Colour By Numbers

A combination of naturalistic scenery and inventive landscaping transformed this property in Australia’s Mornington Peninsula into a painterly lakeside wonderland

- Elizabeth Wilson

Fred and Anna Sanders were on the lookout for the right location to build their dream house when they found a parcel of land in the undulating hinterland of the Mornington Peninsula, an hour south of the Australian city of Melbourne. As soon as they drove onto the site, they knew they’d found a place to call home. Almost a hectare in size, the plot was surrounded by national parkland and blessed with sweeping views out to Port Phillip Bay. It also boasted a 50-year-old dam, which was later enlarged to create a lake that now covers a quarter of the property, forming a spectacular water feature around which the Sanders’ new abode has been built.

Once their home was complete, they enlisted landscape designer Robert Boyle to create a garden that would harmonise with the house and its surrounds. Having no piped water supply, the garden needed to be self-sustaining. Thankfully, the rich red soil and an average annual rainfall of 700mm (captured and stored in 190 000â„“ underground tanks) make this achievable.