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Emmaline Bowman (Em) is the Director and Founder of STEM Landscape Architecture & Design. With a Bachelor of Design and a Master of Landscape Architecture, she specialises in creating landscapes that work in harmony with the natural environment.
Em’s design philosophy is grounded in the belief that nature holds all the answers. Her work focuses on Australian plants, wildlife, habitat creation and ecological restoration, crafting spaces that are both beautiful and beneficial to the environment.
Em loves wildlife! She is also especially drawn to designing with water, a passion shaped by her early experience working with aquariums, ponds and animal husbandry.
Outside the studio, Em enjoys exploring nature, travelling, drawing, aquariums and spending time on her family farm where her passion for landscapes and animals first began.
Chillie holds a degree in Landscape Architecture from RMIT. Her passion for landscape stems from a deep interest in how outdoor environments can bring people together and shape meaningful connections with nature.
Chillie is particularly passionate about designing landscapes within public spaces where broader communities can enjoy. She enjoys creating environments that invite movement, celebrate seasonal change and allow ecological systems to quietly flourish.
A formative influence on her design perspective came from time spent living and working in New York City, where she was inspired by the energy of public life and the way landscapes transform throughout the seasons.
Outside the studio, Chillie enjoys a good matcha, long walks with her two girls (human and furry), a great glass of wine, and spending time immersed in natural environments.
With a degree in Urban Horticulture from the University of Melbourne’s Burnley campus, Tom is a landscape designer and horticulturist at STEM.
Tom’s passion for the outdoors stems from growing up on a small farm, where much of his free time was spent exploring the creek and surrounding bushland. Before moving into design, Tom worked in garden maintenance, giving him a strong appreciation for what it takes to make gardens not only beautiful, but functional and sustainable over time.
Tom has a particular love for floriferous, meadow-style gardens and diverse planting palettes. He also has somewhat of a superpower, he seems to know the name of nearly every plant, and if he doesn’t, he’ll quickly find out.
Laura holds a Master’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Bristol and a Postgraduate Certificate in Landscape Design.
After a successful career in marketing and communications, Laura followed her love of nature into the world of landscape design. Through her studies and ecological research, she has developed a deep appreciation of how local ecosystems function and how thoughtful design can help them thrive.
Laura enjoys designing landscapes that invite people to slow down, notice the small things, and reconnect with the natural world, while quietly supporting biodiversity and natural processes. She also happens to be a wonderful photographer, always ready to capture the beauty of plants, landscapes and wildlife.
Eglė is a gardener and a landscape designer with a deep interest in creating gardens that prioritise the health of the natural environment and support biodiversity.
With a background in early childhood education, she is naturally drawn to gardens that spark curiosity, spaces that are playful, engaging and invite people to slow down, explore and connect with the living world around them. Eglė believes gardens can be powerful places for learning, care and wonder.
She is inspired by designers such as Jo Ferguson, whose work celebrates native grasslands and the healing power of gardens, and Terremoto, whose exploration of the ever-changing relationships between land, materials, labour and plants resonates deeply with her approach to landscape.
Luna has travelled all the way from New York City to greener pastures here in Melbourne. As the studio’s resident canine consultant, she offers her expert advice on plant selections suitable for her four-legged friends and keeps the team company with her calm and playful nature.
Luna’s professional skills include strategic napping, enthusiastic tail wagging, and expert-level treat negotiation. Her preferred payment method is pig ears, though she will also accept biscuits, pats, and compliments about how cute she is.
Migi and Cheika are Em’s feathered companions and beloved members of the STEM family. Em is also known to occasionally bring in animals that need a little respite and care.
At STEM, wildlife is always part of the conversation, whether feathered, furry, scaly, pet or wild. Designing with animals in mind is simply part of how we think about landscapes.
With birds, plants and the occasional visiting creature, STEM HQ is far from your everyday workplace.
Our team of highly skilled landscape architects, horticulturalists, and landscape designers work collaboratively to deliver thoughtful, buildable, and ecologically responsive outcomes.
We design for:
We work with a selected number of trusted contractors who understand the care and craftmanship our landscapes require. Construction costs can sometimes feel overwhelming; we guide our clients through the tender process, helping interpret quotes and ensuring the process is transparent and manageable.
Our process begins with a site consultation, where we walk through the landscape together to understand the existing conditions, observe the character of the site and discuss how you would like to live within the garden.
We explore your aesthetic preferences, practical requirements and budget, while identifying opportunities for planting, habitat and thoughtful design.
Following the consultation, you receive a tailored proposal outlining the landscape design process and the stages involved in bringing your project to life, along with the associated design fees.
An in-person consultation at your property includes up to 1 hour on site.
A two part process encompassing a landscape design plan to set clear direction for construction before works begin.
Following the landscape design plan finalisation, a detailed planting plan can be created and implemented ensuring your planting is cohesive and site appropriate.
What you receive:
LANDSCAPE DESIGN PLAN
A comprehensive plan detailing:
This plan provides clear direction for construction and ensures all elements are thoughtfully resolved before works begin.
PLANTING PLAN
Once the landscape design plan is finalised, we prepare a detailed planting plan including:
This ensures your planting is cohesive, site-appropriate, and aligned with the overall design vision.
Not every job requires a landscape design. For established gardens or upgrades, the planting-only package includes:
Ideal for: clients who already have a layout but need planting guidance.
We love connecting wild spaces.
If you live on a large property or within a rural landscape, we can design tailored planting corridors that strengthen habitat and reconnect fragmented landscapes.
Using satellite imagery and site analysis, we prepare a detailed planting plan suited to your specific conditions.
These corridors can:
Perfect for landowners wanting to actively restore and enhance their landscape.
Not every garden requires a full design package, sometimes you simply need to refresh and elevate your planting.
Through a focused consultation and site assessment, we develop a tailored planting palette suited to your garden’s conditions, style, and maintenance preferences.
This curated plant list can then be used to obtain an accurate procurement quote for supply and installation.
Ideal for gardens needing:
A paragraph here about how STEM can offer more than the services listed above. Specifically any other services not listed, consulting, education, speaking engagements, media bookings etc. For example: consultation (Government & Councils), Maintenance Plans, Horticultural / Ecological Assessments etc.
MORE GUIDANCE?
We’re grateful to have our work shared across various publications that celebrate design, gardens and nature. These features offer a glimpse into the landscapes we create and the stories behind them.
