Author

egwpadmin

GRAND VISION

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by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

7th Edition
A classic landscape designed for modern living

Reminiscent of the finest stately homes in grand old American South, This opulent two story residence captures a magnificently landscaped panorama that simply takes your breath away.

The palatial landscape, constructed by Melbourne landscape company Exquisite Gardens Australia, is of truly vast proportions. The design is both grand and innovative, combining unique materials to create formal al Fresco areas with a resort feel that can be enjoyed all year round.

On a project of this scale and intricacy, Exquisite Gardens’ ability to do finely detailed work combined with their extensive technical knowledge, was of paramount importance. Such attention to detail earned them the Pavement in the Landscape award from the Landscape Industries Association of Victoria in 2001 and Residential Landscape of the Year in 2002. Drastic level changes posed the biggest construction challenge and were overcome by the construction of more than 490 lineal meters of stair casing.

Such a prestigious project demanded only the highest quality pavers and Anston was the supplier of choice. Anston pavers are made by combining different types or sand to develop wonderfully rich warm colors not possible with pigment colored pavers. The manufacturing process also creates subtle changes between pavers, adding to the natural effect. And as they age, they will develop an attractive patina that will complement the timelessness of the landscaping design.

A formal planting scheme highlights the extensive paved areas and garden lighting used to great effect. Lights have been installed in all the pots and feature planting throughout the garden as well as in the pool.

Photography by Andrew Lecky

SENSE OF SERENITY

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

20th Edition
This authentic Japanese garden provides a place of sanctuary and a sense of inner peace.

THERE IS A SENSE OF SERENITY ABOUT A JAPANESE GARDEN.

It creates a feeling of being one with nature and in harmony with the changing seasons. From the koi filled pond to the hand carved timber bridge, this Melbourne garden design has all the features you would expect of an authentic Japanese garden.

Credit for the design and construction of this very special landscape goes to Melbourne Landscape Design and Construction Company Exquisite Gardens Australia, headed by John Woollard for whom working on this project was a source of great pleasure.

“The owner is very passionate about Japanese gardens and demanded the utmost quality from day one”, says John ‘He wanted the garden to be a sanctuary in which he and his family could relax, reflect and find a sense of inner peace’.

“And while the creation of an authentic Japanese garden was his prime priority, making the most of the available space and taking into account the visual aspect from all viewing points within the home was also of critical importance.

The Japanese pagoda is a focal point of the design as is the ornamental pond, complete with waterfall this wonderfully natural-looking pond is filled with large koi and is traversed by a curved bridge boasting hand carved detailing.

“The pond has been carefully designed to create a healthy, flourishing eco­ system”, says John. “All parts of this pond have been calculated to give the most natural environment possible for the abundant fish life”.

And as you would expect in a Japanese garden the emphasis on natural materials is evident throughout from the use of recycled timber for the bridge and extensive decks to the bluestone slab stepping stones.

“The creation of this Balwyn garden design allowed us to showcase the diversity of our design capabilities and demonstrate that we can deliver all styles of landscaping successfully; says John ‘Each employee of Exquisite Gardens took great pride in learning the principles of authentic Japanese garden design and then applying these values to the design and construction of this truly wonderful garden”, he adds “It was this extensive research into everything from material choices to plant choices that was the key to this Melbourne garden’s success.”

ENTERTAINER’S DELIGHT

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

6th Edition
A luxury alfresco living room and lap pool designed for trans-seasonal entertaining

Entertainer's delight 6th edition

An outdoor room with a view what more could you ask for? A custom-made day bed, perhaps a cosy fireplace? Well, the fully functional outdoor room that forms the hub of this garden, designed and built by Melbourne Landscapers, Exquisite Gardens Australia, offers all of this and more.

Perfect for entertaining, this cool retreat incorporates an outdoor kitchen complete with granite bench tops and sink, vinyl wrapped white cabinetry and refrigerator, as well as outdoor music speakers and stack-stone walling.

The goal of this Brighton garden design was to integrate the outdoor living areas with the home’s Indoor living area, placing a strong emphasis on year-round entertaining.

Towards this aim, there is a glass-roofed spa, an in ground lap pool and a large wharf style timber deck from which to survey the modern landscape.

To tie in with the deck, recycled iron bark timbers sourced from an old sheep station on the Brisbane River were used for both spa and outdoor room pavilions.

