Perennial gardens are known for their rambling, free-flowing style and seasonal plantings that can quickly turn any landscape into a dreamy setting.
And this thriving Melbourne garden by Andy Murray Landscape Design — completed in 2023 — is a great example.
The backyard of a family home in Preston features everything from massed herbaceous perennials mixed with Australian natives, exotic trees, shrubs, and ground covers, creating a landscape that is equal parts functional and decorative.
‘There was a lot to fit into the garden, including a new pool, music studio, and shed,’ Andy says.
‘I wanted the new garden to create a flow between all these garden structures and allow generous space for planting and usable areas. The initial layout of the pool and studio was important — I didn’t want the pool to dominate the space.’
Retaining the existing central deck and pergola, Andy designed the new landscaping around these elements, raising the garden’s level to make the backyard feel unified with the rear of the house.
A kitchen garden is located to the north, and a small rear lawn beyond the deck leads through to the pool — tucked away in the back corner next to the studio.
While the overall planting style is ‘loose, curvy, and flowing,’ permeable inter-planted crazy paving provides some structure throughout the various spaces.
Pathways lead through garden beds, overflowing with flowering perennials like Mondado fistulosa (wild bergamot), Helenium rubinzwerg (sneezeweed) and Echinacea Primadonna (white coneflower).
Mixed grasses also add texture to the garden, with Dichondra repens (kidneyweed) as a groundcover and Miscanthus transmorrisonensis (evergreen miscanthus) starting to cover up the pool’s steel fencing.
Andy says he took reference from herbaceous perennial planting by renown designers in North America and Europe, but the biggest inspirations that influenced the design were first and foremost horticultural.
‘Herbaceous perennial planting is designed on plan and modified based on the availability of plant stock at Antique Perennials at time of project planting,’ he notes.
‘This needs to be somewhat close to the original design intent of the plan. Although there is always a welcome element of surprise in how gardens come together.’