Life’s Grand Mosaic

This is the fourth in a series on the 2008 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Below is a series of photos of ideas I spotted at the show. They range from water features, sculptures and décor to a couple of interesting landscaping elements.

Steel Sculptures by Lump

Lump had several sculptures included in the show gardens, along with an exhibition. Their sculptures are dramatic in scale but often include quite fine details. The combined use of clean, polished steel and reddish brown rusted pieces is very effective for a garden setting.

Wicker ball

I like spheres and globes as garden décor. This wicker ball is another good example. It would fit well with most gardens, although it may be difficult to clean out spider webs and other garden rubbish.

Bark

I thought these screens made from bark were stunning. I could imagine them used on a wall or to accent a doorway or gate.

Letters from succulents

I can imagine many possibilities for this idea. You could create a similar pattern in your garden using different colored succulents, or using pebbles to make some of the colors. Besides numbers you could do letters, or simple shapes and images.

Brass pots water feature

These brass pots were huge and would make a spectacular water feature in most gardens.

Mitre 10 garden

This outdoor living area included a beach as part of the pond. I love the idea of hearing water lapping on the shore while you are having a glass of wine in the backyard.

Strips of mulch

The use of mulch in strips, alternating with plants, creates an interesting effect. I saw two versions of this, one with pebbles and the other with colored bark.

Railway sleepers

A reminder of how well old railway sleepers work in the garden. They are an easy way to create a raised garden bed and blend in better than new timber or bricks.

Painted tires

I found the three ways the tires are used in this display garden interesting: 1. as a porthole like window, with plants in the bottom; 2. as a ring around a pole, with plants inside the ring; 3. as a hanging basket.

The other posts in this series are:

• Introduction
• Two Award Winning Garden Designs
• Great Student Designs
• Avenue of Achievable Gardens