Water is a recurring motif, which is no more evident than in the six wall-mounted jets that send arcs of water spilling into the pool. This feature is visible from all areas of the home and garden.

One of the key elements of the landscape is the stone work. Exquisite Gardens chose Granite Works to fulfill their requirement for customized natural stone paving sizes to give a seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor areas.

To be considered successful, any Melbourne garden design must be tailored to meet the needs of those using it. This means all the elements have been carefully considered – from the paving and shading to the lighting and planting – and thought has been given to both functionality and flexibility. This urban Melbourne landscape ticks each of these boxes and more to give the owners a comfortable, contemporary setting for relaxation or outdoor entertaining.

Exquisite Gardens provides a complete landscape service that runs the gamut from garden design and construction to project management and garden maintenance. Supported by a passionate, experienced and highly motivated team, Exquisite Gardens offers the highest level of workmanship and customer service as well as extensive knowledge of the latest products from around Australia and abroad. While Exquisite Gardens has its own Melbourne Landscape Design studio, the company also regularly works with leading landscape architects and pool designers.

ENTERTAINER’S DELIGHT

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

14th Edition
A luxury outdoor living area designed for year round entertaining.

Designer landscapes

An outdoor room with a view what more could you ask for? A custom-made day bed, perhaps? A cosy fireplace? Well the fully functional outdoor room which forms the hub of this garden, designed and built by Melbourne Landscapers, Exquisite Gardens Australia Pty Ltd, offers all of this and more. Perfect for entertaining, this Brighton landscape and swimming pool design offers a cool retreat incorporating an outdoor kitchen complete with granite bench tops and sink, vinyl wrapped white cabinetry and refrigerator, as well as outdoor music speakers and stack-stone walling.

The goal of the garden design was to integrate the outdoor living areas with the home’s Indoor living area, placing a strong emphasis on year-round entertaining. Towards this aim, there is a glass-roofed spa, an in ground lap pool and a large wharf style timber deck from which to survey this modern garden designed landscape.

To tie in with the deck, recycled iron bark timbers sourced from an old sheep station on the Brisbane River were used for both spa and outdoor room pavilions.

Water is a recurring motif of this Brighton Landscape design, which is no more evident than in the six wall-mounted jets that send arcs of water spilling into the pool. This feature is visible from all areas of the home and garden.

Exquisite Gardens chose customized natural stone paving sizes to give a seamless Integration between the Indoor and outdoor areas. For all the hard landscape areas, they drew upon expansive supply of the stone including Sienna Stratastone and polished black bench tops in the kitchen area.

Photography by Patrick Redmond

MODERN CLASSIC

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

3rd Edition
This luxury outdoor kitchen and dining area combine elegance with functionality

A spectacular outdoor kitchen and dining area. An effortless indoor-outdoor connection and an impressive outlook over an exquisitely Glen Iris landscape design -what more could the discerning homeowners and avid entertainer desire?

“The challenge for this Melbourne landscape design and construction project was to integrate the outdoor and indoor living areas of the home, with the emphasis on creating a luxurious space where friends and family could be entertained year-round.” says John Woollard of Exquisite Gardens Australia.

Incorporating only the finest fittings and finishes, this elegant entertainment space boasts a fully functional outdoor kitchen, including a sleek granite island bench, state-of the art cooking station and range hood There is also a granite work/preparation bench, complete with sink and hot water; a refrigerator, white vinyl-wrapped cabinetry, stone walling and feature wood stacks.

The outdoor kitchen is located adjacent to the dining area, which allows the owners to cook and talk to guests at the same time. When seated at the table, which is large enough to accommodate 10, guests can relax in neo classical splendor and savor the view of a traditional urn water feature positioned at the end of a grand colonnade This colonnade draws the eye out into the meticulously landscaped garden area and adds an air of elegant formality to the setting.

During the day, skylights in the roof of the outdoor room allow natural light to flood in. At night, ceiling and wall lights combine with the garden lighting and water feature lighting to create the perfect atmosphere for a formal dinner party or a casual dinner with the family.

“For all the hard landscape areas to this Glen Iris garden design we have used customized natural stone paving sizes that would ensure a seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor area. The result is a design that is truly timeless,” adds John.

“All in all, this is a project that is a perfect blend of classic styling, natural materials and modern functionality.

OUTDOOR KITCHEN

On
by egwpadmin

BACKYARD DESIGN IDEAS

Launch issue
A luxury outdoor living area designed for year round entertaining.

