Coventry Street, South Melbourne

I wanted to make the courtyard garden of this South Melbourne advertising agency interesting to look at using a wide variety of plants in the relatively small area.

The courtyard has various uses; it’s the main outlook from the office boardrooms and cafes and it also doubles as a place for staff to enjoy lunch breaks and brainstorming sessions, and an entertaining space for clients. I wanted it to function as an inspiring creative hub for staff whilst also looking picturesque from all angles of the office building.

Being mindful of the small area we had to work within, we installed a small feature wall garden where an existing recession in the wall was transformed into a centrepiece of Boston ferns. Multiple ferns were planted in close proximity so the pots and wall behind weren’t visible, giving the impression of the ferns bursting out of the wall.

Boston ivy covering the walls and cascading from the steel crossbeams makes for a beautiful lush green backdrop. A combination of charcoal and cement-coloured steel planters contrasted beautifully with the greenery and existing brickwork.