A coastal Garden in Inverloch, Victoria

Inverloch, Victoria, Australia

Located southeast of Melbourne, the coastal stretch near Inverloch (on the land of the Indigenous Bunurong people) is enticing. Rocky promontories meet sandy dunes and open ocean beaches. Stretches of dune scrub with tough coastal grasses merge with coastal trees and shrubby vegetation, known as mallee. Designer Phillip Johnson celebrates just such natural beauty, imbuing his gardens with enduring authenticity and a strong sense of place.

This ten-acre (4-ha) garden, overlooking the Bass Strait, was envisioned as a family retreat. But first, Johnson’s design team needed to work out how to repair a leaking dam and control the water flow down to a second dam, incorporating landscaping that could both manage and make a feature of water runoff. Such a challenge was very much an opportunity for Johnson, known for his stylized garden billabongs.

Drawing inspiration from these natural backwater pools, the creation of a rocky creek and a billabong between the two dams establishes a new dynamic, offering a vital habitat for local flora and fauna and promoting the adaptability of water management—key considerations for today’s garden-makers. As the garden slopes, natural rock formations inform winding sandy pathways bordered by resilient native plantings that open to outdoor living areas and stunning coastal viewpoints.

However, it is the water that primarily animates this garden. The water courses naturally through it when it rains, the creek tumbling over rocks before spilling into the billabong. Here, a deck reaching out along the water’s edge is the perfect spot for lounging, while a series of flat stepping stones invite close encounters with resident frogs and waterbirds. Such considered landscaping throughout the garden allows for an appreciation of both the wide expanse of the ocean and smaller moments of natural beauty.