The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show 2006

The 2006 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show was plagued by miserable weather. Despite the rain (and the Commonwealth Games the week before), visitor numbers were only down by 10%, so it still passed 100,000 visitors.

The landscape display garden ‘Coastal Oasis’ by Victorian landscape designer, Georgia Harper won this year’s Savewater ‘Waterwise Garden Award’.

This award recognises a landscape display that exhibits exceptional water-saving techniques and plant selection.

Georgia Harper’s design combined natural materials, modern sculpture and drought tolerant plants.

She’s no stranger to awards either. In 2005, Georgia won best residential landscape under $30,000 in the Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers’ National Design Awards.

	The New Bark Hut Eckersley Stafford Design together with Eco Concepts won the City of Melbourne Award of Excellent for Best in Show for ‘The New Bark Hut?’(left). A quizzical look at where garden design might might be heading? Recycled materials feature prominently.
Lush Taking out the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Comeadow Award is Singapore Garden City ‘Lush’ (right). Jim Fogarty Design’s tropical-looking garden for the Singapore Tourism Board.
	Backyard Bliss Dirtscape Dreaming won Bronze for this light-hearted display ‘Backyard Bliss’ (left) - a contemporary Aussie slant on the traditional teepee, not to mention the iconic car seat and ‘barbecue’!
Forest Retreat Blue Design Solutions won the Horticultural Media Association Award for the Best Use of Plant Life within a Display, for ‘Forest Retreat’ (right). The display’s purpose was to show off the Wollemi Pine but the outdoor room is also quite a stylish element.
	Oasis Not exactly a landscape exhibit, Oasis Seedlings’ attempt at resurrecting interest in produce gardening did earn its designers Vivid Design with an Outdoor Feature Display Distinction award (left).