This Malvern landscape design sees granite stepping-stones lead across a moat into an airy outdoor pavilion designed to do double duty as a stylish dining area and fully functional kitchen. Only the very best materials and finishes were used, from the state-of-the-art stainless-steel appliances, including a dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave and barbecue, to the bench tops fashioned out of Sahara gold granite. The same granite was also used for the paving, pots, water features, pool coping, dining table and stepping-stones.

The cabinetry is also worthy of special note. All the cupboards were handmade and finished with Jarrah facings, displaying the same care and attention to detail you’d expect from an indoor kitchen.

The centerpiece or the outdoor kitchen is a 2.5-metre long solid granite dining table. It provides seating for six and a view of the moat, garden and pool area.

At night the outdoor lighting, which can be manually operated from within the house or via remote control, effects a total transformation .There is lighting at the entrance to the pavilion, in the pond to highlight the waterfall as well as in the pots and feature planting.

Designed and built by Landscapers of Melbourne Exquisite Gardens, this Malvern landscape design abounds with innovative features, in particular the inbuilt Jarrah seating around the pool and the inbuilt trampoline hidden by the pavilion -a source of constant delight to the family’s three children.

Photography by Andrew Lecky

A TRUE CLASSIC

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

8th Edition
A formal landscape exuding elegance and style

Quality construction was paramount to the success of this prestigious project, so the task of turning Hugh Gilmour and Associate’s plans into reality fell to Melbourne landscape company Exquisite Gardens Australia. The result of this Balwyn garden was so impressive Exquisite Gardens won the Residential Landscape of the Year award in the Landscape industries Association of Victoria Awards of Excellence.

This Melbourne garden design called for a formal structure, strong floral displays, water features, ornaments and the creation of separate garden rooms. It also called for a lap pool. Stretching the width of the rear fence, the pool can be seen through the loggias from the back of the two-storey residence.

Plants are used to create the formal structure of the garden. This includes hedge planting to screen and enclose the rear garden, border hedging, standards and topiaries. Espalier plants soften the house and boundary walls.

Such a prestige project demanded only the highest-quality pavers, and Anston was the supplier of choice. Anston pavers are made by combining different types of sand to develop incredibly rich warm colours not possible with pigment coloured pavers. The manufacturing process also creates subtle changes between pavers adding to the natural effect. And as they age, they will develop an attractive patina that will complement the timelessness of the landscaping design.

Photography by Andrew Lecky

A TRUE CLASSIC

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

16th Edition
For such a magnificent home, nothing less than a landscape of superlative design would do.

Of breathtaking beauty, this inspired classical Melbourne landscape is a testament to the design and construction expertise of its creators, Melbourne Landscape Designers – Exquisite Gardens Australia.

During the design phase of the project Exquisite Gardens faced a rather unusual challenge the property is located in one of Melbourne’s most prestigious suburbs and every home in the street had either recently been landscaped, or was in the process of being transformed. Turning the challenge into an opportunity, the design team set about devising innovative alternative material combinations and unique design solutions to create a landscape unlike any other.

Following a nine-month gestation period, the landmark Toorak garden design delivered by Exquisite Gardens was everything the discerning homeowner hoped for – and more.

“Our objectives were to maintain an extremely high standard of product and a sympathetic balance of hard and soft surfaces within the landscape,” explains Exquisite Garden’s John Woollard. “Many products and design values were researched Australia wide, as well as internationally, creating the perfect landscape for such an extraordinary home.

“Designing and constructing a garden of this magnitude was an amazing opportunity,” he continues. “It allowed us to create a personally tailored environment that not only reflects our client’s lifestyle but complements the architecture of their home. It also allowed us the chance to investigate and explore many luxury products and inclusions to extend and enhance the clients’ outdoor living experience.”

Water is integral to the design and a recurring motif. There are five water features in total and each precisely positioned to be viewed from various areas of the home and garden. There is a water feature at the rear of the house, a water wall by the pool, a formal fountain at the entry to the home plus two lineal ponds with bubblers and water walls.

The hard landscaping elements –in particular the granite paving -are equally impressive and are shown to great advantage in the property’s grand entrance. Paying homage to the artistry of the ancient Romans, there are intricately patterned, decorative mosaic panels inset into the paving and cobblestones that speak of timeless design.

