Interview with Phillip Johnson: sustainable landscape designer extraordinaire

To say award winning sustainable landscape designer Phillip Johnson is passionate about his work is an understatement. He lives and breathes it.  He is equally enthusiastic about the small residential backyard waterholes he creates, to the large commercial ventures where he incorporates dry river beds and networks of billabongs that sit sympathetically with the environment. 

The underlying theme to all of Phillip Johnson’s creations is to use indigenous plants and local materials that can easily be sustained in that environment. His own home, which he calls his  “laboratory in the hills”,  is the perfect example of how well considered landscape design can create a wonderful habitat that not only supports nature’s creatures, but also beckons to be explored and lived in by children and adults. 

Phillip Johnson has many balls in the air at the moment, but was happy to throw in another and speak to State of Green about his designs, and dreams for the future:

What inspired you to pursue sustainable landscape design way before it became en vogue and a necessity?   At a young age I loved nature, camping trips, and was a mad rock climber. Through this I connected with the environment and developed a desire to create spaces that mimicked mother nature in that way.

Excuse us for asking, but have you ever installed a lawn?   Yes I have! They do have their place in certain landscape environments, but you do need to look at how you can sustain your lawn.  We have recently installed a lawn that is being maintained through water tanks, and cut with a push mower! This lowers emissions, gives a better blade cut, and the owner gets a bit of exercise too!  My company actually does not own a lawnmower, and we hope to maintain this status.

Can you share with us your favourite before and after project?   It is difficult to choose, but I would say Lubra Bend at Yarra Glen.  One area was originally a dried up lawn which we created into a water feature, and we converted the old tennis court into a wetland.

As a sustainable landscaper, what are some of your biggest challenges?    Finding new innovative products we can use that do not jeopardise other resources is the primary challenge. For example we work with a lot of rock in our landscapes. We need to be mindful of where the rock has been mined. We want to be able to create something beautiful out of rock that has a respect for mother nature and creates a habitat that lasts a long time.

What has been a career highlight so far?   I have daily highlights! I enjoy receiving feedback from clients and their families that they love their new garden which encourages them to go outside and connect with the environment. I also love seeing frogs come to a habitat we have created.  Another highlight was winning Gold and Best in Show at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show in 2009. Also, winning the Save Water Award  in 2007 for the Garden Management Category (even beating the Botanical Gardens of Melbourne) at my own home was huge – it’s my research laboratory up in the hills!

For us backyard gardeners, can you share with us your primary sustainable gardening tip?  Source local! Use broken brick aggregates, indigenous plants, re-use the soil that you excavate – retain it elsewhere on you site!

We have just started a new year – What can we expect to see from Phillip Johnson in 2011?   We hope to do the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show again and push boundaries a little more.  We are building a fabulous habitat including a natural pool near Byron Bay under some challenging conditions, but it will be spectacular. We also have a number of ongoing projects around Australia and hope to do some work overseas.  We want to continue to educate people about the beautiful Australian gardens they can create that work well with our varied weather, and push the benefits of natural swimming pools/billabongs. We will also be creating more greenwalls and rooftop gardens. We have a great year ahead!

If you are after any further inspiration or just want to feast your eyes on some more fantastic landscape design, it is well worth popping over to Phillip Johnson Sustainable Landscape design  for a peek.  Thanks Phillip!

 

SUBSCRIBE to the State of Green blog for all our latest news, reviews and interviews! Just pop you email address into the box in the top right corner of this blog, and you will receive our blogs hot off the press !