East Fremantle

Painter's Palette.  This extraordinary East Fremantle home designed by Brooking Design has a uniquely modern industrial  feel with curved corrugated steel and massive glass windows.  The owners engaged GFE to design and construct a garden in which they could entertain, enjoy and grow some of their own fruit, herbs and vegies.  GFE aimed to match this amazing architecture with a modern contemporary garden that had a 'wow' factor, based on the curves of the buiding and an abstract painting reminiscent of Piccasso. 

The existing site was a blank canvas, restricted by the steep slopes to the rear and sides making retaining essential. Excessive water run-off from the huge curved roof had caused significant erosion and needed to be addressed sustainably. In the rear garden GFE installed a  pleached hedge of Crepe Myrtles and Hibiscus to screen the neighbours without losing the scenic river views. An ornate parterre with central water feature surprises visitors to the upper levels and can be viewed from all balconies.  A fruit garden underplanted with herbs and veggies allows the owners to easily 'grow their own' produce.

The front garden was totally transformed with offset concrete stepping stones and stone inserts leading to the floating steps and grand front entrance.  Drainage isssues and run-off were aesthetically resolved with the installation of new soakwells and gravel/pebble beds.  A mature Dragon Tree was transplanted and set in a contemporary setting with succulents, gravel, steel edging and hedges in squares cut throught with the curves from the building and walls.  Cycads, clipped topiary, bamboo and a curved lawn completed this extraordinary garden that complements the house and will only improve with age.