Tsuchikabe: A Garden Bridging Two Landscapes

First place in the 2026 LCGD Border Garden Competition was awarded to Tsuchikabe, designed by Hayato Shimomura.

Returning to the competition after placing third in 2025, Hayato’s winning garden demonstrated a clear evolution in both concept and resolution.

Using Australia’s red soil to reinterpret a traditional Japanese earthen wall, the design bridges two distinct landscapes and cultures. The result is a layered, immersive space that invites a new way of seeing both.

Materiality plays a central role. The earthen wall anchors the garden, while planting and spatial sequencing create rhythm and movement within a compact footprint.

It’s a confident and thoughtful response to the brief, where concept and execution are closely aligned.

A well-deserved win, and a standout moment within this year’s Border Gardens.

→ Back to MIFGS 2026