At the rear of the residence, a double path of large format pavers, laid in a stepping stone formation, leads from the portico, across a manicured lawn to a stunning feature area comprised of an elegant wall, water feature and seating. From front to back, this Toorak garden design has a strong sense of balance and symmetry which is enhanced by the formal approach to planting. The exception to this are the feature Canary Island palms (two of the largest available for sale within Australia), which add a dramatic tropical flourish to the landscape.

As with any garden, much of what marks it as a success went on behind the scenes -or more accurately under the ground. In this project, Melbourne Landscapers Exquisite Gardens installed extensive sub surface drainage to all lawn areas, garden beds and behind the retaining walls. Comprehensive surface drainage to all paving areas was also installed and connected to an underground 25,000-litre water tank. This tank provides water for the fully automated PVC irrigation system.

The result is a stunning Toorak landscape design of grand proportions and even grander style. Constructed to last, this is a landscape that will stand the test of time. A true classic!

A FORMAL INVITATION

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

10th Edition
This is an elegantly formal Caulfield garden design with an exciting contemporary twist.

Designed by simple straight lines that complement the architectural style of the house, this is a green and inviting formal Melbourne garden design by Exquisite Gardens Australia that can be enjoyed no matter what the season. During summer, family and friends can sit in the paved courtyard soaking up the sun’s warming rays and savouring the view of the granite urn fountain set in a square, hedge fringed pond. In winter the same stunning view can be enjoyed form inside the house.

The formal water feature sits in the middle of a luxuriant expanse of lawn and is linked to the entertaining area, which has been paved in Black African slate, via a stepping stone path.

Hugging the boundary fence to one side of the courtyard is a simple but stylish shelter for the barbecue. To ensure the space can be used both day and night, lights have been recessed onto its roof.

For this Caulfield landscape design, as in any formal garden design, balance was the key. In this instance, the challenge was to create a space that would be private yet not feel closed in. A hedge of Thuja olicata ‘faxtigiata’ blocks out the view of the neighbor’s house while a pleached hedge of magnolia ‘little gem’ screens external views and maximizes the impact of the gardens. As a colour contrast to the magnolia, Niandina domestica ‘Nana’ was used for the border hedge.

Elsewhere, espaliered climbing plants soften the look of a painted sleeper wall, Syzygium austral makes an appearance in the paved courtyard to complement the arches in the house, and Cycas revolute is used as a feature plant to be viewed from the living room.

Photography by Andrew Lecky

THE GOLDEN TOUCH

On
by egwpadmin

OUTDOOR ROOMS DESIGN & LIVING

15th Edition
This unique Thai-themed garden is the epitome of luxury outdoor living

The serene countenance of the reclining Buddha is the perfect counterpoint to the seductive shimmer of the 24 carat-gold mosaic tiles used to clad the statue’s ‘bed’. The glimmer of real gold can also be seen in the hand-laid mosaics of the spectacular waterwall and as a glistening accent in the pearl white surrounds of the spa.

Thai in flavour, this Camberwell garden design by Melbourne Landscaper’s Exquisite Gardens Australia who were also charged with the task of constructing this luxury resort-style garden – right down to the trio of water features. The first is the waterwall, which sits in front of the main glass doors leading from the back of the house. The second, which can be viewed from the outdoor entertaining area, features a large Buddha ‘floatinq’ on a koi-filled pond. The third is a large flat bowl which over flows into the spa.

Buddha statues are a recurring motif. The most spectacular is the 4.5 meter long, three-ton reclining Buddha stretching along one side of the elevated pool. This statue had to be craned into position, as did the 2.5 ton seated Buddha which rests next to the spa.

The Thai hut -its entrance guarded by a pair of Thai statues -is the social hub of the home. Constructed from recycled iron bark timber sourced from an old sheep station on the Brisbane River, it has an authentic Thai-style timber shingled pitched roof which perfectly matches the wharf style decking around the pool and spa.

With its outdoor kitchen-style barbecue and glass-panelled fridge, the hut is ideal for entertaining, but it is also a place where you can relax while you watch your favourite movie on the large plasma screen. To ensure everyone can enjoy the full outdoor living experience, there is extensive lighting throughout the garden and outdoor speakers that pipe music (or the television) to every corner.

Pearl-white exfoliated granite paving and lime-washed rendered boundary walls complete the resort-style Camberwell landscape design.

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