When you need a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, a leafy garden oasis can be the perfect hideaway. This stunning design by Myles Broad of Eckersley Garden Architecture is the perfect example. The artistic and relaxing space was recently featured in Australia’s annual National Gallery of Victoria & Women’s Association (NGVWA) Garden Day event, which showcased some of the best garden designs in an elegant suburb of Melbourne.

When Broad first saw this outdoor space, it was an uninspiring classical garden that could be viewed in its entirety from the back window. “The inspiration was to create a beautiful, arousing garden that would serve an active and social family,” he says. He introduced a lush and functional escape for the homeowners that was divided into key areas in which they could enjoy the various aspects of outdoor life. Eckersley Garden Architecture The garden consists of a dining area and a leafy garden retreat that lead to a swimming pool at the back. By sectioning off these areas, Broad created the illusion of more space.

“It’s a common misconception that if you can see the entirety of a garden from a single viewpoint that it feels roomier and more expansive. What we try to do is break that space into different compartments so that it can’t be seen all at once,” he says.

One of the most striking features of the garden is the Parthenocissus quinquefolia ‘Virginia creeper’ hanging from the pergola in the dining area. It provides a whimsical element and adds another veil of mystery, inviting the visitor to explore further. Eckersley Garden Architecture Broad makes it clear that he is not one to follow trends, and encourages other gardeners to revolt against them and use more timeless and simpler design elements. However, he does promote one trend: authenticity.

“The idea of making things look lived in and carefree — let’s hope that this trend can continue and we can all be a little more relaxed in our own homes,” he says. “I recently had a client asking for more wow factor in a courtyard that I designed. I had to explain that I don’t really do ‘wow’ factor, and that there was a timelessness in a simple bubbling lily pond that didn’t need a stainless steel water feature, Grecian urn or vertical garden behind it.” Eckersley Garden Architecture The spaces are unified with the repetition of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’ (pictured) and sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica). Seasonal bulbs are also in the mix, including amaryllis belladonna, jonquils and Christmas lilies (also pictured) for year-round variety. Eckersley Garden Architecture Looking beyond the dining area, the eye is drawn to an intriguing garden retreat. Japanese maples line the pathway, creating a light canopy and visual blocks to the opening, and the Liriope adds splashes of color. This path leads to a leafy clearing, which the homeowners use to kick back and relax.

“Creating mood in a garden is something that people often miss without good design. It’s an intangible element to a garden that needs to be carefully planned and brilliantly executed over the first few years of a garden’s development,” Broad says. Eckersley Garden Architecture The colorful wire frame chairs and table, along with the domed lights immersed in the garden bed, are fun features added by the homeowners that contrast with the natural setting.

Chairs: Tio Collection in Salmon Orange, Luke Eckersley Garden Architecture The paving, by Rhodes Architectural Stone, is made of reclaimed granite from old stone lanes in China and brings a century-old tale to the modern backyard. “When they’re pulling down villages to make way for cities, some old stone alleyways are discarded in favor of new beautifully calibrated and flat pavers,” Broad says. The random shapes and lengths of the planks add an informality to the otherwise structured space.

The recurring ground cover between the paving is white creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), which softens the overall look of this garden retreat. Eckersley Garden Architecture Clarity and greenery are key, according to Broad, and are the essence of this space. “An outdoor space to me should be simple in material and plant selection and absolutely draped in greenery. It should be responsive to the seasons and create a relaxed mood,” he says.

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