Winners announced - Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show
Liam Riley of ID Landscaping and Emmaline Bowman celebrate their Best in Show win at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show last week.
Last week, Australia’s best garden and floral designs were announced at the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Marking the official opening of the five-day festival, the awards recognised some of the country’s best established and emerging horticultural experts.
Best in Show winner - Through the Looking Glass by Emmaline Bowman of Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and Liam Riley of ID Landscaping.
Sweeping the Landscape Design Show Garden Competition with five awards, including the coveted City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show, was Emmaline Bowman of Stem Landscape Architecture & Design and Liam Riley of ID Landscaping. Inspired by rural Australia through a sustainable lens, the duo’s design entitled “Through The Looking Glass” prioritises minimal impact and celebrates the beauty of nature’s hidden world. Crowned by an iconic Australian windmill, the garden’s accolades also include the Gold Show Garden Award and the Horticultural Media Association Award for best use of plant life.
Tying with Bowman and Riley for the Gold Show Garden Award was “SaltBush”, a visionary design by 2017 Best in Show winner Phillip Withers and Fiona Brockhoff which pays homage to Victoria’s renowned coastline. The recipients of the Silver Gilt Show Garden Award were event debutants Annika Zetterman and Kajsa Björne for their creation “New Nordic Notes”, inspired by their Swedish roots.
New Nordic Notes won the Silver Gilt Show Garden Award. The design by Annika Zetterman and Kajsa Björne was inspired by their Swedish roots.
Three exceptional gardens tied for the Silver Show Garden Award including “Inner Journey” by Christian Jenkins of Christian Jenkins Landscape Design in collaboration with Margaret River Trees, “Australian Idyll” by Nadia Cole of Platylobium Landscape Design, and “A Moment in Time” by Ireland’s Peter Donegan which features a retired Piper PA-28 Cherokee plane. Riley Cooper of Riley Cooper Landscape Design and Horticulture took out the Bronze Show Garden Award for his category debut entitled, “Gratus”.
Recognising the best of small space garden design, “Innersanctum” by Paul Pritchard Landscape Design, was awarded first place in the 5m x 5m Boutique Garden competition. “In Living Colour” by Panacea Landscapes won the Balcony Garden Award, and “Oasis” by Emma Sheppard and La Muxlow secured first place in the Border Design Competition. Sheppard and Muxlow’s plants will be donated to the Royal Children’s Hospital at the conclusion of the event.
The Challenger Achievable Garden Competition recognised the next generation of horticultural creatives with the Award of Excellence going to “Look Within” by Madeleine Holyman and Andrew Sargood from London College of Garden Design. “Mountain Landscape” designed by Seb Ryder from Melbourne Polytechnic, also took out top spot in the Hanging Basket Competition.
In the major floral competitions, Dayne Robinson from Marjorie Milner College and The Posy Crew tied for the Gold Floral Design Award. The enchanting designs of Collectors Corner (Gardenworld), Big Leaf Boutique, and Thrive Flower School also tied for first place in the Visual Display category.
Content courtesy of The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show