Edna Walling Designs

A garden design within the Bates Smart Collection of architectural materials has been confirmed as being by renowned designer, Edna Walling.

The watercolour sheet shows the final design for a garden to complement a residence built in Upper Heidelberg Road, Heidelberg in 1927 for Mrs J.J. Woolcock, however the designer of the garden is not identified on any of the plans or drawings. Comparison with several preliminary drawings held at the State Library of Victoria for a garden at this address confirms that the design held at University of Melbourne Archives is by Walling. The final garden plan, with some pencil annotations (possibly by the builder) varies from the drawings at SLV, in that a proposed pool is not shown on the final plan.

University of Melbourne Archives holds another watercolour final design by Walling, for a residence built for Mrs. M.A. Cuming, in Kooyong Rd, Toorak in 1938. This design came from the Cuming family along with business records deposited at UMA. Both designs demonstrate Walling’s characteristic colour palette, and feature favoured plantings and garden elements.

University of Melbourne Archives, Bates Smart McCutcheon collection, 1968.0013 and Cuming Smith & Company Limited 1996.0073
State Library of Victoria, H97.270/102; H97.270/62; H40612/1