Boroondara General Cemetery, Melbourne-Australia
One of the oldest cemeteries in Victoria, Australia, the original layout is a traditional Victorian garden cemetery.
Curving path networks follow the contours of the site, and create views in a park-like setting. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register this cemetery has many historic and protected trees of significance.
In the latter half of the twentieth century, as the cemetery became full, many pathways and grassed verges were used to provide new burial sites. Many of the older Victorian monuments began to fall into disrepair, due to their age and a lack of funding to maintain them.
Since 2010 the grounds and monuments have been through a period of restoration
A refuge of peace and of wildlife habitat in the city, it was a real privilege to work in such a historic, beautiful and peaceful environment.
Rachel Stephenson worked with Michael Tanner, Helen Page, Su Laird, and many volunteers in the return of the cemetery grounds to their original intention, as a Botanical Garden, This included adding, mostly flowering, tree planting to ensure succession with more heat-tolerant specimens.
Mass plantings of drought-tolerant perennials, along with Roses, Grasses and Succulents add seasonal colour. Mulch and groundcovers reduce maintenance and soil evaporation.
