Year of Colour: Australian Gardens Through the Seasons
These inspiring gardens, designed to look gorgeous all through the year, may prompt some plantings of your own
Joanna Tovia
1 January 2017
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well.... More
If your knowledge of plants is scant at best, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to creating a beautiful garden. But the parts of the garden most visible from key areas of your home – through the kitchen or bedroom window, for example – deserve some special attention. As these professionally designed gardens will show you, planting a standout performer or two that keeps on looking good right though the seasons is a good place to start. Failing that, hire a landscaper to work some magic, or bring in some colour with seasonal outdoor furnishings.
Autumn
Drape an arbour
Clapham Landscape Architecture regularly uses ornamental grape vine (Vitis vinifera) in the gardens its designers create in and around Melbourne. In autumn, arbours and pergolas draped in this flaming beauty become standout features before the leaves drop off to let the winter sunshine flood in.
Drape an arbour
Clapham Landscape Architecture regularly uses ornamental grape vine (Vitis vinifera) in the gardens its designers create in and around Melbourne. In autumn, arbours and pergolas draped in this flaming beauty become standout features before the leaves drop off to let the winter sunshine flood in.
Plant an orchard
An expanse of lawn can look all the prettier when it changes through the seasons. Plant deciduous trees in rows – the ‘Sango-kaku’ variety of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) will gift you with yellow foliage, or mix in other varieties with red and orange autumn leaves – ‘Bloodgood’ or ‘Corallinum’, for example. Sargent’s cherry (Prunus sargentii) is another option for beautiful autumn colour or, for something on the shorter end of the spectrum, try planting the smoke bush variety known as Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’.
Top 10 garden jobs to tackle in autumn
An expanse of lawn can look all the prettier when it changes through the seasons. Plant deciduous trees in rows – the ‘Sango-kaku’ variety of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) will gift you with yellow foliage, or mix in other varieties with red and orange autumn leaves – ‘Bloodgood’ or ‘Corallinum’, for example. Sargent’s cherry (Prunus sargentii) is another option for beautiful autumn colour or, for something on the shorter end of the spectrum, try planting the smoke bush variety known as Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’.
Top 10 garden jobs to tackle in autumn
Uplight decidious trees
There’s no reason you can’t relish the colours of autumn by night as well as by day. Uplights bring the leaves (and pink-toned trunks) of these maple trees to life when the sun goes down. In this Melbourne sideway garden adjoining the resort-style backyard, the designer opted for a mixture of poured-in-place concrete pavers and river rock to turn what can otherwise be a dull area of a standalone home into an attraction.
There’s no reason you can’t relish the colours of autumn by night as well as by day. Uplights bring the leaves (and pink-toned trunks) of these maple trees to life when the sun goes down. In this Melbourne sideway garden adjoining the resort-style backyard, the designer opted for a mixture of poured-in-place concrete pavers and river rock to turn what can otherwise be a dull area of a standalone home into an attraction.
Mark an entrance
If your garden could use a pick-me-up that looks fabulous through the seasons, the ‘Dissectum atropurpureum’ variety of Japanese maple tree could be it. A form of weeping Japanese maple, it turns from a reddish purple in spring to deep green in summer, and then on to red, orange and purple in autumn (above) before losing its leaves and revealing an intricate lacework of bare branches – also beautiful.
Planting them on either side of a front gate, outdoor stairs or your front door will mark the seasons as you come and go. This garden by Arthur Lathouris is in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
If your garden could use a pick-me-up that looks fabulous through the seasons, the ‘Dissectum atropurpureum’ variety of Japanese maple tree could be it. A form of weeping Japanese maple, it turns from a reddish purple in spring to deep green in summer, and then on to red, orange and purple in autumn (above) before losing its leaves and revealing an intricate lacework of bare branches – also beautiful.
Planting them on either side of a front gate, outdoor stairs or your front door will mark the seasons as you come and go. This garden by Arthur Lathouris is in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
Just add colour
If you’ve planted all you’re ever likely to plant, or you have the autumn colour sorted in your garden, be sure to add some extra autumn oomph with an accessory or two – and not just if you’re having friends over. A simple switch-over of cushions on your outdoor furniture will draw you outside more often – or at least give you something cheerful to look at out the window.
If you’ve planted all you’re ever likely to plant, or you have the autumn colour sorted in your garden, be sure to add some extra autumn oomph with an accessory or two – and not just if you’re having friends over. A simple switch-over of cushions on your outdoor furniture will draw you outside more often – or at least give you something cheerful to look at out the window.
Winter
Go for shapely evergreens
When there isn’t much happening in the garden in the way of colour over the coldest months, your outdoor area can still look amazing with the help of sculptural evergreens. Prune shrubs into interesting shapes, or plant them in eye-catching formations. The owners of this Sydney property wanted a classically styled garden with a semi-formal framework. Landscape designers fashioned the large garden into pockets – a vegie garden, formal front garden, large grassed area for the kids to play, a pool area, a patio for entertaining and a small relaxation garden with water feature (pictured).
