A GATEWAY TO PLAY

There are parks, and then there are great parks! Developer Abiwood went all out to achieve a truly great park for their latest residential community, Clydevale Living in Clyde North, Victoria.

Completed in May 2017, the 1.2Ha park in the Clydevale estate is undoubtedly the highlight of this exciting new community; a result of the dedicated team of landscape architects, garden
designers and inhouse construction team from Fleming’s Landscapes, led by the hands-on direction of passionate horticulturalist Wes Fleming OAM.

Adopting an ‘inclusive’ approach to the creation of Clydevale Park, Wes worked in close counsel with the developer, Fleming’s design team and Casey Council to deliver a botanical oasis with ‘the lot’. 

After a comprehensive overview of community parks across Melbourne, Fleming noted a significant difference between parks that were seemingly unused and those that attracted crowds. He found that the most active parks in Melbourne did more than just tick the boxes on the ‘council-must-haves’ list. Pleasingly, the thing the most active parks had in common was an abundance of greenlife that included large shade trees, lawns and garden beds.

Successful parks also included proactive play equipment that transcended age ranges, catering to everyone from tots to teenagers, and facilities for adults, families and singles alike, allowing for multi-platform activity to occur in a natural and inclusive way.

These findings helped the Fleming’s team develop a plan to ensure Clydevale offered a park for all people that was rich with greenery, which studies show improve health and wellbeing generally.

From the moment of its completion, families and children from miles around have thronged to enjoy Clydevale Park’s interactive play equipment. The playground — for tots to teens — offers a huge sandpit with a hidden dinosaur, ball playing zones, swings, natural rock climbing walls, a look-out tower, water-play area and more.

The real hero of the park is the Hyde Park-inspired gardens with picnic grounds capped by a modern multi-purpose amphitheatre.

Fleming’s brought dimension and interest to the flat expanse of land with the addition of the amphitheatre and a look-out hill. The sweeping amphitheatre is an attractive space to sit and relax, as well as a place for an open-air cinema, or a makeshift stage for community events (already in the planning with council).

Using his renowned ‘green thumb’ and skill for design, Wes Fleming made a bold statement with his choice of advanced London Plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia) pleached to ‘umbrella’ forms, which in time will grow to provide a unique natural shade canopy around the barbecue/entertaining area.

The entire perimeter of the park is bordered by advanced ornamental trees, the standout being a 50m-long archway of Parrotia persica. Indian Summer Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica x faurie) will be a knock-out in summer with striking blooms pedestrians will love to meander through. And one of Fleming’s new tree species is also on show, Nyssa sylvatica ‘Forum’, which will shine in Autumn with fire-bright leaf-turners.

Street Furniture throughout the park is solid and contemporary in design, built to stand the test of time. Shade structures balance soft and hard materials, with creepers trained to grow over the wood and steel structures to soften the whole effect and deepen the shade provided. 

A true standout in the park is a striking feature sculpture designed by Wes Fleming. The form of the sculpture was purposely mirrored in accent furniture, such as the swing frame, throughout the park to provide continuity and complexity of design.

Clydevale Park encourages active participation, with wide paths ideal for walking, jogging, and bike riding, and exercise equipment for adults, while passive play equipment such as wooden animals serve as climbing structures or seats for children.

Developer Abiwood has been astounded with the level of detail and finish within the park and Fleming’s willingness to go above and beyond throughout the consultation process. Not only did Fleming’s nail the brief, they exceeded it in every way, delivering an outcome the entire community is already proud to call their own. 

Scope of works undertaken by Fleming’s includes:

• Landscape architecture and garden design
• Plant growing
• Plant source and supply
• Installation and ongoing maintenance
• Feature sculpture design
• Play equipment design
• Hard landscape construction and installation
• Drainage solutions
• Advice and consultation

CONTACT
Fleming’s Group of Companies
P   03 9756 6105
E   mail@flemings.com.au
W   www.flemings.com.au

PROJECT PARTICULARS
Project Clydevale Park
Location Clyde North, Victoria
Client Abiwood Pty Ltd
Landscape Architect Fleming’s Landscapes
Plant Source & Supply Fleming’s Nurseries
Installation & Maintenance Fleming’s Landscapes
Construction Fleming’s Landscapes