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Australian Native Garden

Designed by: Jason Sher
In association with: Alex (Akira) Endo
Constructed by: Jason Sher, Simon Hadlow and Donato Funte

The Australian Native Garden was an idea waiting to happen. The original location was an area of bare lawn and lacking in plants and seldom used by Embassy residents and staff. Our proposal was to develop the area into an "Australian Native Garden", consisting primarily of Australian Native Plants landscaped to complement a typical Australian setting.

The garden was designed to provide residents and staff with sights and smells of Australian Flora as well as another garden function area that can be used separately or complement the already established surrounding Japanese gardens and back-lawn area.

Reasons to establish an Australian Native Garden

• Showcase for Australian plants, garden landscape design and construction
• Species chosen include State floral emblems
• Used for cut flowers
• Contrast to the well manicured Japanese garden
• Possible plantings of Native food species
• Place for residents to relax
• Show of cultural identity
• Attract birds
• Low maintenance
• Possibility of holding future garden workshops

Garden Design Principals

• Timber edging, decking and sleepers are used to soften the hard concrete and stainless steel landscape of the surrounding buildings and pathways.
• The sleeper pathway meanders through the length of the garden to a raised timber deck and an existing seat to give a feeling of being in the garden rather than just observing it.
• Planting Acacia floribunda (which grow to about 3m and flower bright yellow in spring) in the area between the gatehouse and the Ambassador's residence is to give the Aust. Garden a sense of privacy and bright display of spring colours from both sides of the garden.
• All the plants were chosen for their hardiness to the cool temperate climate of Japan, displays of flowers and their size.
• The Melaleuca armillaris and Melaleuca thymifolia that are planted along the library wall will have a cooling affect on the library as well as adding a more aesthetically pleasing look to the garden.
• Provide an area that can be used for small functions, cultural events and a place to relax.
• Lights carved out of sleeper off cuts give a calm ambience in the evening.
• Future introduction of other species over time such as Boronia microphylla to add fragrance to the garden which is generally not a common feature of Japanese gardens.
• A dry river bed lined with different sized pebbles and a sleeper bridge going over it was added to balance the garden out.

Pre-Existing Area

The pre-existing area was a small lawned area sloping up to the external Chancery (library) wall which is dormant throughout winter, 5 Toona sinesis (Chinese cedar) trees are planted parallel to the wall that also lose their leaves in winter, which left it looking sterile and uninviting half of the year. The existing groundcover, Hedra helix (Common ivy), surrounds one corner of the gatehouse, making the area look untidy and un-maintained. Although Hedra helix is not an Australian native plant and is considered a weed species in Australia, it is a relatively good groundcover which inhibits the spread of weeds. We would eventually like to remove it and replace with Australian native groundcovers.

The front half of the area has been planted with Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass). This has been left as a lawned area and will not be developed further.

Mulch

In Australia these days mulch is very widely used on gardens. It is extremely uncommon here in Japan as traditional Japanese gardens are swept clear of all debris and leaves. Trying to find garden mulch (woodchip) was very hard.

The benefits of mulch are:

• rotects the roots against frosts in winter and excessive heat during summer maintaining a more even soil temperature
• Reduces water evaporating while improving the water holding capacity
• Breaks down into compost slowly releasing nutrients into the soil
• Keeps the soil moist
• Weed control - cuts down on man hours not having to weed all the time
• Stops soil erosion due to wind and rain
• Provides a finished look - aesthetically pleasing

Plant Species in the Garden

Plant species purchased

Botanical Name	Common Name
Acacia Baileyana	Wattle
Acacia Floribunda	Wattle
Callistemon Citrinus "Mauve Mist"	Bottlebrush
Eucalyptus Sideroxylon Rosea	Iron Bark
Grevillea "Coconut Ice"	Grevillea
Grevillea "Bronze Rambler"	Grevillea
Grevillea "Robyn Gordon"	Grevillea
Grevillea "White Wings"	Grevillea
Hardenbegeria Violecea	Happy Wanderer
Melaleuca Armillaris	Paperbark
Melaleuca Flugens	Scarlet Honey Myrtle
Melaleuca Thymifolia	Paperbark
Ophlopogon Japonicus (Japanese)	Mondo Grass

Plant species propagated from seeds

Botanical Name	Common Name
Anigozanthos Manglesii	Kangaroo Paw
Callistemon Sieberi	River Bottlebrush
Melaleuca Nesophila	Showy Honey Myrtle
Swainsona Formosa	Sturt's Desert Pea
Xanthorrhoea Preissi	Australian Grass Tree