A garden shaped by heritage at a Toorak home

Landscape design by Ian Barker, Ian Barker Gardens

Set within one of Melbourne’s most established inner-city suburbs, this classic Toorak home called for a garden that felt as enduring as the 1920s architecture it surrounds. The owners wanted a landscape that would mature beautifully over time – one that balanced sophistication with everyday use, and brought a stronger sense of cohesion, privacy and character to the property.

Making connections

While the existing garden had an appealing old-world quality and generous planting, the spaces lacked cohesion. The rear entertaining area felt constrained, and the front entrance didn’t reflect the interest of the rest of the property.

Therefore, the brief to Ian Barker Gardens was to create a garden that complemented the home’s heritage architecture while supporting modern family living and entertaining. The owners wanted a series of distinct garden rooms, each with its own mood and purpose, connected by a lush, layered planting scheme.

Strengthening the visual relationship between inside and out was key, as was creating a garden that felt cohesive and elegant.

Blending old & new

Clear sightlines were established from the house through the garden, introducing a more formal geometric layout, softened by layered planting. The garden was transformed into ‘rooms’: a generous outdoor entertaining zone with fire pit, barbecue and dining; relaxed lawn areas with seating for everyday use; and a reworked front garden anchored by a new water feature.

This curved stone water wall is now a welcoming focal point at the entrance. It also functions as a retaining wall, raising soil levels to support hedging that quickly delivered the privacy the owners were seeking.

Throughout the garden, elevated planting beds introduce subtle level changes and visual interest. Hardscape materials were carefully chosen to echo what already existed: Castlemaine Slate Crazy Paving was extended from the original garden, and heritage-style water spouts from Parterre reinforced the home’s character.

A layered planting approach – from groundcovers to canopy trees – ensures structure and interest throughout the year. Inspired by the work of Edna Walling, the design aimed to feel as though it had always belonged. New elements were woven into the existing fabric, making it difficult to distinguish between old and new.

Built-in BBQ framed by lush planting by Ian Barker Gardens.

Balanced tree canopy and lawn space by Ian Barker Gardens.

In the zone

Today, the garden supports both relaxed family moments and formal entertaining, with different zones responding to different times of day and ways of living. From inside, the garden offers year-round vistas; outside, it provides a range of spaces for gathering.