Darling Lodge

Designed and established: Summer 2025/26

Location: Flynn, ACT

The backstory: Our clients, Grace & Tom, requested an outdoor space that was inspired by local artworks of birds, bees and native plants. Whilst much of their hardscaping had been done, they lacked significant planting and reason to spend time in their generous suburban garden. Grace & Tom felt that their largest room, their backyard, was in need of some whimsy, shade, places to sit and reasons for local wildlife to visit. They wanted to make their backyard a beautiful place of peace, connection, rest and respite for themselves and for local wildlife.

Brief: Make client’s outdoor space look like art, and find ways to invite their family to spend more time in our garden. Incorporate existing layout, infrastructure and established plants. Planting and layout should attract wildlife, particularly birds and bees. Preference for natives, low maintenance and colours that include purple, greys, whites and yellows. Include a variety of places to sit. Allocate a small area for kitchen produce and edibles. Client would like to be involved in delivery and planting - happy to undertake hard yakka, including barrowing heavy materials uphill, as well as the fun stuff, like planting flowers and herbs.

Size: 336sqm (12m x 28m)

Output: Our design brings artistic intention and abundant life into an exposed suburban garden. We shaped the landscape around gentle whimsy balanced with practicality, movement and intimate moments. Our design prioritises softness, enclosure and seasonal interest, using curving paths, subtle level changes and densely layered planting to guide movement through the space. Native and climate-responsive species are woven with ornamental textures to create habitat, shade and year-round structure, while moments of openness allow light to filter through the garden. Defined yet informal seating areas support everyday use and quiet pause, and productive planting is integrated without disrupting the overall rhythm of the space. The result is an intimate, low-maintenance garden that encourages slowing down and close connection with the living landscape - including discovering their very own blue tongue lizard in a corner of their garden.