Hedgeley Dene Gardens
1778-1780 Malvern Road, MALVERN EAST VIC 3145 - Property No 7505
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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.
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Hedgeley Dene Gardens - Physical Description 1
Hedgeley Dene Gardens is an irregularly shaped linear park extending along approximately 1.5 kilometres through a quiet residential area. It has a combination of open lawns, gardens beds and deciduous and evergreen trees. A fine ornamental lake with an island, footbridges and rock grotto is located at the western end of the gardens. East of the lake, the garden opens onto areas of lawn cut across by a straight gravel path dotted with cast iron lamps (possibly c1930s).
Trees and garden beds in the eastern section of the gardens are mostly confined to the perimeter creating a long narrow vista. Plantings within the Gardens include a structure of large, predominantly exotic trees framing the edges of the linear reserve with a central band of well-maintained turf. Display beds, also maintained to a relatively high standard, border many of the paths and lawn areas.
Notable trees include Poplars (Populus spp.), a Stone Pine (Pinus pinea), Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis), Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) and a number of twisted Chinese Elms (Ulmus parvifolia) including a notable specimen at the end of Tollington Avenue with a twisted form and low, ground hugging branch structure.
Whilst some of the trees, notably a Eucalypt and some Poplars are believed to date from the pre-subdivision history of the site, the growth of trees planted in the 1920 and 30's is such that it is difficult to determine which specimens are associated with the pre-subdivision history of the place -many of the old Eucalypts within the Gardens have been removed in recent years.
The gardens have matured into a cohesive and high quality open space within the municipality. Comparisons between present day conditions and a 1945 aerial photograph suggest that the layout of the gardens has remained essentially unchanged since the Second World War, and indeed much of the existing layout was in place and visible in a 1931 aerial image. The lake's original 'rustic' timber footbridges have been replaced but the current modern bridges retain a similar arched form with cross-braced metal balustrades broadly resembling the original balustrade design.
Much of the character of the Gardens is due to the natural topography, a natural depression sloping down along a former water course from west to east. The aspect of the Gardens allows views into the space from neighbouring properties, with many of the residences oriented to enjoy the vista into the Gardens. This also provides a sense of borrowed landscape within the Gardens, where mature trees in adjacent private gardens are visually integrated into broader views, giving a greater sense of enclosure, especially from within the narrow, eastern portions of the Gardens.
Hedgeley Dene Gardens - Local Historical Themes
Hedgeley Dene Gardens illustrates the following theme, as described in the Stonnington Thematic Environmental History (Context Pty Ltd, 2006):
8.7.2 Public health and municipal pride
8.7.3 Transforming swamps into parksHeritage Study and Grading
Stonnington - Heritage Places in the City of Stonnington - Heritage Citations Project
Author: Bryce Raworth Pty Ltd
Year: 2013
Grading: A2
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MALVERN HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0379
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CENTRAL PARK CONSERVATORYVictorian Heritage Register H0908
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St Elmo/WestfordStonnington City
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