This magnificent parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston Ivy — I think) can be found just around the corner from Fitzroy Street at 367-368 Beaconsfield Parade. It clings to the equally magnificent pair of giant Victorian terrace houses once known as Queens Terrace.
Famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright once lamented that “doctors can bury their mistakes, but architects can only advise their clients to plant vines.” This vine masks maybe the worst mistake ever made in the long story of St Kilda’s heritage preservation – the demolition in 1973 of the other three mansion-scaled townhouses that made up the original five residences of Queen’s Terrace. The vast side wall this ivy year by year creeps its way across is the scar that was left behind.
The vine is divine, but my heart sinks when I think of what it now asks us to forget.
I will write more about the intriguing architectural history of this building in a future post.
