A Life Outside with Phillip Withers

Heading up a practice that serves up ‘landscapes with a strong sense of place’, Philip Withers is deeply in tune with the natural environment. For him, A Life Outside is all about slowing down, connection, and that raw, rugged beauty.

Drawing garden inspiration from the textures and layering as they appear in nature. Photography by Amelia Stanwix.

What comes to mind when you think of A Life Outside?

For me, it’s about feeling close to nature – wandering through the landscape, slowing down, and pausing in places that feel calm and peaceful. Being outdoors should feel easy, restful and uplifting.

Recently completed project Saltbush on the Bellarine. Photography by Madeleine Burke.

What is your overall intention/objective when designing outdoor spaces?

It’s about connection – connection to our environment and to each other. Whether it’s families, friends, colleagues or children playing in a park, it’s about enjoying time outdoors together. We see gardens and nature as one and the same, and we simply want people to experience and enjoy them that way.

Selecting locally sourced materials in Port Fairy (photography by Amelia Stanwix); Bluestone feature rock.

Could you share your process for designing outdoor spaces?

We start by chatting with our clients to understand how they want the space to work – who will use it, what they do there, and what they dream it could be. Then we get to know the site, exploring the local environment and community to see what makes it tick. From there, our designs respond to the place, creating spaces that feel natural, welcoming, and connected to their surroundings.

Coastline of Yallingup, Western Australia.

How have the great Australian outdoors influenced you as a landscape architect?

I’ve always felt a deep connection to the Australian coastline. Whether surfing or swimming in the ocean, I find endless inspiration in the natural contours of the shoreline and dunes. I’m drawn to the landscape in its purest form – untouched, raw, and unaltered. When we introduce a design, our aim is for it to feel authentic, to grow and thrive, and to seamlessly blend with the surrounding Australian environment.

Phillip Withers design for Blairgowrie. Photography by Madeleine Burke.

What does sustainability mean to you?

We prioritise working with local resources — plants, materials, and suppliers — because it keeps our gardens rooted in the community. Every design tells a story; a space that users and the wider community can connect with and cherish for years to come. Just like the landscapes that inspire us, our gardens are climate-appropriate and drought-tolerant, naturally suited to the Australian environment and designed to thrive.

Quick 6

1. Most inspiring outdoor space?
I find the Western Australian coast to be remarkable with the unique heathlands, dunes and wildflowers. The mix of vivid colours, raw and natural landscapes and rich biodiversity with the sense of remoteness is breathtaking.

2. Favourite regular outdoor hangout?
The Bellarine Peninsula is where I regularly immerse myself in nature. Whether I’m swimming in the bay, strolling along the coast, or catching the occasional wave, it fills me with energy and inspiration.

3. Favourite outdoor sculpture/piece of art?
Our ‘Birdrock,’ created for Saltbush at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, has quickly become our favourite garden sculpture. Carved from a large natural bluestone, it has a smooth basin that naturally collects rainwater, providing a perfect spot for birds to drink and bathe.

4. Must-see Australian landscape?
Western Australia’s Margaret River region, from Yallingup to Hamelin Bay, it’s moody with crashing waves and rust-coloured rock. Days unfold outdoors, amongst the rows of vineyards, wandering along the water’s edge, and exploring the surrounding national parks. The landscape feels both powerful and restorative.

5. What do you love about A Life Outside?
The sense of being connected to nature, of feeling peaceful and completely at ease.

6. Favourite Tait piece?
The Voom Lounger and Ottoman – easy to move, easy to relax, and always ready for a lazy afternoon outdoors.

Published 30 January 2026
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