tibouchina time

Aren't the Tibouchina trees just beautiful right now.  You don't realise how many there are around the place until they are in full, violet bloom.

I'm heading to Melbourne for the International Flower & Garden Show this weekend so hopefully lots of fab photos to post next week.  I'm ready to be inspired!  Have a great weekend.

Photo * Flickr.com

V is for Vondom

There is some great design coming out of Spain right now in the outdoor furniture world and one of the front runners is furniture & lighting design company, Vondom.  Far from the run of the mill patio sets, Vondoms furniture, pot and lighting collections are pieces of art combining top design, functionality & sustainability.

The furniture is made of a lineal polyethylene material with a low density using a technique called 'rotational moulding'.  If that's all a bit high tech for you (as it is for me), then all you will want to know is that the end product is 100% recyclable, UV resistant and can tolerate extreme temperatures over long periods of time, making it ideal for Australia's harsh climate.

I'm loving the new collection called Stones designed by Stefano Giovannoni and Elisa Gargan.  Its available in a variety of bold colours (the hot pink would be amazing) and even has a LED lighting option.  By the look of the glam images from the catalogue, Vondom also have a very good marketing department who know how best to show off their pieces in some stunning locations.  For Australians, the Vondom collections can be found at KEZU.

*Photos from Vondom

watsons bay today

Todays post was meant to be about my visit to Corbett Gardens in the beautiful Southern Highlands town of Bowral.  Built in 1911 and famous for its mass tulip planting in Spring, the gardens are also very pretty in Autumn and I had envisaged a nice lunch in town followed by an afternoon stroll to take some photos.  However as we set off this morning, the skies looked full of rain, Miss T was in quite a mood and hubby was mumbling something about Formula 1 and a nap... so we took a much shorter day morning trip to Watsons Bay.  Not as botanically inspiring, but just as pretty.  Corbett Gardens to come soon I promise.

autumn inspiration

Walking through the leafy streets of Woollahra last weekend, I noticed the first signs of Autumn.  The air was cool, a breeze was up and the leaves are beginning to turn - the summer (that we never had) is turning into Autumn and I can't wait to get the doonah out!  

Here's some more autumnal inspiration from the latest edition of Country Life Magazine.  This is Wombat Park, a 160-hectare, Victorian estate on the outskirts of Daylesford and the strawberry tart is just there because it looks so amazing.

*Photos - Country Style Magazine April 2012

ps. If you don't already know, Terrace Outdoor Living are having a sale until the end of March!

turf pillows

These eco-friendly 'turf pillows' by Alicia Blass of Firmly Planted are such a fun idea for outdoor or indoor.  Alicia applies turf to garden objects to create amazing custom designs including cushions & pillows, house numbers, outdoor mirrors & frames, clocks, flower boxes and my personal favourite, dog beds!  When not applying turf to anything & everything, Alicia also offers a garden design service and is a Feng Shui expert - very interesting and inspiring lady.

*Photos Firmly Planted

hello again

Oh would you look at the time!  My last post was months ago and I apologise readers for my blogging absence.  I know you've been checking back every day to see if Gardenique is back online!  (just jokes).  Well apart from a very busy christmas, a garden design to finish in Balmain, Sydney and another in Brighton, Melbourne, a very very wet Sydney summer and coming to grips with the news we are to be parents again (oops!), I really have no excuse for not posting BUT I'm back in the blogging swing of things and ready to be inspired.

Big things planned for 2012 including a new website (I know, I know, the current one is terrible!), some interesting, succulent projects, an online shop and hopefully a bit of travel to visit some gardens around the country including the Melbourne Flower Show in a few weeks - very exciting!  Thanks for your patience, I know its been a long break but Gardenique is back!