On for the next five days, and open late this Friday night, The 2019 Melbourne International Flower And Garden Show is not to be missed. If you get the chance to join the droves of greenthumbs clambering to witness the latest garden innovations and creative installations, be sure to seek out the following highlights. And if you can’t make it, scroll away for an abundance of inspiration, plus a handy directory of who’s leading the way in Australian landscape design and floristry.

‘Every year we are awestruck by the imagination showcased by our landscape and floral designers, and 2019 is no different,’ introduced Marcus Gale, Event Director. With head Show Garden judge, Andrew Laidlaw, agreeing that ‘as a collective group of gardens the standard is as high as it’s ever been in the history of the show’.

Top honours, The City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best In Show, was presented to Tract Consultants’ ambitious The Loggia garden. Combining dry climate species from Australia and the Mediterranean, this design heroes warm terracotta (which almost got stuck in customs!), a contemporary take on historic architecture and hot climate planting.

‘Each garden and floral installation is not only visually arresting, but the judging panel revelled in seeing displays that carried a strong message, as well as being aesthetically brilliant,’ added Marcus.

We toured the award-winning wellbeing-themed garden that Ryan McMahon of MUSA Landscape Architecture created with event charity partner Beyond Blue. Journey chronicles the UK-born designer’s personal experience on a path towards improved mental health, taking inspiration from the form of an aeroplane – a symbol used to represent the importance of connection to friends, family, and place. The two social spaces located towards the end of the path, as well as a dry creek bed bordered with bright planting in stark contrast to ‘blueness’, build on Ryan’s concept.

The Sensory Garden, an innovative, accessible and tactile design appealing to those with low vision or blindness, created by Kangan Institute and Bendigo TAFE students in partnership with charity partner Guide Dogs Victoria is also a highlight. In another Show-first, beacon audible technology has been installed throughout the event to guide vision-impaired attendees.

Last, but not least, our pals at The Diggers Club are encouraging visitors to learn more about heirloom seed varieties, welcoming them through an eye-catching archway display of fruit and vegetables, from pumpkins, zucchinis, tromboncino, eggplants, squash, corn, carrots and more.

Tomorrow we’ll be back to bring you an in-depth look at a covetable tiny home and urban farm on display!

Full List of Award Winners – GARDENS

City of Melbourne Award of Excellence For Best In Show

The Loggia designed by Tract Consultants

Gold Show Garden

The Loggia designed by Tract Consultants

Journey designed by MUSA landscape Architecture

The Other Side by Jason Hodges, Candeo Design & Semken Landscaping for Lawn Solutions Australia

Silver Gilt Show Garden

Changing Times designed by Myles Baldwin Design

Dreaming designed by Christian Jenkins Landscape & Design

Silver Show Garden

Four Seasons designed by Rob Waddell

The Lux Botanical designed by Inge Jabara Landscape

Bronze Show Garden

Urban Retreat designed by Ben Hutchinson Landscapes

Under the Golden Elm designed by Bayley LuuTomes Design

The Welcome Garden designed by Mark Browning

The Third Age designed by Willie Wild Life Sculptures, Candeo Design & Semken Landscaping

Horticultural Media Association Award For Best Use Of Plant Life

The Loggia designed by Tract Consultants

Mark Bence Construction Award

The Loggia designed by Tract Consultants

Landscaping Victoria Boutique Garden Award

1st Place – Remembrance designed by Trish Morrison

2nd Place – Breeze designed by Maia Coillard

3rd Place – Anthropogenic Future designed by Anthony Sharples & Alistair Kirkpatrick

The Avenue Of Achievable Gardens Award Of Excellence

Redivivus Materia designed by Jason Donnelly

VISUAL DISPLAYS

Gold Visual Display

The Fantasy Garden by Collectives Corner

Silver Gilt Visual Display

Matthew Landers, Moss Industry Florists

Silver Visual Display

Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust
Lynne Dallas
Flowers Vasette

Bronze Visual Display

The Plant Society
Box Hill Institute
The Green Palace by Leaf & Bear
Ikebana International Melbourne Chapter
Chrysco
Bloom College
Gloriosa Nursery
Oasis Noir by Richard Go Design
It’s My World
Melbourne Flower School

FLORAL DESIGN

Gold Floral Design

Australian Association of Floral Designers
Pinkie Promise

Silver Gilt Foral Design

Flowers by Nici
Melbourne Polytechnic Floral Installations

Silver Floral Design

Holmesglen Institute
Marjorie Millner College

Bronze Floral Design

The Australian Floral Art Association Karen Wang Wedding & Flowers

RMIT Student Floral Fashion Design Competition

1st Place – Not knowing future matters designed by Taylah Caddy
2nd Place – Fight for the bight designed my Meg Bradbury
3rd Place – Beyond the park designed by Zoe May Sutherland

The Baptcare Shop Window Floral Design Competition

Gold – Jenny Burke Florist

The 2019 Melbourne International Flower And Garden Show
March 27th to March 31st, 9am-5pm
Twilight sessions, Friday, March 29th, 5-9pm.
Carlton Gardens, 1-111 Carlton Street
Carlton, Victoria