Sage Journal

A Northcote home with a garden view from every room – Words by Sage Journal, images by Erik Holt & Andy Murray

In the heart of Northcote, Melbourne, a striking new garden has taken shape around a prefabricated

home by Modscape. Designed by Andy Murray, this outdoor space has become an everchanging

spectacle for homeowners Keren and Chris, with each room of the home having a different viewpoint

of the gorgeous garden.

Planted just before Christmas two years ago, the garden now embraces the shifting beauty of nature.

This offers a captivating display that can be enjoyed both from within the home and throughout the

outdoor spaces — a stark contrast to what once stood on the property.

When Keren and Chris purchased the site, it was dominated by a large weatherboard bungalow,

patchy lawns, overgrown fruit trees, and little else to admire. They cleared the land — retaining only a

timber workshop at the rear — and engaged their builders to construct a three-bedroom home for

their family of five. While the house itself came together in a matter of weeks, the garden has been a

longer, more rewarding journey, carefully shaped under Andy Murray’s expert eye.

The Brief

Keren and Chris had a clear vision for their outdoor space — one that balanced functionality with a

natural, informal feel. For Keren, who comes from a family of gardeners, a dedicated garden bed was

essential — a space to experiment with perennials and grow fresh produce.

From this clear direction, Andy was able to extract several key elements that helped him to form the

overall brief for the garden: an outdoor entertaining area, a plunge pool, a mini basketball court, and

the integration of the existing workshop into the overall design.

Beyond practical elements, the overall aesthetic was just as important. “Above all, it had to be relaxed

and informal, loose and not structured,” says Andy. This approach shaped a garden that feels

inviting, ever-evolving, and perfectly suited to the family’s lifestyle.

The Transformation

Andy divided the garden into five key zones: a front garden, a back garden and three courtyards

integrated into the home. “A key part of our house brief was to have a series of courtyards to bring in

the light and garden,” says homeowner Keren.

One of the biggest challenges was the 1.5 metre excavation needed to level the sloping site, which

left three-metre-high retaining walls. To soften these structures, the back garden was designed on

two levels. The lower section features a hardwood deck for entertaining, surrounded by dense

perennial plantings that create changing seasonal displays. These also help conceal a plunge pool

and basketball area on the upper level.

The upper level incorporates the pool, workshop and raised vegetable and herb gardens which are

planted within industrial-scale concrete pipes. The hard landscaping in this area is simple and

neutral, with plantings incorporated to provide colour to the area. A mix of perennials, ornamental

grasses and fruit trees ensures the garden is constantly evolving, with species such as Echinacea,

Rudbeckia, Miscanthus and Eupatorium creating seasonal interest. “It’s a herbaceous perennial

garden — loose and never static,” Andy adds.

At the front, key trees, including a Chinese pistachio (Pistacia chinensis) and Chinese redbud (Cercis

chinensis), provide structure, while the courtyards feature Kidney Weed (Dichondra repens) and

Australian native violets (Viola hederacea) as groundcovers. Carefully placed statement trees, like a

Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) and Full Moon Maple (Acer japonicum), add sculptural

interest.

The Result

The completed garden is a relaxed and functional space, thoughtfully integrated with the home. With

the five different outdoor spaces being interwoven with ornamental perennials, fruit trees and

productive planting, the garden is constantly shifting with the seasons.

Homeowner Keren describes the garden as their own secret, visible from nearly every room in the

house, where she can happily tend to it year round.

Key Plant List:

Trees

Chinese pistachio (Pistacia chinensis)

Chinese redbud (Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale’)

Full moon maple (Acer japonicum ‘Vitifolium’)

Quince (Cydonia oblonga)

Shrubs

Flowering maple (Abutilon x hybridum) ‘Lucky Lantern Yellow’

Pewter plant (Strobilanthes gossypinus)

Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’)

Velvet groundsel (Roldana petasitis)

Grasses

Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus ‘Yakushima Dwarf’)

Evergreen miscanthus (Miscanthus transmorrisonensis)

Perennials

Rudbeckia laciniata

Eupatorium maculatum ‘Glutball’

Iris robusta ‘Gerald Derby’

Echinacea

Climbers

Maidenhair vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa)

Ornamental grape (Vitis vinifera)

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

White clematis (Clematis montana ‘Alba’)

Groundcovers

Native violet (Viola hederacea)

Kidney weed (Dichondra repens)