male varieties such as L.’Bella’s Buttons’ and ‘Sundance’ have showy flowers in Spring, so they are great for attracting bees to the garden, while also adding great colour.

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Leucadendrons are generally classed as a large shrub, however due to hybridisation and selection, there are many cultivars on the market. They range from a small shrub of 45cm to large shrubs up to 4m and they can be used in many garden situations from borders to hedges or a garden showpiece.

The foliage texture and colour of Leucadendron is incredibly varied.

L.thymifolium has a fine soft grey foliage, L ‘Burgundy Sunset’ PBR has a very deep burgundy colour, L. floridum has a fine silver foliage with yellow bracts in Spring and L.gandogerii is a lush green. With over 80 species and even more cultivars there is a Leucadendron to suit almost every garden, so use your creativity.

Despite Leucadendrons being native to South Africa, they do very well planted with Australian native plants as they have similar water and nutrient requirements.

They are drought tolerant and require little watering once established and as a bonus, most Leucadendrons can tolerate a frost up to -5°.

It is recommended to plant Leucadendron in a sunny position, in a free draining soil with a ph below 7. If fertilising, always use a low phosphorus fertiliser such as an Australian native fertiliser.

Pruning is recommended before the next years growth appear, usually in Spring/ Summer to maintain the shape and size of the plant. Up to two thirds of the plant can be removed leaving at least 10cm of healthy growth behind.

And that’s it, your crash course is complete. There are books, websites, articles and local experts to tell you more if you really want to immerse yourself in everything about the lovely Leucadendron. Now get out there and start using them.

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

L.floridum

Bella's Buttons

Purple Haze

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GROWING GREAT TREES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

THE BEST MAGAZINE | 2020

Landscape Construction: Diverse Landscape Construction Designer: Lisa Ellis Gardens Photographer: Erik Holt

FIND A PROFESSIONAL The Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper (LVML) Directory lists all the professionals you need to create every landscape; from the smallest courtyard to the largest civil works.

Members of Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers observe a Code of Ethics which recognises that the landscaping industry is enhanced by:

HONESTY AND COURTESY SKILL AND COMPETENCY INTEGRITY FOR WORK AND INDUSTRY TO FURTHER THESE AIMS, MEMBERS OF LVML ARE EXPECTED TO: •

•

•

Enhance and foster professional and ethical practice in rendering services.

Maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity to clients, fellow members and the community.

Comply with all laws and regulations in the conduct of their business.

•

• •

Encourage educational development and training at all times.

Encourage a spirit of harmony and co-operation between members.

Act in a manner which advances the standing of the industry in the community.

MEMBERS OF LVML ARE: •

• • •

Registered with the Victorian Building Authority (as required).

Operating professional businesses.

Fully insured.

Leaders within the landscaping industry.

Visit the website to search the entire directory of Landscaping Victoria Master Landscaper members and be assured that your outdoor space is in safe hands.

www.landscapingvictoria.com.au/find-a-professional

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Only one entry for the entire competition. One prize per competition period. For full T&C’s, scan the QR code.

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