Towering above the brown brick home, three mighty eucalypts stand as living landmarks, their branches shifting with the wind, defining the space. In a suburb where such giants are becoming rare, they are more than just trees; they are history, habitat, and part of the family.

This garden was generous in scale but unremarkable in form; a sweep of lawn, some peripheral plantings – a space waiting to be shaped. The new design doesn’t seek to fight against what’s here, but rather to refine and elevate it, creating a layered, inviting landscape that balances several competing elements.

The reshaped lawn maintains a sense of space while an indigenous meadow softens the distance between the ground and the trees. Grasses shift in the wind and catch the light, introducing a quiet kineticism at eye level. This ephemeral tapestry not only invites pause but also provides an essential food source for the smallest pollinators, reinforcing the garden’s role in the broader ecosystem. A ring of steel encircles the largest of the gum trees – a quiet yet deliberate ode to its immense presence. Within this boundary, a nest of low banksias enhances the tree’s natural grandeur.

A meandering pathway draws you deeper into the garden, leading through carefully selected native and exotic species to a private retreat. This contemplative enclave is the secret heart of the design, tucked away behind midstorey bushes – a space to sit beneath the towering gums and listen to the rustle of leaves and the chatter of birds. It offers a moment of stillness within a garden that is so very alive.

The result is a garden that doesn’t erase its past but builds upon it – one that respects the legacy of the land, the presence of its arboreal sentinels, and the rhythms of life that unfold beneath and within them. A space not just for those who call this place home, but for the birds, the breezes, and the quiet moments that make a garden truly special.