Phillip Johnson wins most sustainable garden

Phillip Johnson Landscapes was awarded the Ford Motor Company “Most Sustainable Garden” at the 2011 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show for their BATHE installation, showcasing compact urban sustainable landscaping and natural pool design, construction and maintenance.

Also awarded a Bronze Medal in the Show Garden category, BATHE demonstrates the company’s unique approach to rooftop and vertical garden design, integration and maintenance — and the use of reclaimed materials, including concrete rubble, to create beautiful waterfalls and landscape features.

BATHE in the pure water of your natural pool. Take the stairs out of the pool, embedded into the expansive sheet of the bronze granite deck…the perfect sunbathing platform. This colossal sheet of granite has been rescued from Lysterfield Quarry, where it was to be crushed into road base.

The chemical-free pool within BATHE uses simple technology including a natural filtration zone system and the surrounding habitat. The water level of the pool is sustained using various on-site capture systems. Clusters of native rushes and sedges such as Water Ribbons are found in the filtration zone bordering the natural pool.

Raw materials have been sourced from within a 100km radius of the site. Construction of the natural pool involves a combination of waterproof membranes and geo-fabric as protective linings. Creative Director Phillip Johnson believes that conventional pools contradict the laws of nature.

“In a natural pool, such as that within BATHE, you are swimming as nature intended. Nature is the ultimate scientist and our work aims to recognise and respect this fact.”

Concrete pavers that once lined suburban footpaths are almost unrecognisable in their new iteration, aggregated into a stunning waterfall presiding over the pool and aerating the water. The perimeter of the natural plunge pool is bordered by stone walling made from reclaimed concrete rubble, as well as clusters of native plant filtration zones. Land contouring ensures efficient on-site water management.

The rooftop and vertical gardens form a wall of green over the home, both sustained by water from the natural pool. This symbiotic integration provides nutrients for the plants in the green wall and adds a further natural filtration zone for the pool. Zen Architects, with their focus on contemporary sustainable architecture, has designed the “home” within the landscape.

“Recent severe weather, from drought through to flooding, means our approach to landscape design needs to now consider both extremes. Billabongs and natural pools are the soul of each of our landscapes. They provide a reservoir of water during times of low rainfall and can assist in fire safety and, in times of flooding, act as a catchment area,” Phillip explained.

“Urban development in Australia has resulted in reclaiming large areas of land which were previously waterways. This means the incidence of flooding in times of high, unseasonal rainfall is considerably increased. However, if we all had a billabong or natural pool in our landscape, we would add greater resilience to flooding.”

Native Australian plants are used throughout the site. From lush ferns to bright kangaroo paws and striking grass trees, the varied environments and weather conditions that make up the Australian landscape are represented. From rainforest to desert, these plants are all adapted to survive both drought and a degree of flooding, provided they are well-sited.

Go to www.phillipjohnson.com.au for further information.

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