A Brief History of Australian Garden Design

One of the more interesting ways to get a feel for Australian history is by learning more about the evolution of garden design in this country. From its earliest days as a colony all the way through to the present day, the people of Australia have made dramatic changes to the ways in which they landscape their gardens. Many of today's most popular landscaping Brisbane techniques can be traced back to much earlier times.

Early Australian Gardens

At the time of the very first settlements in Australia, the English Landscaping School - led by Capability Brown - was in its heyday. As a result, the earliest gardens in Australia were of the "squared" variety. As the name suggests, this style is characterised by a lot of simple geometry. A very ordered and organised formula was used to create this look, with straight, clean lines and other very elementary features.

The Colony Grows

As the Australian colony began to grow and prosper; ideas about gardening began to change. A freer, less geometric style began taking hold throughout the settlement. Clumps of trees and wide, sweeping lawns were among the most popular features in use at that time. Unlike in England, where the enhancement of natural features was very popular, Australian landscaping ignored the natural lay of the land and attempted to subvert it in many ways. It could be said that the gardens from this time period rejected native plants and features and tried to create something wholly new.

The Tide Begins to Turn

In 1830, a Scott named Thomas Shepherd arrived in Australia. Like so many of today's landscape gardeners Brisbane, Shepherd abhorred the practice of destroying the natural landscape of the region. Many people believe that his influence marked the turning point when gardeners in Australia began to embrace the beauty of the country's native plants and natural features. Until that time, the vast majority of gardeners and botanists in the country were still attempting to enforce an unnatural appearance on the landscaping of the area. Shepherd saw that doing so was foolhardy and irresponsible, and was quite vocal about it.

Australia's Native Plants Take Centre Stage

During the early half of the 20th century, leading authors and botanists in Australia became increasingly supportive of the native plants and landscape of the country. This trend continued and really intensified following the Second World War, when a surge of nationalism prompted people throughout Australia to view native plants in a whole new light. Today, of course, we know that native plants are the best choice for the environment - and that they are positively lovely, too. If you're going to redesign your home's outdoor landscaping, always choose native plants.