This year, the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS) will host a spectacular wedding ceremony set within an enchanting garden.
Garden name:‘Love Blooms Here’
Garden designer: Jason Hodges
Garden construction: Semken Landscaping
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The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show runs from 25-29 March 2026 at the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens.
On the Wednesday evening of the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS), guests will be welcomed into an intimate setting that feels lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale – but it will, in fact, be all about a real-life love story. Dean Cartwright from Semken Landscaping and his partner, Tayla, will exchange vows in front of their closest family and friends, surrounded by a garden created especially for the moment.
For Dean, the location holds special significance. Having built many of the gardens at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show over his 22 years with Semken Landscaping, celebrating their wedding in a place so intertwined with his history is very personal.
The garden’s name, ‘Love Blooms Here’, is also personal, as the couple’s young daughter is called Bloom. It’s a nod to the idea that love – like a garden – grows, unfolds and flourishes over time.
Star features
The structure of the garden is kept simple. Australian Bamstone bluestone paving draws visitors into the space, where four mature white crepe myrtles sit at the corners – creating instant scale and a sense of arrival. The ceremony will take place beneath a white floral arch, softened with fabric and seasonal blooms.
Planting beds are filled with a soft, romantic palette of florals, balanced by clipped buxus spheres that introduce structure among the more relaxed planting. Dense hedging encloses the garden. A pair of bronze brolga birds by Willie Wildlife Sculptures is another highlight – these Australian cranes are known for their elaborate courtship dance.
Looking forward
Sustainability is central to the concept. Most plants will be returned to their nurseries or installed into current Semken Landscaping projects. Many clients intentionally delay planting until after the Show so that plants can be repurposed – this perfectly aligns with Melbourne’s ideal post‑summer planting conditions.
Also, the framing timbers are reused each year and the paving is carefully lifted and returned to suppliers or reused on new projects. The garden’s pergola will be installed at Dean and Tayla’s new home – allowing a special piece of their wedding garden to live on with them.
Design by Jason Hodges of Buxus Balls of Berry
Construction by Semken Landscaping
Plants from Established Tree Transplanters, Plant Growers Australia, Warners Nurseries and Buxus Balls of Berry
Lawn from Lilydale Instant Lawn
Arch florals grown by Ball Australia
Lighting by Gardens at Night
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