Peter Donegan recognised with a Silver Award

Peter Donegan recognised with a Silver Award: Garden Designer Peter Donegan has been recognised with a Silver Award at The APLD International Landscape Design Awards 2025 by The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (USA).

The APLD International Landscape Design Awards Program is a juried competition that honours the very best of The United States and International excellence in landscape design.

The award for the featured show garden realised at Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) built by Semken Landscaping with Yards Landscaping, ‘A Moment in Time‚ was presented by Daisy’s Garden Supplies and tells the story of an Air Force veteran who returned to a place he hoped to be able to recall home and aims to show what is when there is no head stone to one who has not fallen and, though a body is not lost, there remains a mind that can never be the same as it was prior.

The gardens intention is to highlight the suicide rate among female veterans, 107% higher than the general population, and nearly 30% higher for men. And that close to 6,000 or 5.3% of Australia’s half a million current and former service personnel have experienced homelessness in the past year, a rate nearly three times higher than the broader population.

Commenting on the garden which has also won The Australian Institute of Horticulture Green Space International Award and, The People’s Choice Award and Silver Medal at MIFGS, the judges said of the garden:

It was “A very symbolic garden for people who served in the military. The plane certainly projects a very anxious and haunting mood to the garden, and overtakes other aspects, such as the interesting walkway to the home. I suspect to show how one’s time in the military hangs over you forever afterwards“ and also that, “There is a sense of abandonment and loneliness, and perhaps betrayal, something many vets deal with. It’s sobering.“

The garden is in support of the Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA) whose purpose is to promote and protect the interests of serving and former members of the Australian Defence Force and their families. We hope this project will honour the heritage and proud traditions of the Australian Defence Force.

DFWA Victoria RAAF Vice President, Michael Gahan noted:

“The Defence Force Welfare Association (Victoria) was pleased to be associated with the award winning garden deigned by Peter Donegan for the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.  Peter’s design and story very aptly represented the issues faced by Veterans worldwide and is truly worthy of international recognition.  His connection both philosophically and in spirit with Australian Veterans will be strengthened in 2026 with the design and construction of a permanent memorial garden in the Melbourne suburbs.“

The garden featured a fragmented path winding to an aged, grassed roof wood cabin and a Piper PA-28 Cherokee aircraft, the project that once was a wished for return to flight of a then younger man, not complete in its repair or trajectory stalled by tree growth over time, stimulated only by the turbulence of what comes with the witness of conflict.

The garden design was born during Peter’s time designing the two gardens at 13th Century Château de Péronne (France) Historial de la Grande Guerre and the Irish World War 1 centenary peace garden.

Through collaboration with the Australian construction team the design evolved to be set in South-Eastern Australia in the early 1980’s and highlighted the difficulties some veterans may face when returning to their former lives or when trying to create a new path post service in the Air Force. Whilst this garden portrays an Australian setting, the obstacles and struggles our veterans may face are shared by their counterparts across the world.

If you or a family member is in need of support help is available from many wonderful organisations such as Defence Force Welfare Association. We encourage you to reach out and discover how they can assist you.

Peter Donegan Garden Design is an international landscape architecture & garden design, consulting and project management practice based in Dublin Ireland established 2001 and becomes the first Irish Garden Designer to receive the prestigious award.

Peter Donegan MSGLD MAPL is a registered member of The Society of Garden Designers (UK) and a Designer Member of The APL (UK) is a garden judge, international speaker and garden design lecturer.

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