Centennial Park was more park-like than usual last weekend when it hosted the annual Australian Garden Show Sydney.
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Phillip Withers’ garden, My Island Home, took out the People's Choice award during the show, which was held from September 4 to 7.
His coastal design featured a coral reef made of colourful succulents, surrounded by a mix of exotic and native plants.
At its centre, a winding timber boardwalk led the way to a pavilion equipped with hammock and fire pit.
Sustainability, a key trend emerging for spring gardening this year, was incorporated into many garden designs, including that of Best in Show winner, Myles Baldwin.
Mr Baldwin said he would recycle almost 100 percent of his display garden, Open Woodland, into new projects and sales to clients and nurseries.
The show, which showcases progressive ideas on gardening, design and wellbeing, has proved to be an important event for landscape designers, giving their designs exposure both nationally and on a global scale.
“It’s a great way to get what I do out to the public,'' Mr Baldwin said.
''Everything I do is behind closed doors, so it’s always a bit of a problem to be able to sneak people into private properties.
''This is a great way to be able to get me out to the public.”
Event Director Anthony Bastic said this year’s show catered to every age group.
''[It provided] a place for outdoor enthusiasts to experience all the latest in gardening, design and wellbeing; for families to enjoy a day out together and kids to get their hands dirty in an imaginative space encouraging natural creativity.”
Now in its second year, the show’s content doubled for 2014 to include 30 display gardens from designers including Andrew-Fisher Tomlin, Peta Donaldson, Christopher Owen and Phillip Withers, a kids area and more than 80 garden talks presented on three stages by experts including Don Burke, Wes Fleming, Jock Gammon and Richard Unsworth.
Gardening Australia’s gardening enthusiast Costa Georgiadis entertained crowds on his tours of the gardens, while visitors on Sunday took part in a rare chook auction inside the poultry tent.
Almost 100 exhibitors offered everything from grafting demonstrations, rare plants, vertical gardens, flower bouquets and landscaping supplies to outdoor sculptures, lighting and furniture.
Kim Truc of Ryde TAFE took out the award for the Australian Garden Show Sydney Future Florist Design Cup presented by Oasis Floral.
Visit our Pintrest board for more images from the show: