From the moment they moved in over 10 years ago, the owners of this Alistair-Knox designed Eltham property knew the garden needed reviving.

‘The garden was overgrown with weeds, dominated by oxalis and exotic plants,’ explains Clea Cregan, landscape designer and owner of Miniscape Projects, who designed the new garden in collaboration with Macro Micro Garden Design, with landscaping by Greener.

‘The soil was in terrible condition, the paths were narrow with uneven bricks, and the space was filled with a random mix of plants that felt out of place with the Alistair Knox home.’

In short, ‘The garden had lost its connection to the surrounding bushland and needed a complete reimagining,’ says Clea.

With a rich history of mid-century architecture and bush gardens in the area, the clients and Clea needn’t look far for inspiration. They desired a contemporary bush garden, honouring the spirit of Alistair Knox homes and the natural landscape of Eltham, to attract native wildlife, engage children, and grow food. ‘They wanted a garden where children could climb trees and connect with nature, while still feeling sophisticated and considered,’ says Clea.

The biggest challenge came first: undoing the damage done to the original garden to start with a healthy blank slate.

The second was making the most of the generous (over 1000 square metres) but sloping block to create usable entertaining spaces, especially those bathed in morning sun. ‘We addressed this by installing retaining walls using rocks, adding sleeper steps to connect the different garden levels, and incorporating an outdoor concrete bath,’ says Clea.

Looking to original Knox and Gordon Ford designs, the garden incorporates native plants with natural materials for a relaxed, organic layout that complements, rather than competes, with the architecture. ‘We wanted it to feel like the house and garden grew together from the landscape,’ explains Clea.

The planting palette is deliberately soft and naturalistic, with silvery-grey foliage and pops of colour throughout. Textures range from fine and feathery grasses, to the architectural forms of banksias, and the soft rounded shapes of Correas. ‘This layered approach creates depth and interest while maintaining a cohesive, bush garden aesthetic that changes subtly with the seasons and throughout the day as light shifts through the canopy,’ says Clea.

Other key plants include Australian classics such as eucalypts, acacias, and Poa labillardieri ‘Eskdale’ for soft texture, and Correa alba compact for year-round interest. Westringia ‘Grey Box’ provides structure, while Brachyscome multifida and Anigozanthos ‘Yellow Gem’ add seasonal colour. Exotics including Santolina chamaecyparissus (cotton lavender), Cotinus coggygria (smoke bush), and Sedum blue feather have been introduced sparingly.

Reclaimed red bricks, recycled redwood timber sleepers, gravel, granitic sand, and honey granite boulders throughout emulate the feel of natural bushland and encourage the clients and the children to explore the landscape.

As a result, the garden has truly become the heart of family life. ’The kids are constantly outside playing on the swings, climbing trees, and exploring the meandering paths. The native plantings have attracted an incredible array of birds and wildlife. You can hear the calls of kookaburras and see honeyeaters darting between the banksias,’ says Clea.

‘More than anything, this garden offers what’s increasingly rare — a sense of bush serenity just minutes from the city, a place where the family can genuinely disconnect and reconnect with nature and each other.’