Landscape design by Caroline Hyett Gardens & Design
Tucked away at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Camberwell, Victoria, this expansive and private garden wraps around a historic Federation Queen Anne style home.
Designed by Caroline Hyett, the garden was created for a professional couple and their three young adult daughters. The design brings together family memories, seasonal interest and adaptability for the future.
The Brief
The homeowners approached Caroline with a clear vision for their garden. A key priority was a new alfresco area that would open up the connection between the home and garden. This space needed to be protected from the overhead sun and versatile enough for both family time and entertaining larger groups.
With roots in both the United States and South Africa, the homeowners hoped the garden would evoke memories of their childhoods, weaving in plants native to their home countries. Their vision was for a relaxed, resilient garden that would provide year-round interest while responding to our changing climate.
Mature trees already on the property, including a Jacaranda, Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ and a Linden Tree (Tilia cordata), offered a strong foundation. The design focused on filling the understory with new plantings, introducing colourful, pickable blooms and breathing new life into the garden through improved planting structure and vitality.
As passionate home cooks, they also wanted a dedicated kitchen garden, with fruit trees, a passionfruit vine, herbs and other edible plantings. Easy access from the kitchen was essential.
Several mature trees on the property were in need of restorative pruning to improve their health and bring more light into the understorey. These adjustments also supported the introduction of more naturalistic planting, helping to shift away from the linear garden beds that had previously limited planting potential.
A rose and perennial garden was high on the wishlist, calling for beds with more depth and sun exposure. In addition, the underperforming lawn opened up the opportunity to trial a more shade-tolerant grass species and reduce the overall lawn area, allowing for broader, curved beds to shape a softer, more generous planting design.
Improving the soil, adding mulch and installing irrigation were all important steps in reestablishing the garden’s vitality, ensuring it could thrive now and into the future.
The Transformation
The transformation of this Camberwell garden was all about creating beauty and connection throughout the space. The existing garden structure was softened with organically shaped beds, helping to slow the pace and invite the eye to linger on the details.
Key sightlines from the home’s windows and French doors were carefully considered, with planting schemes designed to create natural views. A newly formed rose garden was underplanted with catmint, iris and allium to bring more seasonal colour. Elsewhere, plantings drew inspiration from the homeowners’ South African roots, with Leucospermum, Anisodontea, Senecio and Cotyledon woven into the design.
Other areas of the garden were mass planted with Hydrangea, Salvia and Arthropodium, while Giant Bromeliads were introduced for their bold, sculptural form.
The alfresco area features a steel pergola planted with an ornamental grape, giving shade in summer and sunlight in winter. Around this space, the kitchen garden took shape with espaliered pear and apple trees, rhubarb, lemon verbena and catmint in the space. Raised beds and large pots support herbs, edible flowers and seasonal produce.
A dry-stone wall was also incorporated to introduce informal seating, gently framing this part of the landscape while reinforcing its relaxed, family-centred feel.
At the home’s entrance, large Bluestone stepping stones were laid into a newly established lawn.
The Result
The finished garden has brought new life to this historic Camberwell home. With planting schemes, softened layouts and carefully framed views, the space now feels well connected to both the site and the homeowners’ lives.
The kitchen garden has become a much-loved feature, reflecting the homeowners’ interest in growing and cooking with their homegrown produce. Across the wider garden, the seasonal planting brings ongoing moments of beauty. Bursts of colour, shifting textures and changing foliage bring interest throughout the year.
The understorey plantings have settled in well, providing depth and diversity beneath the mature tree canopy. A relaxed feel defines the garden, with curved beds and layered planting.
In the evenings, a garden lighting scheme uplights the trees, transforming the garden into a glowing retreat. During winter, when the branches are bare, the effect is especially striking — highlighting the structure and character of the trees against the night sky.
Key Plant List
Trees
- Jacaranda mimosifolia
- Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
- Tilia cordata
- Malus domestica
- Pyrus communis
Shrubs
- Leucospermum cuneiforme ‘Mardi Gras Petite’
- Anisodontea ‘Rose Mirembe’
- Salvia ‘Meigans Magic’
- Rosa ‘Seduction’
- Rosa ‘Elina’
- Rosa ‘Peace’
Perennials
- Iris germanica (various cultivars)
- Nepeta x faassenii ‘Dropmore’
Climbers
- Vitis vinifera
Groundcovers
- Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’
- Armeria maritima Pink
Ferns
- Alcantarea imperialis ‘Silver Plum’
Landscape design by Caroline Hyett Gardens & Design
Landscape construction by Outer Spaces Landscaping
Horticulture by Green Element Gardens
Photography by Erik Holt
Caroline Hyett Gardens & Design
Founded in 2013, CHGD brings Caroline’s vision for elegant, resilient gardens to life with a trusted team based in inner Melbourne. We create timelessly beautiful and sustainable spaces that reflect each home’s architecture and are made to be lived in and loved. Our collaborative approach supports clients from design through construction, building lasting relationships and gardens that flow seamlessly and age gracefully.
