A Florist’s Lush Inner City Garden

Florist Sean Cook, of Mr Cook, has lived a long love affair with plants! Only two years ago, Sean’s Sydney garden was a trashed construction site, but it’s been transformed by famed landscape designer Richard Unsworth. Today, despite it’s small size, this is a lush outdoor sanctuary with a brilliant sense of energy and drama. ‘It’s all a bit wild, and crazy and generous,’ Sean says. A great example of the value of creating an oasis of green in the inner city!

Take a tour

Sean Cook and Michael Bright’s inner city Sydney garden connects seamlessly to the house. Photo – Daniel Shipp.

Sean  Cook didn’t want flowers in his garden, he wanted texture and lots of green. Photo – Daniel Shipp.

The garden of Jenny Rose-Innes, in the NSW Southern Highlands. Photo – Abbie Melle.

‘I am in the garden all day. I am forever planning and thinking about it!’ says Jenny. Photo – Abbie Melle.

Jenny’s garden has a relaxed formality. Photo – Abbie Melle.

The Fitzroy garden of Peter Stephens and Anna Charlesworth. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

The pool is embraced by lush planting. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Peter Stephens and Anna Charlesworth at home. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

The Sydney family garden of landscape designer William Dangar. Photo – Daniel Shipp.

Will has used old timber railway sleepers to define the lines of the garden and address level changes within the space. Photo – Daniel Shipp.

Will planted the frangipani for his wife Julia – it’s one of her favourite flowers. Photo – Daniel Shipp.

Sunnymeade; an expertly landscaped property in Anglesea, belonging to Peter and Simone Shaw of Ocean Road Landscaping. The garden is dominated by a couple of magnificent stringybark trees (Eucalyptus obliqua). Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Peter likes the way the clipped forms of the coastal rosemary (Westringia spp) and germander (Teucrium fruticans) contrast with the twisted branches of the stringybark trees, as well as the looseness of the grasses (Poa spp, and Lomandra spp.). Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

With garden beds full of late summer flowering perennials, March is the perfect time to visit Heronswood house and gardens.Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Not only is the garden at Heronswood spectacular, so are the views! Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Sunflower ‘Evening Sun’. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Heronswood is one of Australia’s most highly regarded gardens. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Inside artist Bill Henson’s garden. Photo – Daniel Shipp.

From the indoors to the outdoor.  Photo – Daniel Shipp.

‘The garden was designed for kids to run through,’ Ian Barker says. Photo – Claire Takacs, courtesy of Ian Barker Gardens.

Lush, perennial planting augments an enticing and beautiful family garden. Photo – Claire Takacs, courtesy of Ian Barker Gardens.

The sculptural form of the crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) contrasts beautifully with the fine, textural grasses in this Camberwell garden. Photo – Claire Takacs, courtesy of Ian Barker Gardens.