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Hedgeley Dene Gardens

Location

1778-1780 Malvern Road, MALVERN EAST VIC 3145 - Property No 7505

Level

Included in Heritage Overlay

Statement of Significance

What is significant?
Hedgeley Dene Gardens, developed intensively from 1925 on land purchased by Council in 1911, is a linear public park laid out in a nostalgic style featuring an ornamental lake, a predominance of deciduous tree plantings and manicured, ornamental display beds and shrubberies. The siting of the Gardens within a natural drainage line allows for visual links from adjacent properties into the space, and succeeds in integrating the Gardens into a broader residential precinct of contemporary origin. The overall path layout is little changed from the inter-war period.

Elements that contribute to the significance of the place include (but are not limited to):

- Maturing trees throughout the site as indicated on the attached schedule.
- The form of, but not the specific plantings within, the perimeter garden display beds.
- The form of the ornamental lake and bridged path system, but not specific path or bridge materials.
- The alignment of the linear path, but not specific path materials.
- c.1930s cast iron lamp posts
- Lawn areas maintained to high standard.

Modern elements, including the toilet block, park benches, garbage bins, signage and fencing, do not contribute to the significance of the place.

How is it significant?
Hedgeley Dene Gardens is of historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Stonnington.

Why is it significant?
Hedgeley Dene Gardens is of historic significance as a substantially intact inter-war public park, laid out in a nostalgic style, and contemporary with the adjacent subdivision (TEH 8.7.2 Public health and municipal pride). The presentation of the Gardens maintains its original style, which is strongly exotic in character. The Gardens are an early and very successful example of a linear park system that integrates successfully with the surrounding residential precinct (Criterion A).

The Gardens are of aesthetic significance as a well-maintained and attractive public park, featuring an ornamental lake and bridges, and boundary plantations of large trees and display shrubberies and borders (Criterion E). Utilising the natural topography, the gardens have a sense of enclosure and serenity afforded by its location directly adjoining private residences rather than public roads.

Group

Parks, Gardens and Trees

Category

Urban Park