Go for shapely evergreens
When there isn’t much happening in the garden in the way of colour over the coldest months, your outdoor area can still look amazing with the help of sculptural evergreens. Prune shrubs into interesting shapes, or plant them in eye-catching formations. The owners of this Sydney property wanted a classically styled garden with a semi-formal framework. Landscape designers fashioned the large garden into pockets – a vegie garden, formal front garden, large grassed area for the kids to play, a pool area, a patio for entertaining and a small relaxation garden with water feature (pictured).
Light it on fire
A firepit needn’t be as elaborate as this one to have you welcoming the onset of winter. Gathering around even the humblest of fires will turn a mid-winter gathering into an occasion. This backyard destination was created for the teenage boys of the family, and surrounded with Australian native plants.
A firepit needn’t be as elaborate as this one to have you welcoming the onset of winter. Gathering around even the humblest of fires will turn a mid-winter gathering into an occasion. This backyard destination was created for the teenage boys of the family, and surrounded with Australian native plants.
Spring
Lay a carpet
It’s not difficult to create colour in a spring garden, but it is advisable to think about how many different colours you want. Mass planting jungle beauty bugle (Ajuga ‘Jungle Beauty’) flowers in a silver birch grove will result in a stunning display despite its singular hue, or you could restrict your garden to two or three colours for a harmonious effect.
Lay a carpet
It’s not difficult to create colour in a spring garden, but it is advisable to think about how many different colours you want. Mass planting jungle beauty bugle (Ajuga ‘Jungle Beauty’) flowers in a silver birch grove will result in a stunning display despite its singular hue, or you could restrict your garden to two or three colours for a harmonious effect.
Pick your colours
This beyond-beautiful garden has been planted with a restricted floral palette for maximum impact – white and various shades of pink. Autumn is the time to plant bulbs to herald the onset of spring, or plant already-flowering perennials or annuals for instant gratification.
9 ways to give your spring garden a boost
This beyond-beautiful garden has been planted with a restricted floral palette for maximum impact – white and various shades of pink. Autumn is the time to plant bulbs to herald the onset of spring, or plant already-flowering perennials or annuals for instant gratification.
9 ways to give your spring garden a boost
Hail a hero
The jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) flowers in late spring with bright purple/blue blossoms that are impossible not to love. When the flowers drop to the ground, it forms a colourful carpet so think ahead when you’re weighing up where to plant it. Beside a pool is less of a good location than at the end of an expanse of lawn, where the tree can be admired whether you’re inside or out.
The jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) flowers in late spring with bright purple/blue blossoms that are impossible not to love. When the flowers drop to the ground, it forms a colourful carpet so think ahead when you’re weighing up where to plant it. Beside a pool is less of a good location than at the end of an expanse of lawn, where the tree can be admired whether you’re inside or out.
Entice the senses
Spring needn’t be all about bright colours, of course – lush shades of green have their own appeal. Star jasmine (Tracelospermum) is an easy-growing climber that smells divine and its little white flowers are on show through much of the year.
See more of this Sydney home
Spring needn’t be all about bright colours, of course – lush shades of green have their own appeal. Star jasmine (Tracelospermum) is an easy-growing climber that smells divine and its little white flowers are on show through much of the year.
See more of this Sydney home
Summer
Add life to outdoor living spaces
Bright summer colours will give your deck, patio or lawn area a dose of fun. Keep clean cushions in plains and patterns (a mismatched selection adds a casual feel) stored away through the cooler months until sunny days draw you outdoors.
Add life to outdoor living spaces
Bright summer colours will give your deck, patio or lawn area a dose of fun. Keep clean cushions in plains and patterns (a mismatched selection adds a casual feel) stored away through the cooler months until sunny days draw you outdoors.
Use plants for shade
There’s often little need for a covered outdoor area if your pergola is draped in a creeper that creates its own covering in summer. The use of Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) in this Melbourne backyard has created an enticing retreat.
Learn more about this garden
There’s often little need for a covered outdoor area if your pergola is draped in a creeper that creates its own covering in summer. The use of Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) in this Melbourne backyard has created an enticing retreat.
Learn more about this garden
Once the wisteria (Wisteria brachybotrys) grows over the beams and steel rods of this pergola, summer shade is assured. Fortunately, wisteria is hardy and fast-growing and eagerly grows up and over a pergola or similar structure within a few years. The ‘Murasaki Kapitan’ cultivar of wisteria is ideal – its bunches of dangling mauve flowers have an intoxicating perfume.
TELL US
What’s your favourite standout plant for each season? Share your tips in the Comments below.
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Browse more Australian garden photos
What’s your favourite standout plant for each season? Share your tips in the Comments below.
MORE
Browse more Australian garden photos
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The Claret Ash in not an Australian native. Although the cultivar "Raywood" originated here the species is an exotic.
According to other sources, the tree is a unique seedling variant of desert ash, native to the Mount Lofty ranges, South Australia and was discovered in 1910. The following link is from an article in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. eurekamag.com/research/004/961/004941906.php