Inner city productivity
In early 2012, we referred new house owners (and young parents of 3 children) Tineke and Hamish to Lucas from Libertas Gardens. They had recently taken possession of a 900m2 property in inner Melbourne (Kew), with a house that was in need of a substantial renovation and garden calling out for a full makeover.
A couple of weeks ago Lucas and the owners invited us to the house to check out their work. We were blown away. So much so we asked Lucas to talk through the process, and the elements of the garden/house. We hope this will provide some inspiration for anyone looking to become more self sufficient while living a city lifestyle.
From Lucas, Libertas Gardens
At first look, the task of designing and building their dream outdoor space seemed monumental. Like most neglected blocks, theirs was a dense thicket of self-invited trees, very old and tired ornamental plants and lots of ‘weeds’.
The brief was clear and exciting. The garden was to be visually striking, highly productive, extremely child-friendly and relatively easy to maintain. It fitted the exact description of a dream project for me. This family wanted it all: fruit trees, veggie patches, chickens, aquaponics, a herb garden, a large lawn space and entertainment area, play space for the kids, artworks, water tanks and a swimming pool. Within just a few months of exchange and brainstorming, a plan had emerged. We devised a construction timeline that would tie in smoothly with the house renovation.


