Darkon Architectural Lighting
Darkon is proud to continue its long-standing partnership with acclaimed landscape designer Christian Jenkins, celebrating his 2025 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show entry, YUTORI, which was awarded a Silver Medal in this year’s Show Garden category.
Drawing on the Japanese philosophy of “intentionally slowing down,” YUTORI creates a space of deep calm and mindfulness. The garden integrates a sauna, ice bath, and tiny home into a tranquil natural landscape – complete with raked sand, hand-laid stone pathways, and a gently flowing stream leading into a pond dotted with water lilies. Every element encourages stillness, reflection, and a moment of pause in an increasingly fast-paced world.
Now in its fourth consecutive year, DARKON’s collaboration with Christian has explored a diverse range of wellness-inspired landscapes, from the tropical sanctuary of Inner Calm (2022), to the Japanese-forest serenity of Composition (2023), and the Australian native immersion of Inner Journey (2024). Each garden has used light as a storytelling device, reinforcing the spatial and emotional atmosphere of the design – and YUTORI continues this tradition.
The lighting design was carefully curated to support the sensory experience of the garden after dark:
The stone pathway is illuminated using HEPER DRAGO bollards, selected for their architectural form and low-glare guidance.
TUBO external spike-spots by LuxConex deliver soft accent lighting to planting zones and sculptural features, using minimal wattage to retain the garden’s stillness.
A concealed linear extrusion uplights the traditional entrance gateway, adding a warm, welcoming glow that gently draws visitors inward.
“YUTORI is a space to just be,” says CJ. “Light plays such a subtle but powerful role in helping people experience the garden in different emotional states – especially at twilight.”
From the bold tropical architecture of Inner Calm to the meditative simplicity of YUTORI, DARKON is very proud to support the ongoing evolution of Christian Jenkins’ work, and to champion Australian design on both national and international stages.
DARKON