QLD GARDEN SHOW 2025
Lanthir Lamath
~waterfall of echoing voices
More than a display garden, Lanthir Lamath was a
crafted experience inspired by Middle-Earth, and drew
from all the threads of our professional experience,
passion for nature and love of Tolkein’s world.
Echoing the voices of mentors, this piece was designed
to showcase scale, presence, and the wild elegance
of the world that inspired it.
The hard work and long hours of our small team
proved that scale, presence and an offering a walk
through immersive experience can be achieved even
in a small temporary space.
It only came to life through the support of my mentors, family, friends and suppliers who donated their time, support and materials, for whom we are deeply grateful for.
Watching visitors explore the hobbit home and children following the Saratoga through the Perspex window made it clear we’d created something worth sharing. It was a tranquil immersive walk through experience enjoyed by all. And after seeing and hearing how visitors were captivated and inspired, we were thrilled to know it did what we set out to achieve.
The echoes of those waterfalls, and the voices that pushed me to “Do the expo,” will carry forward into every build that’s yet to come for us here at Swell Landscape & Design.
~ A Big thanks goes out to the Swell team and all that were involved.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Water Element
Lanthir Lamath ~ Waterfall of Echoing Voices, was a three-tiered water feature built with over 30 tonnes of basalt boulders. Flowing waterfalls cascaded into two interconnected ponds, one fitted with a Perspex panel so visitors could watch native Saratoga glide beneath the surface. Designed to evoke gorge-like presence, it proved scale is possible in compact spaces.
Hobbit Home
Landscape
Interactive pathways wound through tree ferns, tropical planting, and sandstone seating. A hobbit cave clad in timber, a manganese fire pit, and a timber deck offered different vantage points across the falls. Mosses, ferns, and collectors’ plants created a rainforest canopy, transforming the 30-metre display area into an immersive landscape that encouraged exploration and pause.
Detail
By Night
By day, the waterfalls and planting evoked a cool rainforest gorge. At night, the feature transformed. Underwater lights revealed fish in motion, bollard lighting crafted from aged timber guided pathways, and century-old lanterns glowed softly. This transition showcased how thoughtful lighting design extends the life of a landscape feature, offering new experiences after sunset.
A valued mentor who convinced me to do the Garden Show Display - Patrick Handley from Aquascape Australia.
Early morning Coffee with Costa and co. If you would like to see Cost's LIVE of Lanthir Lamath link is below
Making good use of the fire pit area afterhours
A valued mentor who convinced me to do the Garden Show Display - Patrick Handley from Aquascape Australia.
People
A central feature within the expo, an interactive hobbit home was crafted from an up cycled drainage pit with repurposed railway sleepers for the cladding, signage and doors. The hobbit home was planted out with living green walls and hanging foliage from the roof, inspired by cenotes found in nature.
From mosses and orchids cascading inside the hobbit cave to century-old lanterns lighting the walkways, every detail of Lanith Lamir was carefully considered. Perspex viewing windows, wagon-wheel seating, and fire pits reclaimed from mining equipment ensured no corner lacked a story. Each element was designed to feel aged into place, creating an immersive atmosphere.
Children pressed faces to the Perspex glass to spot Saratoga and eel-tailed catfish, while adults explored winding paths, the hobbit cave, and raised decks. Visitors paused at sandstone seating and fire pits, experiencing the feature from every angle. The response proved that even a temporary display could offer lasting memories of scale, wonder, and presence.
Show Highlights
To see videos and build details click below to our IG highlights tab
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Visited our water feature at the show?
We would love to hear about your experience so we can
create more of what people would like to see and enjoy!
A HUGE Thank you to
all involved in making Lanthir Lamath come to life!
Feel free to contact our trusted suppliers below
Who we are ~
At Swell, we design and create beautiful and functional land and waterscapes that harmonize with natural environments, support healthy ecosystems while elevating your outdoor living experience.