The Australian Garden

The Red Sand Garden is situated in the centre of the Australian Garden, ceramic sculptures, planting and the nort/south axis are features of this garden..

Project details

• Project Name: The Australian Garden
• Client: Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
• Project Type: Botanic Garden Masterplan
• Principal Designer/s: Taylor Cullity Lethlean with Paul Thompson
• Design Team: Kevin Taylor, Perry Lethlean, Kate Cullity, Marshal Kelaher, Samantha Parsons, Jimmy Yang, Ross Privitelli, Gary Keltie, Susan Farrugia, Sarah Haq, Ofri Gilan, Natalie Schneide
• Date of commencement of project: 1995
• Date of completion of project: Ongoing
• Location of site: Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne
• Site Area: 25 Hectares
• Cost of Construction/Execution: $8 million

The Rockpool Waterway feature.

Words from the Architect

Lead consultant in the preparation of a Detailed Masterplan of a 25 hectare site to display Australian flora in creative, interactive and educative ways. The project seeks to stimulate visitors, in creative landscape compositions, using the diversity and potential of indigenous flora. Involved market research, overall site planning and design, siting and design of visitor and administrative centre, associated roadways and carparks, and integrated art works.

Aerial view of the Australian Garden showing during construction.

The project has involved extensive liaison with, and management of input from, civil, service, hydrogeological and irrigation engineers, architects, cost planner, exhibition designer and sculptors.

Extensive research of Australian and overseas examples of botanic gardens was undertaken during the initial stages of the project. Site planning has included modelling visitor and staff circulation needs and preparing a comprehensive visitor path, service and maintenance access system.

Panaramic View of the Australian Garden from the visitor centre..

Plant selection and design including an investigation of maintenance requirements has been undertaken with Paul Thompson. The project has involved extensive waterway design including detailed investigations into aquifer conditions.

More photographs

View across the Red Sand Garden.

Rockpool Waterway and Escarpment Wall.

Image courtesy of Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

Image courtesy of Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

Image courtesy of Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

Image courtesy of Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

Image courtesy of Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

Credits

• Text: Taylor Cullity Lethlean
• Photographs: Dianna Snape, Peter Hyatt, Jill Burness, Ben Wrigley