PLAYFUL PLANTINGS
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
NATURE: Small Scale Public Realm
TIMELINE: Completed 2024
SCOPE: Concept, Planting design, Set out, Procurement support, Capacity building, Support for care and management
PARTNERS: Melbourne Olympic Precinct Trust, Australian Open
OVERVIEW:
Playful Plantings is a vibrant public realm installation delivered for the Australian Open within the Melbourne Olympic Precinct Trust. Designed as a seasonal highlight with lasting impact, the project transformed the garden into an immersive, resilient landscape that engaged visitors while supporting long-term ecological value.
Timed to reach peak expression during the Australian Open tournament in January, the planting brings colour, movement, and curiosity into one of Australia’s most iconic sporting environments.
Historically, event-based plantings in the precinct relied heavily on annual species which are typically high-impact but short-lived. This approach required frequent replanting and offered limited long-term value for both landscape performance and horticultural teams.
Playful Plantings by Super Bloom presented an opportunity to shift this model. The goal was to create a planting scheme that could deliver immediate visual impact for the event, while transitioning toward a more permanent, perennial-based landscape that would endure beyond the tournament season.
Image credit: TBC
Super Bloom led the concept, planting design, and on site set out, working closely with the precinct’s horticultural team to ensure both design integrity and longevity.
The design embraces diversity and resilience, combining robust perennial species with expressive forms and textures. A key feature is the integration of Golden Drumstick—whose spherical blooms create a playful visual connection to tennis balls.
Beyond aesthetics, the project prioritised collaboration and knowledge sharing. Through hands-on set out and direct engagement, the process supported capacity building within the horticultural team at the Melbourne Olympic Precinct Trust, embedding skills and confidence for the ongoing care and evolution of the planting.
CULTIVATED VALUE
Creative Aligned to Place & Event Identity
Super Bloom was engaged to develop a luminous and playful planting concept for the Australian Open in collaboration with the Melbourne Olympic Precinct Trust, creating a design that celebrated predominantly Australian planting while responding to the energy and atmosphere of the festival period.
Specialist Horticultural Leadership & Delivery
Super Bloom brought significant horticultural expertise to the project through planting design, plant procurement and on-site set out, supporting the existing horticultural team with specialist knowledge and ensuring the successful execution of the garden installation.
Innovative & Memorable Public Planting Outcomes
The project delivered a highly successful and visually distinctive planting experience, with playful species selection, including Craspedia resembling floating tennis balls , helping create a vibrant and memorable landscape that became a highlight of the event period.
Transitioning Temporary to Permanent Planting
Super Bloom provided strategic value by supporting the transition from resource-intensive annual bedding displays toward more permanent and resilient planting systems, helping build long-term landscape value and sustainability for the precinct.
Mentoring, Training & Garden Stewardship
Beyond the installation itself, Super Bloom contributed mentoring, training and capacity building for the horticultural team, while also providing guidance on plant establishment, aftercare and long-term management to support the continued success of the garden.
Long-Term Impact Through Playful Planting
PLANTING WITH PLAYFULNESS
The “floating” drumsticks provide moments of delight and recognition, echoing the language of tennis while remaining grounded in a broader ecological narrative. The result is a space that resonates with both event audiences and everyday users. precinct.
Playful Plantings successfully delivered a high impact visual experience during the Australian Open, while establishing a more enduring planting framework that reduced the need for seasonal replacement.
The collaboration with the Melbourne Olympic Precinct Trust horticultural team strengthened internal capability, ensuring the landscape can be maintained and adapted over time.
The project has been well received by the public, stakeholders, and sponsors alike, demonstrating how thoughtful planting design can elevate major events while contributing to a longer term vision for urban landscapes.