Exhibition Gardens

Diversity garden

Australia’s landscape is diverse, both in look and botanically, and yet historically, European Australians have tended to characterise the land as empty rather than full. This garden aims to dispel this myth. The Diversity Garden is an abstract journey through the 85 bio-regions of Australia.

Landscape designer: Site Office

Water saving garden

The Water Saving Garden conveys the significance of water and its relationship to plant selection and suitability.  The Water Saving Garden promotes and explains issues of water conservation and the wise use of water in home gardens.

The garden is divided into three terraces linked by a number of paths and walkways that will demonstrate three distinct watering regimens. The terraces are the dry terrace, the water-conscious terrace and the water wise terrace.

Landscape designer: MDG Landscape Architects

Future garden

The Future Garden is an exploration of the reality and dilemmas posed by the artificial manipulation of plants to achieve particular commercial or aesthetic effects.  This includes horticultural techniques such as grafting, hybridisation, the development of cultivars and, most recently, plant bioengineering, all seeking to alter the naturally occurring form of a plant.

The garden is designed to raise awareness of the issues that as a society we will need to understand in the coming years if we are to understand the implications of these new technologies, at the same time showcasing a variety of commercially available Australian plants that have been developed using these techniques.

Landscape designer: Site Office

Home garden

The Home Garden seeks to emphasise the design possibilities of Australian plants while taking the visitor on a journey through Australian garden design history.

The garden comprises fragments of different gardens covering a variety of periods, styles and scales. The design will feel familiar to many. They have been adapted from gardens featured in Australian books, magazines and television makeover programs. By substituting the exotic plants used in many period gardens with native plants, we show how it is possible to use native plants in established and new home gardens to achieve many different results.

Landscape designer: Coomes Landscape Architecture & Urban Design

Kid’s backyard garden

The Kid’s Backyard is located near the Rockpool Pavilion. Rather than a typical suburban playground, with traditional off-the-shelf 'plastic' playground equipment, this is a space for children's imagination and exploration using organic materials, especially red-gum timbers.

All of the elements are derived from natural materials, many recycled or salvaged forestry timbers, and the layout and detailing reinforces an organic theme.

Landscape designer: Mark McWha Pty Ltd