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Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show: Platylobium ‘Australian Idyll’ going for top prize

A top-tier landscape team will reveal world-first innovations as it goes for gold at the 2024 Melbourne International Flower & Garden show.

Platylobium Landscape Design director Nadia Cole (left) and Atlas Concrete & Landscapes director Matt James are aiming to win Best in Show at the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.
Platylobium Landscape Design director Nadia Cole (left) and Atlas Concrete & Landscapes director Matt James are aiming to win Best in Show at the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

A dynamic Melbourne landscaping and design partnership will unleash never before seen plant species and a world first ‘Tiny Home’ in a bid to snare the top prize at this week’s Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

Platylobium Landscape Design will battle top designers from around the globe as it aims to go one better and win Best in Show at the acclaimed garden showcase.

Platylobium won the Silver Gilt medal at last year’s show but have high hopes of snagging the top gong with it’s new show garden ‘Australian Idyll’.

Once again Platylobium will team with master Melbourne landscaper Atlas Concrete & Landscapes to bring their native Australian themed design to life.

Platylobium and Atlas are regular collaborators with the pair teaming to win second prize at last year’s show.

The team will feature “debut” plant releases ‘Correa Choc Leaf’ and ‘Grevillea Mello Yellow’ amid their display inspired by the “allure of rural, natural, native landscapes in Australia”.

According to the team, the display is designed to have a “low environmental impact and a profound impact on visitors”.

The garden also features several Tasmanian grasses, plants and trees, a recycled timber boardwalk connecting a “high-performance tiny home” and a plunge pool.

Matt and Nadia go over the plans.
Matt and Nadia go over the plans.

Melbourne start-up Spaces in Places designed and built the tiny home known as ‘Quad 1’ which is an “architecturally designed, high-performance, off-grid dwelling which takes inspiration from the classic Australian bush hut”.

Like the garden, the tiny home is designed to have a low impact on the environment through its high-performance off-grid design, longevity and protective measures.

The tiny home is designed to “complement Australia’s natural landscapes” and is built using material including silvertop ash timber, corrugated iron and stainless steel.

The new plant species ‘Correa Choc Leaf’.
The new plant species ‘Correa Choc Leaf’.

Platylobium director Nadia Cole said Australian Idyll has been a “true collaboration”.

“It has been such a privilege to work with this group of talented people to bring this garden to life,” she said.

“Incredibly, three of the partners working on this year’s exhibition came up with the idea for this year’s design independently … it was obviously meant to be.

“What we wanted to achieve this year was a garden that made you feel connected to nature but disconnected from the worries of the world.”

Atlas boss Matt James said his company regularly works with Platylobium.

“We pride ourselves on attention to detail, reliability, workmanship, and

customer satisfaction,” he said.

“We are looking forward to showing what the best of Melbourne can do against the rest of the world.”

Gardening with Angus Stewart will be on hand to give visitors expert insight and Sanctum Homes – which built the boardwalk – also collaborated on the Australian Idyll show garden.

The world-class garden show will feature garden designs from around the world all vying for the coveted Best in Show title.

The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show will run from March 20 until March 24.

paul.shapiro@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/melbourne-city/melbourne-international-flower-and-garden-show-platylobium-australian-idyll-going-for-top-prize/news-story/b629dbc6c16e2cfd19eabd7441676afd