Landscape design: Small wonder
Jessica Rule asked three of Perth’s top landscape designers which project was their all-time favourite, and their tips for creating great gardens. Here, Janine Mendel of CultiVart looks back at a tropical-inspired, art-filled courtyard in West Perth.
Janine Mendel’s favourite project is the Landscape Industries Association of WA award-winning courtyard she designed for a ground-floor Kings Park apartment, which was executed by Phase3 Landscape Construction.
“My clients had a great appreciation of good design and were avid art collectors,” Ms Mendel said. “There wasn’t a limit on the budget and I loved designing this small space with so many beautiful elements, yet it was still understated and unique.”
With the owners wishing to display art in the garden, two works by Belgian artist, the late Jean-Michel Folon, were placed — one by the gate and the other in the water feature.
Ms Mendel selected the water feature and plants to create a tropical-inspired lushness. “They did not want a Thai garden but rather a garden with a contemporary Australian subtropical flavour,” Ms Mendel said.
“I love the fact that the plantings are an eclectic mix of sub-tropical plants and productive plants. And having the borrowed landscape of Kings Park behind the walls creates a great backdrop,” she said.
Key elements: Deep triangular garden beds and rectangular layers set the journey through the courtyard, which has five angled granite tablets set into the decking. The low wall supporting the three waterspouts into the pond is tiled with Kimberley sandstone. In the water feature are polished turquoise ceramic tiles, which the owner imported from Thailand.
The batu timber screen is designed to offer privacy, while a cantilevered bench seat is lit from underneath with LED lighting.
P lants: Core plantings include frangipanis, kentia palms, elephant ears, Cordyline Red Fountain, Agave attenuata, Murraya paniculata, Cycas revoluta, dianella, bird of paradise, and lime and mandarin trees. These are supplemented with seasonal herbs.
Janine Mendel’s top tip for small gardens : Ms Mendel said that when designing for small gardens the most important thing was the plan. “If you decide to fill an already small space with bulky furniture, a second kitchen and too many hard surfaces, there will be limited space for the elements that draw you outside in the first place,” she said.
