On March 20, Australia's best garden and floral designs were announced at the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show presented by Scotts. Marking the official opening of the five-day festival, the awards recognised some of the country's best established and emerging horticultural experts and their enchanting works, showcased throughout Carlton Gardens and the Royal Exhibition Building until Sunday.
Sweeping the Landscape Design Show Garden Competition with five awards, including the coveted City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show, was Emmaline Bowman of Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and Liam Riley of ID Landscaping. Inspired by rural Australia through a sustainable lens, the duo's design entitled "Through The Looking Glass" prioritises minimal impact and celebrates the beauty of nature's hidden world. Crowned by an iconic Australian windmill, the garden's accolades also include the Gold Show Garden Award and the Horticultural Media Association Award for best use of plant life.
Tying with Bowman and Riley for the Gold Show Garden Award was "SaltBush", a visionary design by 2017 Best in Show winner Phillip Withers and Fiona Brockhoff which pays homage to Victoria's renowned coastline. The recipients of the Silver Gilt Show Garden Award were event debutants Annika Zetterman and Kajsa Björne for their creation "New Nordic Notes", inspired by their Swedish roots.
Three exceptional gardens tied for the Silver Show Garden Award including "Inner Journey" by Christian Jenkins of Christian Jenkins Landscape Design in collaboration with Margaret River Trees, "Australian Idyll" by Nadia Cole of Platylobium Landscape Design, and "A Moment in Time" by Ireland's Peter Donegan which features a retired Piper PA-28 Cherokee plane. Riley Cooper of Riley Cooper Landscape Design and Horticulture took out the Bronze Show Garden Award for his category debut entitled, "Gratus".
Recognising the best of small space garden design, "Innersanctum" by Paul Pritchard Landscape Design, was awarded first place in the 5m x 5m Boutique Garden competition. "In Living Colour" by Panacea Landscapes won the Balcony Garden Award, and "Oasis" by Emma Sheppard and La Muxlow secured first place in the Border Design Competition. Sheppard and Muxlow's plants will be donated to the Royal Children's Hospital at the conclusion of the event.
The Challenger Achievable Garden Competition recognised the next generation of horticultural creatives with the Award of Excellencegoing to "Look Within" by Madeleine Holyman and Andrew Sargood from London College of Garden Design. "Mountain Landscape" designed by Seb Ryder from Melbourne Polytechnic, also took out top spot in the Hanging Basket Competition.
In the major floral competitions, Dayne Robinson from Marjorie Milner College and The Posy Crew tied for the Gold Floral Design Award. The enchanting designs of Collectors Corner (Gardenworld), Big Leaf Boutique, and Thrive Flower School also tied for first place in the Visual Display category.
Check out the full list of winners below
GARDEN DESIGN AWARDS
CITY OF MELBOURNE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR BEST IN SHOW
Through The Looking Glass designed by Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and ID Landscaping
GOLD SHOW GARDEN
Through The Looking Glass designed by Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and ID Landscaping
SaltBush designed by Phillip Withers and Fiona Brockhoff
SILVER GILT SHOW GARDEN
New Nordic Notes designed by Zetterman and Björne
SILVER SHOW GARDEN
Inner Journey designed by Christian Jenkins Landscape Design and Margaret River Trees
Australian Idyll designed by Platylobium Landscape Design
A Moment in Time designed by Peter Donegan Design & Landscaping
BRONZE SHOW GARDEN
Gratus designed by Riley Cooper Landscape Design & Horticulture
HORTICULTURAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION (HMA) AWARD FOR BEST USE OF PLANT LIFE
Through The Looking Glass designed by Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and ID Landscaping
MARK BENCE CONSTRUCTION AWARD
Through The Looking Glass designed by Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and ID Landscaping
INNOVATIVE DESIGN AWARD PRESENTED BY PEUGEOT
Through The Looking Glass designed by Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and ID Landscaping
BOUTIQUE GARDEN AWARD
1st Place – Innersanctum designed by Paul Pritchard Landscape Design
2nd Place – Breath of Fresh Air designed by Paul Alexander Landscape
3rd Place – Coastal Waves designed by Smart Landscapes
BALCONY GARDEN AWARD
1st Place – In Living Colour designed by Panacea Landscapes
2nd Place – Elysium "Balc-style" designed by Inspiring Landscape Solutions
3rd Place – Captivity designed by Darren Chesterfield, and Shootin' the Breeze designed by Filiform and Maplestone Gardens
BORDER GARDEN COMPETITION
1st Place – Oasis designed by Emma Sheppard and La Muxlow
2nd Place – Equilibrium designed by Magda Kazmierczak of MJ Gardens
3rd Place – Mermaids Enclave designed by Josie Jones OAM of SHARE Sustainability Agency
HANGING BASKET COMPETITION
1st Place – Mountain Landscape designed by Seb Ryder from Melbourne Polytechnic
CHALLENGER ACHIEVABLE GARDENS
Award of Excellence – 'Look Within' by Madeleine Holyman & Andrew Sargood from London College of Garden Design
Best Use of Plant Life – Ellen Freeman from Holmesglen
Creative Space Award – Leigh Hudson from Melbourne Polytechnic
Gold
'Look Within' by Madeleine Holyman & Andrew Sargood from London College of Garden Design
Leigh Hudson from Melbourne Polytechnic
Ellen Freeman from Holmesglen
Silver
Zoe Hibberson from Holmesglen
Bronze
Justin Rhodes from Melbourne Polytechnic
Sebastian Blacket from Holmesglen
Taylah Priestly from Advanced Community College
Participation
Jamie Greentree from Melbourne Polytechnic
Angelo Cammaroto from Open Colleges
FLORAL DESIGN
GOLD FLORAL DESIGN
The Posy Crew
Marjorie Milner College Designed by Dayne Robinson
SILVER GILT FLORAL DESIGN
The Gordon
Pinkie Promise Designed by Dayne Robinson
SILVER FLORAL DESIGN
Canberra Sustainable Floristry Group with Canberra Institute of Technology
Smithers Oasis by Richard Go Designs
Ikebana International Melbourne
BRONZE FLORAL DESIGN
Florals by Pemberley of Malmsbury
Botany & Grown Not Flown
Box Hill Institute Floristry
Flowers by Nici
Wildblooms Floristry
VISUAL DISPLAY
GOLD VISUALDISPLAY
Collectors Corner, Gardenworld
Big Leaf Boutique
Thrive Flower School
SILVER VISUALDISPLAY
Alchemy Orange
Sarah Coffey
BRONZE VISUALDISPLAY
Floral Architecture
NATIO BOTANICAL MOMENTS COMPETITION
1st Place – Kristina Bircak from Krystalis
2nd Place – Linh Hoang from Florii Flower Studio
3rd Place – Kristin McFarlane
CHRYSCO ADVANCED STUDENT COMPETITION
1st Place – Monique Kane of Melbourne Polytechnic
2nd Place – Chinh Chung of Holmesglen Institute
3rd Place – Jasmine Watson of Box Hill Institute
CHRYSCO INTERMEDIATE STUDENT COMPETITION
1st Place – Zoe Roberts of Marjorie Milner College
2nd Place – Chantal Williams of Melbourne Polytechnic
3rd Place – India Robinson of Marjorie Milner College
OPEN FLORAL COMPETITION
1st Place – Dayne Robinson
2nd Place – Wenjuan Liu
3rd Place – Jasmine Woodward
For more information:
Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show
melbflowershow.com.au