Modern classic

Granite cobbles combine with classic design elements to set off this stately Melbourne home

AN IMPOSING RESIDENCE SUCH AS THIS

deserved a garden of equal grandeur. To match the architecture of the house, the landscape was to be classic formal French style and only the best-quality materials would do.

“The house was built using premium-quality materials so it was important we maintained an extremely high standard of product throughout the landscape and ensured a sympathetic balance between hard and soft surfaces,” explains David Franklin of Franklin Landscape & Design.

Front to back there is a cornucopia of design treats to savour, beginning with the classical fountain and raised circular pond placed in direct alignment with the front door. The planting, which is arranged in formal fashion, is special too. Many mature plants were used to create an established look and soften the extensive areas of paving. Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’, a compact-growing magnolia with scented creamy-white summer and autumn flowers, was planted in the front yard along

Photography by Patrick Redmond