Landscape Architect Spotlight: Fran Hale

Fran, whose own ethos aims to evoke the sense of sanctuary, has been steadily nurturing a portfolio of projects that are as invigorating and personable as they are inspiring. We sat down with Fran to hear how Peachy Green has ripened into the go-to landscape design firm it is today and how a well-designed garden can truly be good for the soul.

1. How did you come to landscape design as a career?

I was very into fashion design and had spent my high school career dreaming about and designing garments. While I loved the fabric, I was unfortunately not patient enough for sewing and would often enlist my mum to finish off my projects. Post school I looked around for other options within the design field and landed upon landscaping. Having grown up in family of true-blue green thumbs, I figured plants and trees would make a suitable subject matter and had a feel-good factor that I thought would be great for the soul.  

2. What do you love about landscape design?

The best part of landscape design is working with plants. We are slightly obsessed with them here at Peachy Green and find so much joy in discovering new species or re-thinking the way we use more traditional plants. We get to visit rare plant nurseries and spend a lot of time considering the various textures and colours in the plant world and how we can amplify the effect of our planting combinations. 

3. At what stage was Peachy Green born and what is the ethos behind the studio?

In 2007, after years working and learning from different landscape designers, I felt ready to set out on my own. My guiding ethos is to bring the wonder of plants and nature into people’s homes. It’s so nice to retreat to your home, where it feels peaceful and rejuvenating. I think a beautiful green garden makes the home breathe. To look out a window and see green, or to step out and experience the garden with all your senses in all the seasons is a joy and I love seeing how happy a garden (or even just a pot plant) makes people feel.  

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4. Where/who/what do you draw your inspiration from?

Materiality is of great inspiration to me; I'm often inspired by an intricately laid brick fence or a textured stucco wall when I'm out walking. We often discover unique existing materials on site that we can really embrace and enhance through our design. We work with some incredibly talented architects, and we always feel that the garden should be an extension of the house, so we are equally inspired by their vision for the project. 

5. What does sustainable development mean to you and your team?

For me it is about building robust landscapes that will last and age beautifully. Using natural materials, local stone and timber, planting lush, but water sensitive and hardy species that will thrive in the aspect and soil type, as well as providing shade, cooling and protection for the house. We look to improve the soils by cultivating and enriching the existing microbiome with composted organic matter and mulches. And of course, harvesting water wherever possible to irrigate the garden. 

6. What does the future of landscape design look like in a climate-responsive world? What would you like to see more of in terms of what practices are adopted more widely?

Native Australian plants are growing in popularity, I would love to see a broader adoption of these plants into landscape design. Not only are these species drought tolerant and hardy, but they contribute to improving the wider biodiversity of the suburbs where our sites are located. 

7. What are some of your favourite projects you've been able to work on?

Our office is in Fairfield, and we are lucky to have a large network of clients within our immediate area. These projects, where we have great clients who are willing to let us experiment and play with different materials and plant combinations, are both fun and rewarding to work on. Some of our favourites have been Plimsoll, Sharp St, Henry St, Xavier, and 8 Yard House which won the HOUSES award for the Garden/Landscape Category in collaboration with Studio Bright. We also have several beautiful projects currently in construction or in the early design stages that we are very excited to see come to life. 

“To look out a window and see green, or to step out and experience the garden with all your senses in all the seasons is a joy and I love seeing how happy a garden makes people feel”

“To look out a window and see green, or to step out and experience the garden with all your senses in all the seasons is a joy and I love seeing how happy a garden makes people feel”