For a moment in time in 2013 it was front page news on The Age website. Australia, and in particular Melbourne, had produced the best garden in the best garden show in the world.
Wes Fleming, brave nurseryman from family business Fleming’s Nurseries joined forces with sustainably esteemed landscape designer Phillip Johnson to produce a garden like one never before seen. The design included one of Phillips famous billabongs like the one he did at the Melbourne Flower Show a few years back. The imposing timber studio you can see in the picture, is built in the shape of a waratah flower, which apparently Phillip’s father Colin gave to his wife when he proposed.
Wes had been to Chelsea many times before and was almost ‘mates’ with the queen. In fact he got a letter of support from the royals the year he couldn’t make it because of the bushfires. He has won gold before, but was always striving for the elusive ‘best in show’. How fitting that they did it in the one hundredth anniversary. For Wes, it was meant to be.
For the garden, there was wildflowers, bottle trees, Scottish stone and of course a billabong that uses no chemicals but is clean enough to swim in and will naturally clean itself. Some of the stone had been in landslips and had been in depots for 18 years. From the pictures we have seen, this is a garden that Australia can be truly proud of.
DON’T FORGET !!! – From the start of of June every year, Gardenworld will have one of Australia’s biggest ranges of Fleming’s fruit and ornamental trees. This is the best time to buy a tree. There is a huge range of quality fruit trees.
It was a privilege for us that some months ago, Phillip Johnson’s dad Colin held a couple of his drawing classes here at Gardenworld. He was doing the watercolour drawings for the Chelsea garden, an extremely important part of the submission. His classical style and use of colours would have been loved by those English.
Here is a story of Colin’s visit to our nursery by our horticultural staff member Bonnie-Marie Hibbs:
Recently at GardenWorld Nursery we have been visited by some very talented artists from The Peninsula Art Society and The Mentone-Mordialloc (Advanced group) Art Society.
Teaching this energetic group is the very talented Colin Johnson, Art Historian, who is very well known for his illustrations and his input in the garden design concepts at the Chelsea Flower Garden Show. I had the honour to talk with Colin and lets just say I was excited although quite nervous.
The Peninsula Arts Society was first established in 1954 and now consists of 700 members, while the Mentone and Mordialloc Art society has close to 300 members. There is a good variety of ages within both of the societies, the youngest member is aged 25 and the oldest 85 years old.
It is great to see so many people passionate about all themes of art and to see the passion and amount of concentration involved.
Both societies encourage fresh ideas and styles, whilst encouraging beginners and current artists to take part in their activities. The Peninsula Arts Society and the Mentone/Mordialloc Art society both offer illustration classes, workshops and educational field trips. Most classes are made up of 16 members/students.
Today, the members were here at GardenWorld to obtain reference material for their Summer Garden illustrations.
The art that was produced at the end of the session was very impressive!
Its wonderful to see such passionate and energetic members who commit so much time and love into their illustrations.
“Wonderful classes at GardenWorld” – Colin Johnson.
If you are interested in joining the Art Societies here are the links: The Peninsula Art Society http://www.peninsulaartssociety.org.au/index.html
The Mentone-Mordialloc Art Society http://www.mentone-mordiallocartgroup.org.au/
Related posts:
- Phillip Withers takes a bronze medal at the Melbourne flower show.
- Swinburne achievable garden at Melbourne Flower Show
- Australian designer awarded medal at Chelsea.
- Flemings and Jason Hodges win silver at Chelsea.
- Did Flemings have the best garden at Chelsea in 2011 ?
- Gardenworld Gold and Silver at the Flower Show