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The Wildplace Children’s Garden
Created by Urban Discovery for the Victorian Schools Garden Program
Urban Discovery has been invited by the Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria and the Victorian Schools Garden Program to create the feature play precinct at the 2026 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.
The largest and oldest garden show in the Southern Hemisphere, the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show will attract over 100,000 visitors, global media, and top industry professionals from around the world. It is a vibrant five day celebration of design, nature, and innovation.
The 2026 show will also include The Wildplace Children’s Garden, an immersive, nature rich, play-full space where children, families, educators, policy makers and community can explore and remember the joy of childhood.
The Wildplace Children’s Garden, will showcase innovative and achievable design, education, and therapeutic solutions with one intention; excellence for children.
Now and long into the future.
In a hurried world, where childhood is at risk, The Wildplace Children’s Garden is a remedy.
A cross pollination of decades of experience, research, pedagogy, regenerative design and Indigenous knowledge The Wildplace illustrates a necessary step forward in the design of children's play and education spaces across all spheres of modern society.
This large, immersive garden will host hundreds of school groups and thousands of show goers throughout the event and, we hope, it will inspire a revolution in the design of playground environments.
Wildplace Highlights
Adults... do you remember what it was to not know? To wonder and wander. To fossick and discover, To hide and peek. To play?
Children... this place is for you, you know what to do.
Contribute to Bunjil’s nest and yarn with Wurundjeri man, Craig Murphy
Build huts and ideas and new friendships in the construction zones
Weave a forest pod with artist Gay Chatfield
Spin, jump, run, tumble; there’s lots of space to move about in. Outside voices encouraged
Experience traditional woodturning techniques with the Pop’s Shed team and decorate a classic timber spinning top toy to keep forever
Remember the lost art of cloud watching, butterfly chasing and lolling about
Get messy in the giant sand-play-scape
Taste native fruits, seeds, berries and leaves with Wurundjeri man, Craig Murphy, and be grateful for natures abundance
Plant seeds with the VSGP team
Hide, creep, balance, fossick; there’s lots of interesting nooks to explore
Share a picnic in the grassy meadow
Make new plant friends; there will be lots of plant species endemic to Wurundjeri Country that you may have never seen before
Play in the bush hut and make a home, or a mudpie, or a new friend
Imagine, investigate, dream, soften; there’s lots of time to let your mind wander and your body relax
Rekindle old memories and make some new ones too
The project is supported by a range of industry partners and sponsors, and forms part of Urban Discovery’s broader vision to return nature to children and children to nature.
We are hugely grateful to our wonderful sponsors for believing in our vision and supporting our work.
