WELCOMING WONDER
super bloom at the abbotsford convent
NATURE: Lofi Wonder, Installations & Interventions, Partnership
TIMELINE: In situ 2025 ongoing
DESIGN PARTNERS: Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne Polytechnic
OVERVIEW:
In amongst the built up urban environment of Abbotsford, surrounded by concrete, roads and traffic, a whimsical oasis of wonder is blooming. Abbotsford Convent’s installation ‘Super Bloom at The Convent’ invites visitors to experience the joy of a blooming meadow up close, bringing a wildness and untamed beauty to the city.
Located at the entrance to the Abbotsford Convent, the meadow has re-imaged an otherwise disused space, an act of glorious defiance in an otherwise urban setting. The meadow acts a a floral welcome and draws guests in to pause and take the time for a gentle meander through the meadow, calling them to immerse themselves in the joy of nature.
Super Bloom worked with students from Melbourne Polytechnic to sew the seeds for the meadow, with the garden tended to daily by a team of volunteers.
The meadow demonstrates the delight that can come from simple, lo-fi gardening solutions - evidence that abundant beauty can be accessible to all, with admission to the Abbotsford Convent free for all.
Image credit: Phoebe Powell
'Super Bloom at the Convent transcends the traditional garden and becomes a living, breathing art installation that celebrates our natural world.'
Justine Hyde, CEO, Abbotsford Convent
CULTIVATED VALUE
CREATIVE DELIVERY WITHIN REAL-WORLD CONSTRAINTS
Super Bloom developed a highly creative and impactful meadow concept in response to a tightly constrained brief, working realistically within limited resources while still delivering a strong and compelling and joyous outcome for the Abbotsford Convent.
Education, Training & Capacity Building
Through a partnership with Melbourne Polytechnic, Super Bloom integrated more than 60 students into the Abbotsford Convent Meadow project, creating meaningful opportunities for hands-on learning, teaching, skills development and industry engagement.
Cultivating Wonder Through Low-Resource Innovation
Super Bloom demonstrated an ability to create beauty, atmosphere and public delight from a minimal budget and low-resource environment, while also supporting Convent staff to successfully realise and sustain the project.
Resilient & Lasting Landscape Outcomes
What began as a temporary intervention has evolved into a resilient and enduring landscape feature, providing ongoing value to the Abbotsford Convent and establishing a long-term meadow presence within the site.
Transformative Visitor Experience & Public Engagement
The Meadow has significantly changed how visitors experience and connect with the Abbotsford Convent, creating a powerful sense upon arrival, immersion and emotional engagement through a simple yet highly impactful landscape intervention.
SMALL SCALE WONDER, BIG IMPACT
The sweeping meadow reached full bloom in January and early February and showcases and sea of flowers, with 20 species including poppies, paper daisies and cornflowers.
The team from Super Bloom, along with students from Melbourne Polytechnic planted the garden, directly sowing the seeds into the ground. From these tiny seeds, a gloroius garden of whimsical abundance has grown. From the smallest of seeds, big things can grow.
ACCESSIBLE ABUNDANCE
A GARDEN FOR ALL
Super Bloom at The Abbotsford Convent is unique in its inner city location, free for all to visit and experience the wonder. Public green spaces have become incresingly vital to our urban environments and the meadow is a floral manifestation of our human need to connect with nature.
With visitors to the meadow feeling the call to take a pause, meander and ponder the beauty of the abundance, it is a timely reminder that simple solutions to invite beauty into our urban environments can be affordable and small scale with big impact.
The simple act of spreading a seed can cultivate joy and wonder in all of us.
EXTERNAL LINK HERE
CULTIVATING COMMUNITY
Super Bloom at The Convent is a living demonstration of what is possible within the realms of public experience even with minimal budget and resources.
Managed by a team of volunteers, the meadow brought together a team of dreamers and plant schemers as the driving force behind the meadow - conceiving of a place of respite and wonder for the public to retreat to within an urban environment.
A BLOOMING WORLD
AN ENCHANTING WILDFLOWER MEADOW AT A HISTORIC SITE IN ABBOTSFORD HAS JUST REACHED FULL BLOOM
Meander among delicate blossoms and admire the pops of colour in this peaceful new meadow in Abbotsford Convent. Secret Melbourne Article.
TREASURY ROOFTOP
As our climate shifts into ever extreme temperatures, public green spaces will become vital respites from the heat of the city. See the Treasury Green Roof which is bringing much needed vegetation to one of Melbourne’s city rooftops.
WORK WITH US
With a vision for building something meaningful, our founder brings a blend of big-picture thinking and hands-on experience. They set the tone for everything we do.