Outdoor focus

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

For Australian TV personality and celebrity gardener Jason Hodges, sitting around an open fire instantly evokes happy childhood memories. Whether it’s toasting marshmallows around a campfire or watching Dad cook dinner on the barbeque, Jason says fireplaces connect to something deep within.

“I don’t know what it is, but an open fire is incredibly mesmerising and immediately conjures up those romantic feelings of sitting at a candlelit table with a loved one or kicking back around a campfire with friends,” he says. “So I guess you can be an Aussie bloke and a romantic fool at the same time!”

Open fireplaces have featured extensively in Jason’s landscaping designs over the past decade, to less than impressive effect. Wood fires are unpredictable and dirty, and gas fireplaces are hard to locate outside without a dedicated gas connection. And as Jason says, “they don’t have a natural looking flame.”

Fortunately, it was a chance meeting on his Better Homes & Gardens TV show gave Jason the solutions he was looking for.

“A few years ago, I presented a segment on outdoor heating and EcoSmart Fire was clearly the top-of-the-range,” he recalls. “I was immediately impressed by its versatility and stunning architectural design, how easily it switched on and off, and the fact that there was no smell whatsoever the entire time it was in use.”

In addition to EcoSmart Fire’s signature clean lines and timeless design, Jason is also a fan of the brand’s environmental sensitivity. “It really does burn as clean as a candle and not only do you avoid paying astronomical prices for timber but you help save the environment too.”

“The Fire Company clearly spends a lot of money testing their products, which gives me enormous confidence in not only using them at home but also recommending them to my clients. Even the quality of the stainless steel is impressive – I’ve had my EcoSmart Fire for two years and it looks as good as the day I bought it.”

Jason Hodges, Greenart Gardens

In 2010, Jason and his Greenart Gardens design team won ‘Gold Show Garden’ at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, which featured The EcoSmart Loft Fire Screen with AB3 Burner combination kit integrated into a timber benchtop, and three 450SS fireboxes set into a sandstone feature wall.

“When it came to setting a scene and drawing people in and making them feel comfortable, The EcoSmart Fire was the one and only choice,” Jason says.