Every outdoor space holds something worth drawing out.The angle of the afternoon light. The way the block slopes. The tree worth keeping. The spot you’ll naturally gravitate towards without really knowing why.
That’s what Bulb is all about.
Founded by landscape designer Matt Scrase, Bulb was built on a simple belief: every outdoor space already contains the beginnings of something worth growing. Like a bulb beneath the soil, the potential is already there. Our job is to recognise it, nurture it and help it become what it was always capable of being.
Whether it’s a courtyard, a family garden, a pool landscape or a larger residential landscape design project, we design spaces that feel connected to their surroundings, work beautifully year-round and quietly improve the way you live every day.
A garden that only looks good in October isn’t finished. We design for the long light of a January evening, the cold mornings of May, the first sun of Spring and everything in between, so there’s always something pulling you outside.
We’d rather tell you what’s realistic at the start than watch a beautiful design get slowly sanded down into something ordinary because the budget conversation came too late. So, when we’re standing together on site, we’ll help you determine what’s achievable, what isn’t, and what will still be worth it in ten years.
The little decisions made during a build often have the biggest impact on the finished result. That’s why we stay involved throughout the process, working closely with builders and contractors to make sure the thinking behind the design isn’t lost along the way.
There’s a reason you feel different when you step into a well-designed garden, even if you can’t quite explain why.
Good design is often found in the details – how a space opens up or offers shelter, how planting frames a view, or where the afternoon sun falls at the end of the day. Individually, they’re small decisions. Together, they shape how you experience your home everyday.
That’s what we’re working towards on every project – creating spaces that feel like they belong and make everyday life a little better.
Every project starts somewhere different.
Some begin with a blank canvas. Others start with a tree worth keeping, a view worth framing, or a space that simply isn’t living up to its potential yet.
Bulb is led by landscape designer Matt Scrase, who has spent more than 22 years designing gardens, landscapes and award-winning pool environments across Melbourne. He still believes the most important part of any project happens before a line is drawn – standing on site, paying attention to what’s already there and understanding how people want to live.
Recognised both nationally and regionally for pool and landscape design excellence by top-industry body, SPASA.
Australia’s Best Designer
SPASA Awards of Excellence
NATIONAL GOLD WINNER
Victoria’s Best Designer
SPASA Awards of Excellence
REGIONAL GOLD WINNER
Australia’s Best Designer
SPASA Awards of Excellence
NATIONAL GOLD WINNER
Victoria’s Best Designer
SPASA Awards of Excellence
REGIONAL GOLD WINNER
Best Concrete Pool up to $240k
SPASA Awards of Excellence
REGIONAL GOLD WINNER
Australia & Victoria’s Pool of the Year
SPASA Awards of Excellence
NATIONAL & REGIONAL GOLD WINNER
Not every project is finished. Some are still being sketched, planted, built and shaped.
Here’s a look at what we’re currently working on.
This project explores the relationship between architecture and landscape in a setting already rich with character. Rather than competing with the surrounding bushland, the design seeks to settle into it. Layered planting, natural stone and a sequence of outdoor spaces create a landscape that unfolds gradually, encouraging exploration and connection with the site. The result is a place that feels calm, grounded and intrinsically linked to its environment.
Designed for a recently renovated mid-century home, this project focuses on strengthening the connection between house and garden. Water flows through a pond and rill that weave through the space, while an orchard, kitchen gardens, sunken conversation pit and open fireplace create a series of destinations to discover and enjoy. The result is a garden that balances entertaining, productive planting and quiet retreat.
This project explores how a garden can evolve while holding onto the things that matter most. Designed around a 40-plus-year-old grapevine and mature walnut tree, the landscape provides a natural extension of the home, creating spaces for gathering, entertaining and everyday family life. A restrained material palette of travertine and limestone brings warmth and cohesion throughout, while productive planting, a family pool and carefully framed garden views help create a landscape that feels both familiar and renewed.
Set behind an established inner-city home, this project explores how a garden can evolve while retaining the character that makes it special. Existing canopy trees remain central to the proposal, providing structure, shade and a sense of permanence, while a new pool, wellness retreat and generous lawn create opportunities for both activity and retreat. Careful consideration has also been given to privacy, using layered planting to soften surrounding development and create a more secluded garden experience for a growing family.
Designed alongside a new contemporary home in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs, this project explores the relationship between architecture and landscape through a restrained material palette and a series of connected outdoor spaces. Limestone, exposed aggregate and layered planting work together to create a garden that feels calm, cohesive and considered, while a generous lawn, pool and alfresco area provide space for both entertaining and everyday family life. The result is a landscape that complements the architecture without competing with it.
This project explores the relationship between architecture and landscape through a formal yet inviting garden setting. Inspired by the timeless character of the French Provincial home, the design combines structured planting, natural materials and carefully framed garden spaces to create a landscape that feels cohesive and enduring. Layered planting and a series of connected outdoor areas provide both privacy and functionality, while reinforcing the sense of calm and permanence that defines the home.
Rather than treating the garden as a single outdoor space, this design breaks the site into a series of connected destinations. A winding hardwood deck guides movement from the house through spaces for entertaining, relaxing and gathering, culminating in a fire pit, outdoor pavilion and secluded spa retreat. Layered planting softens the boundaries and creates a sense of discovery throughout the garden, transforming what was once a narrow and under-utilised yard into a place designed to be explored and enjoyed.
Part pool deck, part backyard escape. This garden pairs a raised plunge pool with generous entertaining spaces, open lawn and layered planting to create a place that’s equally suited to summer gatherings and quiet afternoons at home. Natural materials and a relaxed planting palette help soften the architecture, while a series of connected outdoor spaces encourage life to spill outdoors. The design is now complete and ready for its next chapter.
From residential gardens and integrated pool landscapes to multi-residential projects, we design outdoor spaces that feel considered, practical and connected to their surroundings. Every project is tailored to the life that will unfold there over time.
We work with homeowners across Melbourne – from smaller spaces to large family properties, new builds, renovations and gardens that simply aren’t living up to their potential yet.
We also work with developers, hospitality venues, apartment buildings and commercial projects where outdoor spaces need to be both beautiful and practical.
Most people come to us for the same reason – they know their space could be better, they just aren’t quite sure where to start.
Understanding your site, your goals and what’s important to you.
Reading the space, the light, the opportunities and constraints.
Concepts, visualisations and detailed documentation.
Staying involved to help ensure the design intent carries through.
Tell us about your existing space and what you’re hoping for – and we’ll go from there.
Image: Designed and built during my time at Laguna Pools
Yes - across Melbourne and surrounds, the Mornington Peninsula, and regional Victoria. For the right project, further than that.
All sizes. A well-considered small courtyard and a large estate both deserve good thinking, and we treat them the same way. We'll be straightforward if something isn't the right fit.
Design fees depend on scope and complexity, and we'll give you a clear proposal before any work begins - no surprises later. Construction budgets vary quite a bit; we'll always talk about what's realistic before we start designing anything.
We're a design studio. We work with trusted builders and contractors and stay closely involved throughout the build - but we're not a construction company ourselves, which means you get genuinely independent advice all the way through rather than someone with an interest in a particular outcome.
Design phases typically run somewhere between three and six weeks depending on scope and complexity. Construction varies considerably. We'll give you honest timeframes from the start and flag anything that might change them.
Yes, absolutely - our standalone consultation is a site visit and a proper conversation, with no strings attached whatsoever. See the Services page for the details.
