CHIN LIEW

An artist  in love with lusciously textured palettes. 

Chin Liew is a Melbourne-based landscape designer specialising in residential garden design, art and garden installations for events and public spaces.

After designing a winning ‘Emergent Garden’ at the 2022 Show, she is creating the Entertainment Stage at this year’s Show.

From 29 March until 2 April, the southern hemisphere’s largest horticultural event, the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, presented by Scotts Osmocote, will return to Carlton Gardens and the Royal Exhibition Building. After taking out the Emergent Gardens Award of Excellence for her design of Moving Forces at the 2022 Show, Chin will once again showcase her incredible expertise by designing two Entertainment Stage gardens at this year’s Show.

The Asian Executive spoke recently with Ms Chin Liew about her involvement with the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

 TAE: As a garden designer, what is your design philosophy?

Chin Liew: To create engaging, liveable gardens which connect architecture, homes, and lifestyles to their locality.

Each garden is unique to the client and site, and each project begins with listening to the client to understand more about their lifestyle and how they would love to use the space. A collaborative approach considers the clients’ preferences. Then the design process carefully combines the materials and plants to create a beautiful outdoor space.

TAE: How do you approach designing a space for a client?

Chin Liew: I consider the site, locality, and any borrowed landscapes, what elements need to be removed or what other features can be introduced (for example, water, plants, rocks, hardscaping). The scale of the ingredients in the garden is considered, along with how order and chaos are balanced! Where possible, I love to use lusciously textured plant palettes. Still, the environment and climate are considered, and the planting plan is tailored to the specific locality of the garden.

TAE: How do you incorporate sustainability and eco-friendliness into your designs?

Chin Liew: With increasing support around sustainability and eco-friendliness, many clients are willing to consider using recycled materials where possible. My design approach questions how much intervention with the site (in terms of built form and hardscaping) is vital. I will consider minimising this if it’s appropriate for the project. I also like to source and specify local materials where possible.

TAE: What else does your work involve?

Chin Liew: I collaborate with private residential clients, architects, landscapers, and builders to create bespoke outdoor spaces.

My studio also creates temporary or permanent garden installations for events and public spaces. Previously, I held senior roles in the Financial Services industry, mainly in product development, strategy, and marketing. I can work with companies and brands to create engaging spaces which align with their brand identity.

TAE: What can visitors of this year’s Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show expect to see?

Chin Liew: A lot of colours at my two Entertainment Stage Gardens! ‘Sound of Colour’ is a vibrant garden featuring flowers of colours found throughout the rainbow. ‘Colour Muse’ has a rainbow of colour in the planting, moving around a central stage enveloped in soft grasses from below and trailing plants from above. These gardens focus on soft scaping and show that even with minimal hardscaping, you can create great energy in a garden with plants and colours.

Find out more about Chin’s work at www.chinliew.com.au and at www.instagram.com/chinliew.studio.

To experience Chin’s designs and the magic of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, secure your tickets via www.melbflowershow.com.au.

To return to the home page, click here.