The Climate-Forward Garden

The Climate-Forward Garden is a front garden re-imagined for our changing environment with style and sustainability front and centre.

Visitors can watch the reflections on the water in the central pool from the conversation pit, while surrounded by the aromas and colours of the Australian eucalyptus and crepe myrtle. Drought-friendly plants grow from porous stylish gravel, and habitat poles encourage biodiversity.

The space is influenced by how Australian garden design has evolved to cope with the demands of harsh climate conditions like drought and flooding rains. This garden shows how to lower water use and add more reclaimed materials and habitats within a beautiful space that feels like a retreat.

At a glance:

Who is this garden for? 
This garden is ready for homeowners who want to turn their front garden or courtyard into more climate-friendly retreat.
Where is the garden set?  
A sunny Victorian terraced front garden.
Who or what is the design inspiration?
The natural hues of the Australian bush are the inspiration for the colours for the materials in the garden. The dry stones of river beds, rusty steel of old shearing sheds, the reclaimed galvanised steel of water tanks and raw reclaimed wood are common sights across the southern continent.
 

Key sustainability points

• The garden uses groundscrews instead of concrete to secure the boundary fence to the earth.
• This recycled gravel garden creates a soakaway for sudden downpours and has drought-tolerant planting that is also mulched with gravel.

Repurpose & relocation