Stephanie Broley's Wembley Garden: A 15-Year Meditation in Perth
Stephanie Broley's garden in Wembley, Perth, stands as an immersive artwork that has gracefully evolved over 15 years into a rich expression of composure and tranquility. "It's my meditation," she reveals, and this sentiment is palpable from the moment one discovers the hidden secrets of her front garden.
A Verge Garden of Constant Renewal
Beneath the shade of a fiddlewood tree, the verge garden represents Stephanie's current passion project. Primarily composed of hardy succulents sourced from cuttings, this area features fillers that are constantly swapped and shifted to maintain its impeccable appearance. "Constant rotation—I never stop," she laughs, highlighting her dedication to perpetual refinement.
Living privacy along the footpath is artfully provided by prostrate junipers that anchor the garden, complemented by layered plantings of cotinus, cordylines, and ficus. Secreted behind hedges, centrally placed peach-flowering dwarf oleanders add height, flanked by Cousin It, butterfly-attracting gaura, and alternanthera in various forms, showcasing meticulous attention to detail.
Strategic Design for Climate and History
The cottonwood hibiscus along the front of the house offers superb defence against hot easterly winds, trimmed every two to three weeks to provide cooling shade for potted indoor plants that adorn the space. In winter, two grand camellias burst into pink profusion, paying homage to the previous owner and honouring the garden's history—making it the envy of neighbours as the only garden in the street with reticulation.
Adjacent to the pool, beneath the shade of a mature white-flowering bauhinia, lawn has been replaced after several attempts with dichondra and bluestone steppers. This innovative "lawn-gone" solution is one of the best examples seen in Perth, with clipped hedges defining spaces and magnolias along the southern boundary receiving additional hand-watering during summer.
A Tight Plant Palette and Artistic Restraint
The plant palette is deliberately tight, featuring red, grey, and green foliage in all shapes, repeated and refined to create harmony. Stephanie explains, "You do need a space for your eye to rest," a discipline that carries seamlessly from indoors to out. Whether sourcing ceramics or plants, her consideration always focuses on how elements will work together.
There is restraint in what she buys, but enormous freedom in how it is combined. "There's so much richness in combining plants and things—that's my art," she says, emphasizing her creative approach to gardening.
Stylish Outdoor and Indoor Spaces
The come-sit-and-relax back deck is perfectly styled and filled with healthy potted plants. Stephanie collects vintage containers and tiny garden trinkets, tastefully secreted away and awaiting discovery. Outdoor pots are chosen for their limited colour palette while offering texture, while indoors, the rule is dark green or white pots only—a restraint that works to brilliant effect.
Indoor plants are sometimes taken outside for a rest on the veranda; when they are gone, Stephanie notes, "the house feels empty." These plants are fed with Seasol Gold and misted with water in summer to maintain their vitality.
Ongoing Care and Inspirational Evolution
The garden is treated with wetting agent and NPK a couple of times a year, plus a click-on Seasol hose feed every two to three weeks. Stephanie also takes care of the neighbour's verge lawn to ensure continuity with her own, fostering a cohesive streetscape.
Styling and design inspiration for the home and garden come from unconsciously noticing things, resulting in an evolving, well-considered garden that takes one's breath away. "This is our great love," Stephanie says—and it undeniably shows in every carefully curated detail.
