Sense of Romance

Woollahra Heritage Project

The classic Queen Street home set the tone from the beginning, its presence quietly shaping every decision. There is an inherent dialogue between house and garden here, and the intention was to strengthen that connection. To give the home a landscape that feels as though it has always belonged, considered, generous, and in quiet harmony with its heritage architecture in Woollahra.

A sense of romance underpins the planting. Softness was key, allowing the garden to gently offset the structure of the house, while moments of boldness were woven through to create contrast and hold the eye. The balance sits somewhere between elegance and ease, composed, but never rigid. A garden that shifts with the seasons, catching light, movement, and time, grounded within the character of Woollahra.

With its north east aspect, the site is bathed in a warm, consistent light that naturally supports a layered, textural palette. Existing Japanese maples offered an immediate sense of maturity, sculptural, grounded, and rich with seasonal change. These trees became quiet anchors within the space. Beyond the boundary, a large gum tree extends the garden outward, connecting it to the wider streetscape and lending a sense of scale and continuity within this heritage setting.

Working within an established framework required a more nuanced approach. Rather than reimagining, the process became one of refinement, editing, softening, and elevating what was already there. The existing conditions guided the design, ensuring new planting sat comfortably alongside the old, never competing, always complementing the surrounding heritage context of Woollahra.

At its core, the garden was designed to be used, to feel inviting, intuitive, and gently immersive. Layered planting and subtle zoning draw you through the space, creating a rhythm of movement and pause. It is a garden that reveals itself slowly, encouraging moments of discovery and a desire to linger.

There is a quiet sense of abundance now. Garden beds are fuller, richer, alive with variation in form and texture. The rigidity has been softened, edges blurred, and the overall feel is more fluid, plants shifting lightly with breeze and season, creating a dynamic, ever changing composition.

With the hardscape largely in place, the intervention was subtle but deliberate. A deep blue was introduced to the front fence and door, echoing the tones of the tessellated tiles on the porch. This small gesture brings a sense of cohesion, tying house and garden together through colour, and giving the space a clearer identity within its heritage setting.

View PROJECT

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