DRIFT/: n. planting in groups to create a pattern of form or colour
We are an established landscape studio located on the beautifully rugged south coast of Western Australia, made up of a small group of dedicated designers working in close collaboration to craft subtle and engaging landscapes for a diverse range of private and commercial clients throughout the state.
Our design approach is guided always by our focus on the mantra of “Client, Context, Site” and is built upon our founder’s approach to naturalistic planting through his continued experimentation at his family property The Gardens at Bullimah.
We consider plants to be the most important aspect of any cultivated landscape and our passion for horticulture is at the centre of every landscape that we design. We enjoy building long-term relationships with our clients and take great pleasure in being an ongoing part of the process that encourages the connection of them to their land.
We strive to design gardens that cut across trends, walking a careful line between orthodoxy and experimentation. We place great emphasis on the whole composition rather than focusing on specific elements, to ultimately create a balanced and harmonious outdoor space for retreat, reflection and play.
We work on a diverse range of properties, from smaller gardens in the city to sprawling rural estates, yet we spend most of our time on coastal and rural properties that require a sensitive contextual approach and an appropriately scaled response to site.
Drift Landscape Studio can assist with both the design and installation of your landscape.
Please contact us for further information regarding our process and fees.
PEOPLE
Patrick O’Neil
Landscape Designer and Director
MA (Phil), DipLD
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Patrick’s qualifications in landscape design and horticulture at The English Gardening School and the RHS in the UK have provided him with a unique starting point for developing gardens in his home country of Australia.
Patrick grew up on 30 acres near Albany, and initially became interested in plants in his teenage years when his parents developed a rambling garden around their owner-built mud brick home.
Returning to the property and to the South Coast much later after working and studying in Perth and London, Patrick helped create The Gardens at Bullimah, a family estate with a series of connected gardens that range from a country-formal style in the sunken garden, to a dry garden of intermingled herbaceous planting at Potters Well.
The continued experimentation over many seasons at Bullimah has led Patrick to carefully select a range of both native and non-native plants that exhibit form and movement, and which thrive with minimal inputs in the dry temperate summers and thinner soils of southern Australia. These selections underpin the planting direction for the studio.
Patrick’s ongoing interest is juxtaposing soft naturalistic planting with the strong form and lines of modern architecture, particularly with the use of ornamental warm and cool season grasses and adaptable perennials. He enjoys using a broad materiality anchored in the context of the site to provide his clients with a landscape that is beautiful, resilient, and that will provide joy for many years to come.
Zoe Tucker
Landscape Designer
BA, Cert IV LD
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Having originally studied arts management, Zoe comes to Drift after re-training in landscape design and winning gold in the student category at the WALDA awards in 2021.
With meticulous attention to detail and a sensitive approach to materiality, Zoe ensures that the smallest element in every design receives the utmost consideration. She has a keen interest in the intersection between the natural world and the built form and brings a dedicated and comprehensive perspective to the studio.
In early 2022 Zoe and her three children relocated from Perth to Albany, to enjoy the unique lifestyle opportunities of the beautiful South Coast. She now devotes her spare time to cultivating her own garden nestled on the foothills of Mount Clarence.
Kylie Hordyk
Project Administrator
BSc
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Kylie originally completed a BSc in Environmental Science and currently oversees the project administration for all of Drift’s residential and commercial project installations.
When she’s not using her exceptional organisational skills to keep the studio running smoothly, Kylie and her husband and children continue to work towards creating their dream property on their beautiful 14 acres on Torbay Hill.